Dr. Ronald Busuttil, distinguished professor of surgery emeritus at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, has been named a recipient of the 2024 Medawar Prize by The Transplantation Society.
He was recognized for his work advancing knowledge of liver transplantation, preservation and organ donor management. The Medawar Prize, awarded every two years since 1990, also highlights Busuttil’s work in expanding the donor organ pool and improving patient outcomes.
Busuttil, who trained in liver transplantation under Dr. Thomas Starzl in Pittsburgh, performed the first successful liver transplant west of the Mississippi and in 1984 established the UCLA Liver Transplant Program. He is co-editor of “Transplantation of the Liver,” which is now in its fourth edition.
In addition to the Medawar Prize, Busuttil’s many honors include the American Society of Transplant Surgeons Pioneer Award, the American Surgical association Medallion for Scientific Achievement and the Thomas E. Starzl Prize in Surgery and Immunology. He is also an honorary member of the French National Academy of Surgery and has received an honorary degree in medicine and surgery from the University of Udine in Italy.
