Research

Research That Informs Everyday Knee Care

Alongside his clinical practice as a consultant knee surgeon, Dr Adam Farrier has an active research career focused on cartilage, early osteoarthritis and sports knee injuries. His aim is simple: to understand why knees become painful and wear out, and to use that knowledge to offer patients treatments supported by the best available evidence.

Laboratory Research: Cartilage and Osteoarthritis

Supported by a Dunhill Medical Trust Research Training Fellowship, Dr Farrier completed a PhD in Bioscience at Newcastle University, titled "Regulating chondrocyte phenotype in OA and chondrogenesis". His research explored how cartilage cells (chondrocytes) change their behaviour in osteoarthritis at the level of gene regulation, identifying potential targets for earlier treatment of the disease, and investigated genetic engineering approaches to growing new cartilage from stem cells.

Clinical Research and Collaboration

As Chair of CORNET, the orthopaedic trainee research collaborative for the Northern Deanery, and Vice-Chair of the National Research Collaborative, Dr Farrier has contributed to large multicentre studies across NHS hospitals, including the COMPOSE study of fractures around hip and knee replacements and the WHiTE 3 hip fracture trial. The collaborative’s work was recognised with the NIHR Research Trainee Team of the Year award and the Kreibich clinical research prize.

His fellowship training at Perth Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine and Royal Perth Hospital led to ongoing research collaboration in Western Australia on sports knee injuries and ligament surgery, including prospective clinical studies that follow patients’ outcomes over time.

Why Research Matters for Patients

Being research-active means staying at the forefront of new evidence and techniques, questioning which treatments genuinely work, and measuring outcomes carefully. Dr Farrier’s publications are listed below.

Peer-Reviewed Publications

Published research by Dr Adam Farrier, consultant knee surgeon, most recent first.

Barter MJ, Soul J, Cheung K, Falk J, Putri K, Farrier AJ, et al. Chromatin accessibility in MSC chondrogenesis, adult hip cartilage chondrocytes and osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2026;34(3):417-431. doi:10.1016/j.joca.2025.12.015

Ebert JR, Edwards PK, Ammann E, Farrier A, Gavin L, Kabelitz M, Radic R, Liddell A, Annear P. Older age and a non-sporting injury mechanism are associated with re-injury and the need for revision surgery over a minimum 2-year follow-up following proximal hamstring tendon repair. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2025;33(8):2984-2993. doi:10.1002/ksa.12767

The COMPOSE Study Team. Epidemiology and characteristics of femoral periprosthetic fractures: data from the characteristics, outcomes and management of periprosthetic fracture service evaluation (COMPOSE) cohort study. Bone Joint J. 2022;104-B(8):987-996. doi:10.1302/0301-620X.104B8.BJJ-2021-1681.R1

The COMPOSE Study Team. Management and outcomes of femoral periprosthetic fractures at the hip: data from the characteristics, outcomes and management of periprosthetic fracture service evaluation (COMPOSE) cohort study. Bone Joint J. 2022;104-B(8):997-1008. doi:10.1302/0301-620X.104B8.BJJ-2021-1682.R1

Farrier AJ, Holland J. Seromadesis following total hip resurfacing by aspiration and injection of doxycycline. BMJ Case Rep. 2021;14(4):e241523. doi:10.1136/bcr-2020-241523

Farrier AJ, Moore L, Manning W, Avila C, Collins SN, Holland J. Comparison study of temperature and deformation changes in the femoral component of a novel ceramic-on-ceramic hip resurfacing bearing to a metal standard, using a cadaveric model. Proc Inst Mech Eng H. 2019;233(12):1318-1326. doi:10.1177/0954411919881520

Alkhreisat M, Al-Maiyah M, Ramaskandhan JR, Nicolas AP, Rawlings D, Purushothaman B, Farrier A, Siddique M. Change in bone mineral density after total ankle replacement: two year follow up. Foot Ankle Orthop. 2019 (abstract). doi:10.1177/2473011419S00090

