Transplantation of the Pancreas

Rainer W. G. Gruessner, MD, FACS, Department of Surgery, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, New York, USA

Angelika C. Gruessner, MS, PhD, Department of Medicine, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, New York, USA

Drs. Rainer and Angelika Gruessner are the recipients of the Richard C. Lillehei Award, which was bestowed on them at the 17th World Congress of the International Pancreas and Islet Transplant Association (IPITA) in Lyon, France, in 2019. According to IPITA, “this biennial award is given since 2011 to an outstanding clinician and/or scientist for their substantial contributions towards advancing the field of pancreas transplantation.” The 2019 Lillehei Award ceremony was one of the few occasions where husband and wife were awarded for their equal scientific contributions. Dr. Angelika Gruessner serves as the Scientific Director of the International Pancreas Transplant Registry (IPTR). Dr. Rainer Gruessner has served as Chairman of the Departments of Surgery at the University of Zurich, University of Arizona, and SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University and has directed pancreas transplant programs and performed pancreas transplants for more than 30 years.