Gregory Della Rocca, MD, PhD, FACS
Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery
Co-Director, Orthopaedic Trauma Service

Clinical Interests:

Orthopaedic trauma: pelvis and complex articular fracture surgery

Research Interests:

Basic science: Cartilage and bone metabolism and response to injury.

Education:

MD, Duke University, Durham, N.C.,1999
PhD, Duke University, Durham, N.C., 1998
BS, Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., 1992
Residency, Washington University/Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis, Mo., 1999-2004
Fellowship: Orthopaedic traumatology, Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, Wash., 2004-2005

Honors and Awards:

• Resident Teaching Award, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Washington University/Barnes-Jewish Hospital, June, 2004.
• Emerging Leaders Program, American Orthopaedic Association, March, 2004.
• Resident Leadership Forum, American Orthopaedic Association, June, 2003.
• Recipient, OREF/Sulzer Medica Resident Research Award for Growth Factor Research, 2002.
• Appleton & Lange Award, Duke University School of Medicine, May 13, 1999.
• Outstanding poster award, Alpha Omega Alpha Original Studies Symposium, Duke University School of Medicine, April 24, 1996.
• Gamma Sigma Delta honor society, Cornell University chapter, April, 1992.
• Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Scholar, Cornell University, June 1991.
• Golden Key National Honor Society, Cornell University chapter, December, 1990.

Publications:

