At the 6th Congresso Nazionale SIGASCOT meeting in Florence, Italy, Professor Stefano Zaffagnini surprised McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine affiliated faculty member Freddie Fu, MD, with an honorary membership to SIGASCOT (Italian Society of Arthroscopy Knee Cartilage Sport Orthopaedic Technologies).  Dr. Fu was honored in recognition of his outstanding contribution in orthopaedics clinical practice and research.  This is the first such membership ever awarded by the society.

Dr. Fu is a Distinguished Service Professor and the David Silver Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Chairman of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Dr. Fu is the head team physician for the University of Pittsburgh Department of Athletics (since 1986).  He also holds secondary appointments at Pitt as a Professor of Physical Therapy, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Professor of Health and Physical Activity, School of Education, and Professor of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science, Swanson School of Engineering. Dr. Fu is known worldwide for his pioneering surgical techniques to treat sports-related injuries to the knee and shoulder and his extensive scientific and clinical research in the biomechanics of such injuries.

Professor Zaffagnini completed a Sports Medicine Research Fellowship in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh in 1994.  He is currently the President of the Italian Society of Knee Surgery SIGASCOT, Director of the Complex Structure General Orthopaedics, and Director of the Centre of Excellence in Sports Traumatology at the Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute of Bologna, Italy. He is also an Associate Professor of Orthopaedics and Traumatology in the Second Orthopaedic Clinic University of the Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute.

Congratulations, Dr. Fu!