Savio L-Y. Woo, Ph.D., D.Sc

Distinguished University Professor and Director Musculoskeletal ResearchCenter

Dept. of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA15219
Phone: (412) 648-2000

Fax: (412) 648-2001
 

Professional Preparation

B.S.    1965      Mechanical Engineering, Chico State College, Chico, CA

M.S.    1966      Mechanical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

Ph.D.   1971     Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

D.Sc.   1998     Honorary, California State University, Chico , CA

D.Eng 2008     Honorary, Hong Kong Polytechnic University

 

Appointments
2007- Distinguished University Professor, Department of Bioengineering, U. of Pittsburgh
2004-2007 W.K. Whiteford Professor, Department of Bioengineering, U. of Pittsburgh
2001- Core Faculty, McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, U. of Pittsburgh
1996- Professor & Vice Chairman for Research, Dept. of Bioengineering, U. of Pittsburgh
1994- Professor of Rehabilitation Science & Technology, U. of Pittsburgh
1993-2004 A.B. Ferguson Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, U. of Pittsburgh
1990-  Director, Musculoskeletal Research Center, U. of Pittsburgh
1990- Professor of Mechanical Engineering, U. of Pittsburgh
1990-1993 Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, U. of Pittsburgh
1984-1990 Executive Director, M. & D. Coutts Research Institute
1980-1990 Professor of Surgery & Bioengineering, Div. of Ortho. & Rehab., U. of Calif., San Diego
1974-1980 Associate Professor of Surgery & Bioengineering, Div. Of Ortho. & Rehab., UCSD
1970-1974 Assistant Research Bioengineer, Div. Of Ortho. & Rehab., U. of Calif., San Diego (UCSD)

 

Selected peer-reviewed publications
(Publications selected from over 300 original research papers and 130 book chapters & review articles)
Publications Related to Proposed Project

  1. Liang, R., Fisher, M., Yang, G., Hall, C., Woo, S.L-Y.: Alpha Gal 1, 3-transferase Knock out does not Alter the Properties of Porcine Extracellular Matrix Bioscaffolds. Acta Biomaterialia, Electronically Published, January 2011.
  2. Fisher, M.B., Jung, H-J., McMahon, P.J., Woo, S.L-Y.: Evaluation of Suture Augmentation Following ACL Injury on Joint Stability and the Contribution of the ACL, MCL and Medial Meniscus in a Cadaver Goat Model. J. of Biomechanics, Submitted, December 2010
  3. Fisher, M.B., Liang, R., Jung, H-J., Kim, K., Zamarra, G., Almarza, A.J., McMahon, P.J., Woo S.L-Y.: Healing of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament With Genetically-Modified Extracellular Matrix Bioscaffolds: A Goat Model. Journal of Orthopaedic Research. In Revision December 2010.
  4. Fisher, M.B., Jung, H-J., McMahon, P.J., Woo, S.L-Y.: Evaluation of Bone Tunnel Placement for Suture Augmentation of an Injured Anterior Cruciate Ligament: Effects on Joint Stability in a Goat Model. J. of Orthopaedic Research, 28(10):1373-1379, 2010.
  5. Nguyen, T., Liang, R., Woo, S.L-Y., Burton, S., Wu, C. Almarza, A., Sacks, M., Abramowitch, S.: Effects of Cell-Seeding and Cyclic Stretching on the Remodeling of an Extracellular Matrix Derived Bioscaffold. Tissue Engineering, 15(4):957-963, 2009.
  6. Karaoglu, S., Fisher, M., Woo, S.L-Y., Fu, Y-C., Liang, R., Abramowitch, S.D.:  Use of a Bioscaffold to Improve Healing of a Patellar Tendon Defect After Graft harvest for ACL Reconstruction:  A Study in Rabbits.  J. of Orthopaedic Research, 26(2):255-263, 2008.
  7. Liang, R., Woo, S.L-Y., Takakura, Y., Moon, D.K., Jia, F., Abramowitch, S.D.  The Long-Term Effects of Porcine Small Intestine Submucosa on the Healing of Medial Collateral Ligament:  A Functional Tissue Engineering Study.  J. of Orthopedic Research, 24(3): 811-819, 2006.
  8. Abramowitch, S.D., Papageorgiou, C.D., Withrow, J.D., Gilbert, T.W., and Woo, S.L-Y.:  The Effect of Initial Graft Tension on the Biomechanical Properties of a Healing ACL Replacement Graft:  A Study in Goats.  J. of Orthopaedic Research, 21(4):708-715, 2003.
  9. Fujie, H., Livesay, G.A., Woo, S.L-Y., Kashiwaguchi, S., and Blomstrom, G.A.:  The Use of Universal Force-Moment Sensor to Determine In-situ Forces in Soft Tissues:  Application to the Human Anterior Cruciate Ligament. J. of Biomechanical Engineering, 117:1-7, 1995.