1. Luttrell LM, Della Rocca GJ, van Biesen T, Luttrell DK, Lefkowitz RJ. G bg subunits mediate Src-dependent phosphorylation of the epidermal growth factor receptor: A scaffold for G protein-coupled receptor-mediated Ras activation. (1997) J. Biol. Chem.272, 4637-4644.
2. Della Rocca GJ, van Biesen T, Daaka Y, Luttrell DK, Luttrell LM, Lefkowitz RJ. Ras-dependent MAP kinase activation by G protein-coupled receptors: Convergence of G i- and G q-mediated pathways on calcium/calmodulin, Pyk2, and Src kinase. (1997) J. Biol. Chem.272, 19125-19132.
3. Luttrell LM, Daaka Y, Della Rocca GJ, Lefkowitz RJ. G protein-coupled receptors mediate two functionally distinct pathways of tyrosine phosphorylation in Rat 1a fibroblasts: Shc phosphorylation and receptor endocytosis correlate with activation of Erk kinases. (1997) J. Biol. Chem.272, 31648-31656.
4. Daaka Y, Luttrell LM, Ahn S, Della Rocca GJ, Ferguson SSG, Caron MG, Lefkowitz RJ. Essential role for G protein-coupled receptor endocytosis in the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase. (1998) J. Biol. Chem.273, 685-688.
5. Luttrell LM, Ferguson SSG, Daaka Y, Miller WE, Maudsley S, Della Rocca GJ, Lin F-T, Luttrell DK, Caron MG, Lefkowitz RJ. b -arrestin-dependent formation of b 2 adrenergic receptor-Src protein complexes. (1999) Science.283, 655-661.
6. Della Rocca GJ, Mukhin YV, Garnovskaya MN, Daaka Y, Clark GJ, Luttrell LM, Lefkowitz RJ, Raymond JR. Serotonin 5HT 1A receptor-mediated Erk activation requires calcium/calmodulin-dependent receptor endocytosis. (1999) J. Biol. Chem.274, 4749-4753.
7. Soeder KJ, Snedden SK, Cao W, Della Rocca GJ, Daniel WK, Luttrell LM, Collins S. The b 3-adrenergic receptor activates MAP kinase in adipocytes through a Gi-dependent mechanism. (1999) J. Biol. Chem.274, 12017-12022.
8. Della Rocca GJ, Maudsley S, Daaka Y, Lefkowitz RJ, Luttrell LM. Pleiotropic coupling of G protein-coupled receptors to the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade: Role of focal adhesions and receptor tyrosine kinases. (1999) J. Biol. Chem.274, 13978-13984.
9. Price DT, Della Rocca GJ, Daaka Y, Schwinn DA, Luttrell LM, Lefkowitz RJ. Activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase in human prostate cancer. (1999) J. Urol.162, 1537-1542.
10. Edwards CC, Bridwell KH, Patel A, Rinella AS, Kim YJ, Berra A, Della Rocca GJ, Lenke LG. Thoracolumbar deformity arthrodesis to L5 in adults: The fate of the L5-S1 disk. (2003) Spine. 28, 2122-2131.
11. Dobbs MB, Lenke LG, Walton T, Peelle M, Della Rocca GJ, Steger-May K, Bridwell KH. Can we predict the ultimate lumbar curve in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients undergoing a selective fusion with undercorrection of the thoracic curve? (2004) Spine.29, 277-285.
12. Peelle MW, Della Rocca GJ, Maloney WJ, Curry M, Clohisy JC. Acetabular and femoral radiographic abnormalities associated with labral tears.  (2005) Clin Orthop Relat Res 441, 327-333.
13. Schmelzer RE, Della Rocca GJ, Caplin, D.  Endoscopic carpal tunnel release: A review of 753 cases.  (2006)  Plast. Reconst Surg.  117, 177-185.
14. Burnett RSJ, Della Rocca GJ, Prather H, Curry M, Maloney WJ, Clohisy JC.  Clinical Presentation of Patients with Tears of the Acetabular Labrum. J. Bone Joint Surg. Am., Jul 2006; 88: 1448-1457.
15. Della Rocca GJ, Crist BD. External fixation versus conversion to intramedullary nailing for definitive management of closed fractures of the femoral and tibial shaft.J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2006 Oct;14(10):S131-5.
16. Wade AM, Barrett MO, Crist BD, Della Rocca GJ, Kane SM. Medial Clavicular Epiphyseal Fracture with Ipsilateral Acromioclavicular Dislocation: A Case Report of Panclavicular Fracture Dislocation.J Ortho Trauma 2007 Jul;21(6):418-21.
17. Ricci WM, Della Rocca GJ, Combs C, Borrelli J. The medical and economic impact of preoperative cardiac testing in elderly patients with hip fractures. Injury (2007) 38S3, S49–S52.
18. Barrett MO, Wade AM, Della Rocca GJ, Crist BD, Anglen JO. The Safety of Forefoot Metatarsal Pins in External fixation of The Lower Extremity: A Cadaveric Study. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2008;90:560-564.
19. Wade AM, Crist BD, Khazzam M, Della Rocca GJ, Calhoun JH. Pilon Fractures. Current Orthopaedic Practice 19(3):242-248, May 2008.
20. Crist BD, Della Rocca GJ, Murtha YM. Treatment of Acute Distal Femoral Fractures. Othopedics 2008 Jul;31(7): 681-690.
21. Vosburg C, Crist BD, Haltom D, Della Rocca GJ. A Novel Technique for the Removal of a Broken Solid Tibial Nail. Current Orthopaedic Practice 19(5): 570-574.

Book Chapters/Review Articles:

1. Luttrell LM, van Biesen T, Hawes BE, Della Rocca GJ, Luttrell DK, Lefkowitz RJ. Regulation of mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways by catecholamine receptors. In Catecholamines: Bridging Basic Science with Clinical Medicine (1998), Adv. Pharmacology 42, 466-470 .
2. Della Rocca GJ , Lefkowitz RJ, Koch WJ. Methods of sequestering bg in the intact cell. In G Proteins: Techniques of Analysis (1999), CRC Press, Boca Raton.
3. Della Rocca GJ, Sangeorzan BJ.  Navicular and midfoot injuries. In DiGiovanni C, Greisberg J (eds.), Core Knowledge in Orthopaedics: Foot and Ankle.  Philadelphia: Elsevier, 2007; 297-309.

Contact Information:

Tammy Ellebracht
Administrative Assistant -- Trauma
(573) 882-6562
ellebrachtt@health.missouri.edu