Rocky Tuan Vice Chancellor at The Chinese Univeristy of Hong Kong
At its meeting held today (July 25, 2017), the Council of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) unanimously approved the appointment of Professor Rocky S. Tuan, an eminent biomedical scientist, as the eighth Vice-Chancellor and President of CUHK. Tuan, a 1972 alumnus of Berea College (Berea, KY), was selected to serve a period of six years beginning January 1, 2018—succeeding Professor Joseph J.Y. Sung who steps down then to resume his position as Professor of Medicine and Therapeutics, the Faculty of Medicine, CUHK.
Born in Hong Kong, Tuan is an internationally-recognized biomedical scientist who specializes in stem cell science and regenerative medicine. Currently, he holds several positions at the University of Pittsburgh, including Distinguished Professor and Executive Vice-Chairman in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery; the Arthur J. Rooney, Sr. Chair in Sports Medicine; Director of the Center for Cellular and Molecular Engineering; Founding Director of the Center for Military Medicine Research; Associate Director of the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine; and Professor in the Department of Bioengineering.
Tuan stated, “It is indeed my honor to be appointed the Vice-Chancellor and President of CUHK, a university I hold in the highest esteem. CUHK is an internationally renowned comprehensive research university with a long history of general education, which places integrated emphasis on formal learning experience and whole-person education. I look forward to working with the University community to nurture and cultivate these unique characteristics of CUHK, while at the same time, fostering its teaching and research excellence.”
He added, “My primary goal is to lead CUHK in a way that gives further strength to its education and its excellence in research and engagement. I will do my utmost to achieve this.”
Tuan previously served as a member, then Chairman, of the Biology and Medicine Panel of the Hong Kong Research Grants Council. Since 2016, Professor Tuan has been serving as Distinguished Visiting Professor and Director of the Institute for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine at CUHK.
Prof. Rocky Tuan, Vice-Chancellor and President Designate (left) and Dr. Norman Leung, Chairman of the University Council, CUHK
In announcing Tuan’s appointment, Dr. Norman Leung, Council Chairman, said, “The Council is very delighted to have Professor Tuan at the helm of the University to take it into new realms of achievement. As a comprehensive research University, CUHK needs a visionary leader of distinguished academic standing and with a profound understanding of local and global higher education and research systems to be the Vice-Chancellor and President. Professor Tuan is a perfect match. We are confident that Professor Tuan will take CUHK to levels of distinction even more remarkable than those of its past.”
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. Widely known for his expertise in skeletal tissue engineering and regeneration, Tuan’s research has made significant contributions to the understanding of and potential solutions to pressing clinical needs.
Currently, Tuan directs a multidisciplinary research program focused on orthopaedic research as a study of the biological activities that are important for the development, growth, function, and health of musculoskeletal tissues to develop technologies to regenerate and restore function to diseased or damaged skeletal tissues. Ongoing research projects are directed towards multiple aspects of skeletal and related biology, including skeletal development, stem cells, growth factor signaling, bone-biomaterial interaction, cell-extracellular matrix interaction, nanotechnology, biomaterials, 3D printing, mechanobiology, regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, and microphysiological tissue chips.
About The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Founded in 1963, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is a leading comprehensive research university with a global reputation. Located in the heart of Asia, CUHK has a vision and a mission to combine tradition with modernity, and to bring together China and the West. The University has eight faculties: Arts, Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Law, Medicine, Science, and Social Science. Together with the Graduate School, the University offers over 300 undergraduate and postgraduate programs. To learn more about CUHK, please visit www.cuhk.edu.hk