David Sutherland
Dr. David Sutherland graduated from the University of Minnesota (UM) Medical School in 1966. In Medical School he started his research career in immunology, and made seminal contributions on the role of gut-associated lymphoid tissue in the development of the immune response. After 2 years in the Army, he completed a Surgery Residency at the UM in 1975, a Transplant Fellowship in 1976, and then joined the faculty. He received his Ph.D. in 1977, was promoted to Professor of Surgery in 1984, founded and is Director of the UM Diabetes Institute for Immunology and Transplantation since 1994, was Head of the Division of Transplantation from 1995 to 2009, and has been holder of a Diabetes Research Chair since 2003. Dr. Sutherland is an author on over 1500 publications. His academic interests are wide, with special emphasis on beta cell replacement therapy for diabetes mellitus (which led to the development of interest in chronic pancreatitis and treatment by total pancreatectomy and auto islet transplantation); immunosuppression management; and on training clinical/basic scientists in translational research. He began clinical islet transplants at the UM in 1974 (the first in the world). Since 1978 he has been director of the UM pancreas transplant program, the oldest (began in 1966) and largest (more than 2000 cases done since he took charge) in the world. He founded the International Pancreas Transplant Registry in 1980. More than 100 physicians who trained with Dr. Sutherland developed or now direct pancreas/ islet transplant programs around the world, including in-treatment of chronic pancreatitis. He is Past-President of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons (1990-91), The Cell Transplant Society (1995-96), the International Society for Pancreas and Islet Transplantation (1996-97) and The Transplantation Society (2002-2004). He has served on the editorial boards of many journals, including Cell Transplantation, Diabetes, Transplantation, Transplantation Proceedings, and Pancreas. He has been Editor-in-Chief for Clinical Transplantation since January, 2007. Though diverse but related, his main interest currently remains in the treatment of chronic pancreatitis.