McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine faculty member Savio L-Y. Woo, PhD, DSc, Deng distinguished university professor of bioengineering and the founder and director of the Musculoskeletal Research Center, was honored at the recent 2011 American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Summer Bioengineering Conference at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, Farmington, PA, for his lifetime achievements in bioengineering. Jennifer Wayne, PhD, and McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine faculty member David Vorp, PhD professor of surgery (general/vascular) and bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh, director of the Center for Vascular Remodeling and Regeneration, and director of the Vascular Surgery and Vascular Biomechanics Research Lab, arranged a special symposium to highlight the four major areas of Dr. Woo’s career contributions:
- Tissue Mechanics
- Robotics to Analyze Joint Stability
- Modeling of Tendons and Ligaments
- Functional Tissue Engineering for Healing of Tendons and Ligaments
The symposium consisted of four 2-hour sessions organized by his friends, colleagues, and former trainees. Each session began with a keynote lecture followed with five presentations. There was also a special video greeting from Dr. and Mrs. Y-C. Fung and Dr. Shu Chien, prepared by Dr. Peter Chen.
After the symposia, about 80 of Dr. Woo’s students, fellows, and good friends gathered at the nearby Christian W. Klay Winery to celebrate his 70th birthday. There were a series of toasts and congratulatory remarks made by Drs. Zong-Ming Li, Matthew Fisher, David Butler, Cy Frank, T.K. Hung, Bob Nerem, Al Banes, Kai-Nan An, and Rui Liang. McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine faculty members Harvey Borovetz, PhD distinguished professor and chair in the Department of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh, a professor of chemical and petroleum engineering, the Robert L. Hardesty Professor in the Department of Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and deputy director of Artificial Organs and Medical Devices in the McGowan Institute, and Sanjeev Shroff, PhD professor and Gerald E. McGinnis Chair in the Department of Bioengineering as well as professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, also participated in the tributes.
Afterwards, Dr. Woo thanked everyone involved in these two wonderful events and the many accolades. He vowed to work harder so that he could become the quality educator, caring mentor, role model, and treasured friend that everyone has so generously bestowed on him!