John Najarian
Expanding the possibilities of transplant surgery
John Najarian was an American surgeon of Armenian descent, born in 1927. He received his medical education in San Francisco and later connected surgical practice with research in immunology.
After becoming head of surgery at the University of Minnesota in 1967, he developed an internationally recognized transplant program. His teams performed complex kidney, liver and pancreas transplants, including procedures for children.
Najarian’s scientific work addressed organ rejection and the training of transplant specialists. He died in 2020. His career belongs to a period in medical history when the combination of research and clinical experience transformed treatment possibilities for many patients.