Rate My Professor Savio Woo

Savio L-Y. Woo is the Distinguished University Professor Emeritus and Founding Director of the Musculoskeletal Research Center in the Department of Bioengineering within the Swanson School of Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh. He also holds appointments as Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Professor of Rehabilitation Science and Technology, and Core Faculty at the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine. Woo received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Chico State College in 1965, M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Washington in 1966, and Ph.D. in Bioengineering from the University of Washington in 1971. He was awarded honorary D.Sc. from California State University, Chico in 1999 and D.Eng. from Hong Kong Polytechnic University in 2008. Before joining the University of Pittsburgh in 1990, he served as Professor of Surgery and Bioengineering at the University of California, San Diego for two decades. Throughout his career, Woo has led numerous professional organizations, including serving as President of the Orthopaedic Research Society and the American Society of Biomechanics in 1985-1986, and President of the International Society for Fracture Repair from 1990-1992. He chaired the Bioengineering Division of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers in 1986-1987 and served as Chairman of the U.S. National Committee on Biomechanics from 1994-1997.

A pioneer in bioengineering, Savio Woo has dedicated over 45 years to translational research on the healing and repair of musculoskeletal tissues, particularly ligaments and tendons. His seminal contributions include the development of robotic/universal force-moment sensor systems to quantify in situ forces in knee ligaments such as the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), medial collateral ligament (MCL), and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), advancing the understanding of joint kinematics and stability. Woo pioneered functional tissue engineering approaches using extracellular matrix bioscaffolds like small intestinal submucosa (SIS) and explored biodegradable magnesium alloys for ligament regeneration. He has authored 308 original research papers in refereed journals, 157 book chapters and review articles, and edited 12 books. His work has driven clinical paradigm shifts in the treatment of ligament injuries, improving patient outcomes worldwide. Woo's accolades include the International Olympic Committee's Olympic Prize for Sports Science (1998), the IEEE Gold Medal for Innovations in Healthcare Technology (2012), the Kappa Delta Award for Outstanding Orthopaedic Research, the Herbert R. Lissner Medal from ASME, the O'Donoghue Sports Injury Research Award, the Giovanni Borelli Award, the Muybridge Medal from the International Society of Biomechanics, and election to the National Academy of Engineering (1994) and National Academy of Medicine (1991). He is also a member of Academia Sinica (1996).