Rocky S. Tuan, PhD, Awarded 2026 ORS/OREF Distinguished Investigator Award
The Orthopaedic Research Society (ORS) and OREF awarded the 2026 ORS/OREF Distinguished Investigator Award to Rocky S. Tuan, PhD. Dr. Tuan, who is the Lee Quo Wei Lee Yick Hoi Lun Professor of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), for his contributions to the field of orthopaedic research, to the ORS and the OREF.
A renowned biomedical scientist, Dr. Tuan specializes in musculoskeletal biology, tissue regeneration, stem cells, biomaterials, 3D bioprinting and tissue/organ-on-a-chip technologies. In 2016, he founded the Institute for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine at CUHK. He is also the founding editor of Birth Defects Research (2003-2017) and Stem Cell Research & Therapy (2009-present) and associate editor of Stem Cells Translational Medicine (2011-present).
Dr. Tuan is a cited author of more than 650 publications and has been recognized internationally with the Marshall Urist Award, Clemson & Carnegie Science Awards and fellowships in the National Academy of Inventors, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, International Combined Orthopaedic Research Societies and ORS. In 2025, Dr. Tuan received the Jensen Tissue Engineering Award from the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society and an honorary Doctor of Medicine Degree (honoris causa) from the University of Sydney.
From 2023 to 2025, Dr. Tuan served as chair of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities, a consortium of 62 universities from 18 economies on both sides of the Pacific (Americas, Asia, and Australasia) and is a member of the Leadership Council of the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network.
The ORS/OREF Distinguished Investigator Award is selected by a review team comprising five individuals, including the most recent ORS/OREF Distinguished Investigator Award honoree, representatives of the OREF Research Grant Committee, representatives from the ORS Awards and Recognition Committee and an ad hoc review chair. The award honors an individual who has significantly contributed to the field of orthopaedic research, to the ORS, and the OREF through their outstanding scientific achievements and their commitment of time and service.
