1926-

American Surgeon and Researcher

Thomas E. Starzl is the father of liver transplantation and a pioneer in the field of organ transplants. In a career spanning nearly five decades, his research and surgical techniques have set the standard for organ transplants worldwide. Starzl stands as one of the greatest medical minds of the twentieth century.

Born in the small town of LeMars, Iowa ("corn and hog capital of the world") in 1926, Starzl grew up in a strict German Catholic family. His father, Roman (R.F.), was editor and publisher of the daily paper. His mother, Anna Laura Fitzgerald, was a surgical nurse and his inspiration in pursuing a career in medicine. Reportedly, the driven young man knew he wanted to be a surgeon by age 11.

Starzl was an outstanding student in high school and worked summers for his father at the newspaper. He...