LONDON (AP) — Roy Calne, a pioneer of organ transplantation who led Europe’s first liver transplant operation in 1968, has died aged 93.

Calne passed away on Saturday evening in Cambridge, England, where he held the title of professor emeritus of surgery at Cambridge University.

Calne was born in 1930 and studied medicine at Guy’s Hospital in London. In the 1950s, he became interested in organ transplantation, which he attributed to his father’s profession as a car mechanic. Initially, he was informed that the procedure was not feasible.

He is recognized as a pioneer in the field of organ transplantation, along with American researcher Dr. Thomas Starzl. Together, they focused on developing surgical techniques and treatments to prevent organ rejection, starting with experiments on dogs. In 1960, Calne’s experiments with dogs showed that a drug could successfully prevent organ rejection. Starzl’s first attempt at a human liver transplant in 1963 was unsuccessful, resulting in the patient’s death during the procedure.

Unfortunately, the following group of patients passed away within a few weeks of their transplants. However, the surgeries proved that the transplanted livers were capable of functioning.

In 1999, Calne stated that the initial experience was awful and filled with numerous unpleasant difficulties.

In May of 1968, Calne performed a transplant surgery on a 46-year-old female patient with liver cancer at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge. Unfortunately, the patient passed away two months later due to an infection caused by the immunosuppressive medication used to prevent rejection.

Calne’s main focus was on discovering more effective methods to prevent patients from rejecting donor organs. He played a key role in the development of the revolutionary drug cyclosporine, which helps prevent rejection, and was also the first physician to administer it to transplant recipients.

The use of anti-rejection medications greatly increased the likelihood of survival for patients, and the widespread adoption of liver transplants has resulted in saving countless lives since the 1980s.

In 1986, Calne was also involved in the successful completion of the first triple transplant of liver, lung, and heart. In 1994, he led a six-organ transplant procedure including the liver, kidney, stomach, duodenum, small intestine, and pancreas.

In 1974, Calne was chosen as a member of the Royal Society, the prestigious scientific academy of Britain, and was given the title of “Sir” by Queen Elizabeth II in 1986.

In 2012, Calne and Starzl received the esteemed Lasker Award for their studies. In 2021, Addenbrooke’s Hospital dedicated its transplant facility, which is one of the largest in Britain, in honor of Calne.

Additionally, Calne was a skilled artist who created numerous portraits of his patients and fellow medical professionals.

Source: wral.com