Roy Calne, a surgeon who led Europe’s first liver transplant, has died aged 93

By JILL LAWLESS
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — Pioneering surgeon Roy Calne, who led Europe’s first liver transplant operation, has died aged 93. Calne’s family says he died late Saturday in Cambridge, England, where he was professor emeritus of surgery at Cambridge University. He is considered one of the fathers of organ transplantation, alongside American scientist Dr. Thomas Starzl. In 1968 he led Europe’s first liver transplant operation at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge. He went on to help develop the breakthrough anti-rejection drug cyclosporine. Anti-rejection drugs transformed patients’ survival chances, and liver transplants have saved thousands of lives. Calne also helped carry out the world’s first triple liver, lung and heart transplant in 1986 and in 1994 led a six-organ transplant.