Other Significant Publications

  1. Song, Y., Debski, R., Musahl, V., Thomas, M., and Woo, S.L-Y.:  A Three Dimensional Finite Element Model of the Human Anterior Cruciate Ligament:  A Computational Analysis with Experimental Validation.  J. of Biomechanics, 37:383-390, 2004.
  2. Abramowitch, S., Yagi, M., Tsuda, E., and Woo, S.L-Y.:  The Healing Medial Collateral Ligament Following a Combined Anterior Cruciate and Medial Collateral Ligament Injury–A Biomechanical Study in a Goad Model. J. of Orthopaedic Research, 21:1124-1130, 2003.
  3. Tsuda, E., Fukuda, Y., Loh, J.C., Debski, R.E., Fu, F.H., and Woo, S.L-Y.:  Effect of Fixation on Anterior Cruciate Ligament Graft-Tunnel Motion in Response to Anterior Tibial Loading.  J. of Arthroscopic and Related Research, 18(9):960-967, 2002.
  4. Papageorgiou, C.D., Ma, B., Abramowitch, S.D., Clineff, T.D., and Woo, S.L-Y.:  A Multi-Disciplinary Study of the Healing of an Intra-Articular Anterior Cruciate Ligament Graft in a Goat Model.  Am. J. of Sports Medicine, 29(5):620-626, 2001.
  5. Woo, S.L-Y., Danto, M.I., Ohland, K.J., Lee, T.Q., and Newton, P.O.:  The Use of a Laser Micrometer System to Determine the Cross-sectional Shape and Area of Ligaments:  A Comparative Study with Two Existing Methods.  J. of Biomechanical Engineering, 112:426-431, 1990.

Synergistic Activities

Undergraduate Industrial Internship Course 
 Dr. Woo has been a co-instructor of the Industrial Internship course for undergraduates at the University of Pittsburgh.  Prior to entering the course, the students are required to complete a three month internship at a research laboratory.  This course instructs the students on how to present their research finding effectively.  At the conclusion, the students present their research during a one-day symposium.


Musculoskeletal Research Center Summer Internship Program 
 For more than ten years, Dr. Woo has led the Summer Internship Program at the MSRC.  To date, over 100 students have been trained on how to perform research correctly during the 12-week program.  By working alongside graduate students, clinical fellows, and faculty, these students also learn collaborative research and improve their presentation and communication skills.  At the end of the summer, the students present their research at an annual Symposium.


Development of Novel Technologies for the Study of Diarthrodial Joint Biomechanics 
 The MSRC has been a world-leader in the development of novel technologies of the study of diarthrodial joint biomechanics.  Significant developments include: complex fixation techniques for proper tensile testing, non-contact cross-sectional area and strain measurements, a robotic/universal force-moment testing system to evaluate joint function, and computational models of joints, among others.


Service to Scientific and Engineering Community 
 Over his long career, Dr. Woo has served on over 30 scientific advisory committees, over 30 editorial boards for scientific and engineering journals, edited 11 books on biomechanics and tissue engineering, held office in 18 different professional societies, including U.S. National Committee on Biomechanics, National Academy of Engineering, Biomedical Engineering Society, and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and served on 14 government agency committees and panels.

Collaborators & Other Affiliations

Collaborators
Steven Abramowitch, Ph.D., Alejandro Almarza, Ph.D., Steven Arnoczky, Ph.D., Gerard Ateshian, Ph.D., Stephen Badylak, Ph.D., Harvey Borovetz, Ph.D., Giuliano Cerulli, M.D., Art Coury, Ph.D., Richard Debski, Ph.D., Thomas Gilbert, Ph.D., Steven Goldstein, Ph.D., Jay Humphrey, Ph.D., Ernst Hunziker, M.D., David Kaplan, Ph.D., Jon Karlsson, M.D., Thay Lee, Ph.D., Patrick J. McMahon, M.D., Van C. Mow, Ph.D., Mark Redfern, Ph.D., Per Renstrom, M.D., Michael Sacks, Ph.D., J. Richard Steadman, M.D., Michael Torry, Ph.D., David Vorp, Ph.D., Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic, Ph.D., James H-C. Wang, Ph.D.

Graduate Advisors
Albert Kobayashi (University of Washington)

Thesis Advisor and Post-Graduate Sponsor
Dr. Woo has trained 72 graduate students and sponsored 97 post-doctoral fellows.

Thesis Advisor in last 5 years: Steven Abramowitch, Ph.D., Shon Darcy, M.S., Kathryn Farraro, B.S., Matthew Fisher, Ph.D., Kwang Kim, B.S , Daniel Moon, M.S., Sabrina Noorani, M.S., Noah Papas, M.S., Xiaoyan Zhang, Ph.D.

Post-doctoral fellows sponsored in last 5 years: Alejandro Almarza, Ph.D., Chin-Yi Chou, M.D., Ozgur Dede, M.D., Xianna Guo, M.D., Shan-Ling Hsu, M.D., Ho-Joong Jung, M.D., Sinan Karaoglu, M.D., Rui Liang, M.D., Huinan Liu, Ph.D., Ping-Cheng Liu, M.D., Muqing Liu, M.D., Kazutomo Miura, M.D., Ph.D., Tan Nguyen, M.D., Matteo Tei, M.D., Fabio Vercillo, M.D., Changfu Wu, Ph.D., Giovanni Zamarra, M.D.