Transplant Icon, Dr. Thomas E. Starzl, Dies at 90
Monday, March 6, 2017
On Saturday, March 4, 2017, the man known as the “father of transplantation,” Dr. Thomas E. Starzl, passed away peacefully at the age of 90 at his home in Pittsburgh.
Dr. Starzl was best known for performing the first liver transplant in 1963 and the first successful liver transplant in 1967. He also made a significant contribution to the field of transplantation by helping to advance medicines to make transplantation more survivable. His work had patients travel from all over the world, making the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center the busiest transplant center in the world.
AST is saddened to hear about the the loss of Dr. Starzl. He was a longtime member of AST, and was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006. In his lifetime, Dr. Starzl received more than 200 awards and honors, as his contributions saved the lives of thousands of transplant patients.
A Memorial Service for Dr. Starzl will be held in Heinz Chapel on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh on Saturday, March 11, 2017 at 1:00 p.m. Doors to open at 12:00 noon. The service is open to the public.