Award: up to USD$1000 and Certificate (up to 4)

Purpose Professor Savio L-Y. Woo founded the International Symposium on Ligaments and Tendons (ISL&T) to promote awareness of the field, the exchange of information and collaboration nationally and internationally. The ISL&T has been a venue for lively discussion of current topics in connective tissue research and clinical applications.  In addition to his leadership and significant scientific contributions to our field, Professor Woo has been an internationally recognized intellectual ambassador for training, mentoring and for aspiring students in the field of biomedical engineering and orthopaedic surgery.  We are honored to present the Savio L-Y. Woo Young Researcher Award to individuals who perform the best research studies in three major areas, biomechanical, biological and clinical and have submitted their work to the ISL&T meeting.

The Award is intended to provide partial support (up to $1000) towards the applicant’s research or for travel expenses to attend the ISL&T-X meeting.  Up to four awards will be given.

Eligibility Open to graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Applicant must be the first author of the abstract and be present at the ISL&T meeting to accept the award.  Advisor’s verification of eligibility is required.

Application Upon submission of the abstract by the regular submission deadline, applicant must indicate his/her intention to be considered for the award. Those selected will be invited to submit extended abstracts.

Award Categories At least one award will be given in each of three main categories, namely:

• Biomechanical: Experimental studies involving biomechanics of ligaments and tendons, new methods for measurement of biomechanical properties, or computational analyses
• Biological: Basic science studies to characterize the cellular behavior of ligaments and tendons, as well as the extracellular matrix
• Clinical: Studies which compare existing surgical procedures or propose novel alternative

Selection Criteria Applicant’s abstract submitted for the ISL&T-X will be reviewed by the program committee through the regular evaluation process based on scientific merit and research quality.

Selection Process

1. A number of highly meritorious abstracts that have a high impact with a clear motivation and relevance as well as quality experimental methods and scientific reasoning in the field of ligament and tendon research will be invited by the award committee to submit a 3-page extended abstract on November 30, 2009. The deadline on receiving the extended abstracts will be on December 15, 2009.
2. The award committee will conduct a thorough review and select the winners. The winners will be notified on January 1, 2010.

Award Committee
Albert Banes, PhD – Chair, Award Committee
Kai-Ming Chan, MD – Chair, ISL&T-X
Jennifer Wayne, PhD - Biomechanics
Steven Arnoczky, DVM - Biology
Nicola Maffulli, MD - Clinical

Acknowledgements Sponsored by Flexcell International Corp. and the Asian♦American Institute for Research and Education (ASIAM).

• Eligibility Open to faculty aged under 40. Applicant must be the first author of the abstract and be present at the ISL&T meeting to accept the award.
• Application Upon submission of the abstract by the regular submission deadline, applicant must indicate his/her intention to be considered for the award.
• Selection Criteria Applicant’s abstract submitted for the ISL&T-X will be reviewed by the program committee through the regular evaluation process based on scientific merit and research quality.
• Selection Process The Program Committee will select the best paper, up to two at maximum, during the international meeting. Result announcement will be made at the banquet.

• Ligibility Open to clinical fellows or post-doctoral fellows. Applicant must be the first author of the abstract and be present at the ISL&T meeting to accept the award.
• Application Upon submission of the abstract by the regular submission deadline, applicant must indicate his/her intention to be considered for the award.
• Selection Criteria Applicant’s abstract submitted for the ISL&T-X will be reviewed by the program committee through the regular evaluation process based on scientific merit and research quality.
• Selection Process The Program Committee will select the best paper during the international meeting. Result announcement will be made at the banquet.
• Acknowledgements Sponsored by Flexcell International Corporation.

• Eligibility Open to all participants of poster presentation. Applicant must be the first author of the abstract and be present at the ISL&T meeting to accept the award.
• Application Upon submission of the abstract by the regular submission deadline, applicant must indicate his/her intention to be considered for the award.
• Selection Criteria Applicant’s abstract submitted for the ISL&T-X will be reviewed by the program committee through the regular evaluation process based on scientific merit and research quality.
• Selection Process The Program Committee will select the best poster during the international meeting. Result announcement will be made at the banquet.
  
• Acknowledgements Sponsored by Flexcell International Corporation.