Professor of Medicine, Jean-Michel Dubernard, the pioneer of transplant, dies

Lyon medical professor Jean-Michel Dubernard, one of the world’s pioneers in transplantation who performed the world’s first hand transplant in 1998, died Saturday evening in Turkey, we learned from a relative.

According to the same source confirming information from the regional daily Le Progress, the 80-year-old, who was also a deputy for the Rhne, succumbed to an illness while traveling with his family at Istanbul airport.

M. Dubernard made the world premiere of One Hand on New Zealander Clint Hallam in 1998. Two years later, he achieved a new feat with a bilateral hand and forearm transplant on Frenchman Denis Chatelier.

In 2005, he dealt a new major planetary blow by participating in the first partial facial transplant (the triangle formed by the nose and mouth) on the French Isabelle Dinoir, deformed by her dog.

In 2008, Mr. Dubernard received the Medavar Award which recognizes exceptional contributions to the field of transplantation.

Deputy mayor of Lyon from 1983 to 2001, under the mandate of Francis Columb, Michel Noir and Raymond Barre, he was also deputy of the Rhne from 1986 to 2007, under the RPR then UMP label.

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