In 1985, Charles S. Neer II, MD created a fund to provide recognition for outstanding clinical investigation contributing to the understanding, care or prevention of injuries to the shoulder and elbow. The Neer award is the highest honor awarded by the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Society. Pupello was a co-author on a research study on rotator cuff repairs conducted by Derek Cuff, MD at Suncoast Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports Medicine in Venice, FL.

Dr. Cuff and Pupello initially worked together at FORE when Dr. Cuff was a fellow of Dr. Mark Frankle.  They have previously been co-authors on work involving reverse shoulder arthroplasty. The current study will be published in the Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery later this year.