Dr. Thomas Starzl, the pioneer of liver transplantation and the driving force behind the world's first baboon-to-human liver transplants and research on anti-rejection drugs, has died. Starzl performed the world's first liver transplant in 1963, the world's first successful liver transplant in 1967, and pioneered kidney transplantation from cadavers. Since Starzl's first successful liver transplant thousands of lives have been saved by similar operations. In 1992, a man lived 70 days with a baboon's liver stitched into him, an operation made possible by Starzl's research into alternatives to scarce human livers. Starzl began the cyclosporin trials in Denver, but moved them to Pittsburgh when the University of Colorado phased out its liver transplant program.

Source: Fox News March 05, 2017 16:49 UTC