Organ Transplant Pioneer

Hans W. Sollinger, MD, PhD

Hans Sollinger received his MD in 1973 and his PhD in 1974 from the University of Munich in Germany. In 1975, Dr. Sollinger moved to the United States to complete a post-doctoral fellowship in Immunobiology and a Surgical Residency.

In 1982, Dr. Sollinger pioneered a technique for pancreas transplants, which found worldwide application. As a result, survival of kidney-pancreas recipients more than doubled. Dr. Sollinger also pioneered the development of one of the world’s most frequently used immunosuppressive drugs. In 1995, Sollinger was named chair of the Division of Organ Transplantation at the University of Wisconsin and the Folkert O. Belzer Professor of Surgery. His current research interests include Experimental Gene Therapy with the goal of curing diabetes.