Farrier AJ, Moore L, Manning W, Avila C, Collins SN, Holland J. Comparing the cup deformation following implantation of a novel ceramic-on-ceramic hip resurfacing bearing to a metal standard in a cadaveric model. Proc Inst Mech Eng H. 2019;233(6):603-610. doi:10.1177/0954411919845721

Ashton F, Ramaskandhan J, Farrier A, Siddique M. Topographic pain mapping versus radiological inter-observer variation in ankle arthritis. Foot Ankle Orthop. 2017 (abstract). doi:10.1177/2473011417S000100

Sims AL, Farrier AJ, Reed MR, Sheldon TA. Thompson hemiarthroplasty versus modular unipolar implants for patients requiring hemiarthroplasty of the hip: a systematic review of the evidence. Bone Joint Res. 2017;6(8):506-513. doi:10.1302/2046-3758.68.BJR-2016-0256.R1

Farrier AJ, Sanchez Franco LC, Shoaib A, Gulati V, Johnson N, Uzoigwe CE, et al. New anti-resorptives and antibody mediated anti-resorptive therapy. Bone Joint J. 2016;98-B(2):160-5. doi:10.1302/0301-620X.98B2.36161

Farrier AJ, Ihediwa U, Khan S, Kumar A, Gulati V, Uzoigwe CE, et al. The seasonality of slipped upper femoral epiphysis – meta-analysis: a possible association with vitamin D. Hip Int. 2015;25(6):495-501. doi:10.5301/hipint.5000203

Murtuza F, Farrier AJ, Venkatesan M, Smith R, Khan A, Uzoigwe CE, et al. Is there an association between body temperature and serum lactate levels in hip fracture patients? Ann R Coll Surg Engl. 2015;97(7):513-8. doi:10.1308/rcsann.2015.0012

Shabani F, Farrier AJ, Krishnaiyan R, Hunt C, Uzoigwe CE, Venkatesan M. Common contra-indications and interactions of drugs in orthopaedic practice. Bone Joint J. 2015;97-B(4):434-41. doi:10.1302/0301-620X.97B4.35230

Zarattini G, Farrier A, Sibona F. Ascending tonic clonic seizure syndrome after percutaneous vertebroplasty. Case Rep Orthop. 2015;2015:870810. doi:10.1155/2015/870810

Shabani F, Farrier AJ, Smith R, Venkatesan M, Thomas C, Uzoigwe CE, et al. Hip fractures sustained in hospital: comorbidities and outcome. Postgrad Med J. 2015;91(1072):61-4. doi:10.1136/postgradmedj-2014-132674

Faizi M, Farrier AJ, Venkatesan M, Thomas C, Uzoigwe CE, Balasubramanian S, et al. Is body temperature an independent predictor of mortality in hip fracture patients? Injury. 2014;45(12):1942-5. doi:10.1016/j.injury.2014.09.024

As Collaborator

COV-BOOST Study Group. Safety, immunogenicity, and reactogenicity of BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273 COVID-19 vaccines given as fourth-dose boosters following two doses of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 or BNT162b2 and a third dose of BNT162b2 (COV-BOOST): a multicentre, blinded, phase 2, randomised trial. Lancet Infect Dis. 2022;22(8):1131-1141. doi:10.1016/S1473-3099(22)00271-7

COV-BOOST Study Group. Safety and immunogenicity of seven COVID-19 vaccines as a third dose (booster) following two doses of ChAdOx1 nCov-19 or BNT162b2 in the UK (COV-BOOST): a blinded, multicentre, randomised, controlled, phase 2 trial. Lancet. 2021;398(10318):2258-2276. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(21)02717-3

Sims AL, Parsons N, Achten J, Griffin XL, Costa ML, Reed MR; CORNET Trainee Collaborative. A randomized controlled trial comparing the Thompson hemiarthroplasty with the Exeter polished tapered stem and Unitrax modular head in the treatment of displaced intracapsular fractures of the hip: the WHiTE 3: HEMI Trial. Bone Joint J. 2018;100-B(3):352-360. doi:10.1302/0301-620X.100B3.BJJ-2017-0872.R2