Origins & Early Life

Thomas Earl Starzl (March 11, 1926 – March 4, 2017) was an American physician, researcher, and expert on organ transplants. He performed the first human liver transplants, and has often been referred to as "the father of modern transplantation". A documentary, titled "Burden of Genius," covering the medical and scientific advances spearheaded by Starzl himself, was released to the public in 2017 in a series of screenings. Starzl also penned his autobiography, The Puzzle People: Memoirs Of A Transplant Surgeon, which was published in 1992.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Starzl was born on March 11, 1926, in Le Mars, Iowa, the son of newspaper editor and science fiction writer Roman Frederick Starzl and Anna Laura Fitzgerald who was a teacher and a nurse. Of German and Irish descent, he was the second of four siblings. Originally intending to become a priest in his teenage years, Starzl changed his plans drastically when his mother died from breast cancer in 1947. He briefly served in the United States Navy Reserve after graduating from Le Mars High School in 1944. He attended Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abdus Salam — Contemporary (Born in 1926) (1926): Pioneering Pakistani theoretical physicist and Nobel laureate.
• Alfredo Di Stéfano — Contemporary (Born in 1926) (1926): Argentine and Spanish legend, 'The Blond Arrow,' pivotal to Real Madrid's golden era.
• Allen Ginsberg — Contemporary (Born in 1926) (1926): Pioneering American poet, central figure of the Beat Generation, known for 'Howl'.
• Adnan Khashoggi — Contemporary (Died in 2017) (2017): Saudi businessman and arms dealer, known as 'The Great Gatsby of the Middle East'
• Alexei Abrikosov (physicist) — Contemporary (Died in 2017) (2017): Pioneering theoretical physicist known for low-temperature condensed matter physics.
• Ali Abdullah Saleh — Contemporary (Died in 2017) (2017): Yemeni military officer and politician who served as President of Yemen from 1990 to 2012.
• 1982 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament — Shared historical date (03-11 · Born) (1982): The 44th annual NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.
• Alexander Fleming — Shared historical date (03-11 · Died) (1955): Pioneering microbiologist known for the discovery of penicillin, revolutionizing medicine.
• Aleksandr Popov (physicist) — Shared historical date (03-04 · Born) (1859): Pioneering Russian physicist credited with early radio receiving technology.
• Antonin Artaud — Shared historical date (03-04 · Died) (1948): Major figure of the European avant-garde, known for the Theatre of Cruelty.
• 1926 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1926
• March 11 (03-11) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on March 11
• 2017 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2017
• March 4 (03-04) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on March 4