- Research
Anson (Joo) Ong received his bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Iowa in 1987, and his M.S. and Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 1990 and 1994, respectively.
Ong steps into the role of Senior Director for Research Integrity and Infrastructure and Research Integrity Officer (RIO) for the University of Texas at San Antonio, effective March 11, 2024. Before this role, Ong had served as the Senior Associate Dean of Administration and Graduate Programs in the Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design since July 2020.
Ong’s background in education and research leadership makes him ideally poised to lead in this critical area. He is recognized as a world-class leader, educator, researcher and innovator in biomedical engineering, specifically for dental and orthopedic applications. He has provided mentorship to new and aspiring engineers in innovative medical device designs and supporting the regeneration of bone on dental and orthopedic implant surfaces. Many of his advisees are co-authors of patent applications and peer-reviewed publications and are now pursuing their own successful careers in industry, research institutions, and universities.
Ong’s past and current research activities have resulted in more than $40 million of total research funding and eight issued patents. He is elected Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, Biomedical Engineering Society, International Union of Societies for Biomaterials Science and Engineering, and the National Academy of Inventors in recognition of his achievements.
As Senior Director for Research Integrity, Ong will lead the Office of Research Integrity and Infrastructure in overseeing UTSA’s efforts to promote and ensure the integrity of research conducted across all disciplines. Ong will work collaboratively with faculty, staff, and students to uphold the principles of integrity and excellence in research by fostering a culture of integrity, accountability, and excellence in research within the academic community at UTSA.
The responsibilities of the Office of Research Integrity and Infrastructure include promoting ethical conduct to ensure adherence to ethical standards in research. This encompasses:
- Ensuring honesty, integrity and transparency:
- Developing, implementing and enforcing policies related to research integrity, including guidelines for responsible conduct of research and procedures for handling allegations of misconduct:
- Providing education and training programs to researchers, faculty, and staff on topics such as research ethics, responsible conduct of research (RCR), authorship, data management, and conflicts of interest;
- Investigating allegations of research misconduct, which may include fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, and other forms of unethical behavior in research; and
- Administering and supporting the policies and compliance related to the use of human subjects (IRB) and animals (IACUC) in research, laboratory safety biosafety, radiation safety, and hazardous materials management.