McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine associate director Rocky Tuan, PhD, has been named the Society For Biomaterials 2016 Clemson Award Winner: Contributions to the Literature Award. Per the award’s criterion, this honor seeks to recognize significant contributions to the literature on the science or technology of biomaterials. The importance of the contributions will be evidenced by systematic publications in technical journals, significant critical analyses and/or reviews, the frequent citations and referencing of the contributions by independent writers, and/or the publication of major works such as monographs, textbooks, bibliographies, and edited communications.
“Every year we recognize our members for their outstanding achievements in the biomaterials industry, whether it be from industry, academia, regulatory agencies, or from the student population,” said Tom Webster, Society For Biomaterials president.
Dr. Tuan’s longstanding research activities in musculoskeletal biology and tissue regeneration, carried out in academia as well as at the U.S. National Institutes of Health, cover basic science and engineering, as well as translational and clinical applications. In basic research, Dr. Tuan’s interests range from skeletal patterning and embryonic cartilage development, to mechanistic aspects of cell signaling and matrix biology, to the biology of adult stem cells and reprogrammed stem cells. Dr. Tuan’s translational and engineering investigations include nanomaterials, bioscaffold design, 3D printing, bioreactor technology, the biology of cell-material interactions, and tissue engineering and regeneration. His clinical research topics of interest include periprostheticosteolysis, molecular diagnosis of orthopaedic infection, development of biodegradable drug delivery systems, and the repair of articular cartilage and nerve injuries. Of significance relative to this award, his research has been a fusion of basic biology and biomaterials, which has advanced the understanding and potential solutions to pressing clinical needs.
Dr. Tuan is an internationally-renowned scientist in the areas of connective tissue, molecular/cell biology, and tissue engineering, and has contributed significantly to each of these communities within both academia and federal institutions. His research focuses on the development, growth, function, and health of the musculoskeletal system, the biology of adult stem cells, and the utilization of this knowledge to develop technologies that will regenerate and/or restore function to diseased and damaged musculoskeletal tissues. In addition, he has been a leader studying complex biological systems and in musculoskeletal research, including cartilage development, repair, cell signaling, and matrix biochemistry, and a major contributor to stem cell biology and tissue engineering.
Dr. Tuan has earned a well-deserved national and international reputation for innovation and creativity in developing new research directions, particularly those in the area of skeletal biology, stem cell biomedicine, and tissue engineering. For example, his innovation on 3D printing for cell-based tissue regeneration and development was funded by the NIH and recently also by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Congratulations, Dr. Tuan!