Celebrating a Fellow’s transplantation legacy

A Fellow of St Catharine’s College has been awarded the highest accolade of the European Society for Organ Transplantation (ESOT). Professor Michael Nicholson (2018), Fellow at St Catharine’s and Professor of Transplant Surgery and Head of the Division of Academic General & Transplant Surgery at the University of Cambridge, has won the 2023 ESOT Legacy Award.

The Legacy Award celebrates individuals and organisations for their truly outstanding and sustainable achievements in the field of organ, tissue and cell donation and transplantation. It is given in recognition of long-term contributions across various domains, including research, clinical advancements, training, education and organisation and governance.

Professor Nicholson was chosen following a rigorous process involving members of the ESOT Council, the ESOT Executive and multiple representatives of patient associations. All ESOT award recipients must demonstrate well-known and respected ethos and conduct, aligning closely with ESOT’s mission and values. The award will officially be presented during the closing plenary session of the ESOT Congress in Athens on Wednesday, 20 September.

Professor Nicholson, who is also an Honorary Consultant Surgeon at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, commented:

“I was both delighted and humbled to hear that ESOT has honoured me with their 2023 Legacy Award. Any success I have had is a result of working with some of the brightest young researchers in transplantation, and I dedicate this award to them. Organ transplantation remains one of the outstanding successes of modern medicine – transforming and extending the lives of many thousands of people – but there are still problems to solve. Fortunately, we are in a time of unprecedented discovery in medical science, with unparalleled opportunities to use technologies such as machine perfusion to increase organ utilisation and improve long-term outcomes.”

ESOT has awarded two Legacy Awards in 2023: one for Professor Nicholson, and the other for Professor Maria Rosa Costanzo from the Midwest Cardiovascular Institute. Announcing the winners, ESOT said:

“The remarkable contributions of Maria and Michael have transformed countless lives and will have a long-lasting impact on the field. We are immensely proud to have them as part of the ESOT Community.”