Rainer Gruessner

Rainer Gruessner is an internationally known surgeon and considered a pioneer in organ transplantation. He was the first transplant surgeon to perform all types of abdominal transplants (kidney, liver, pancreas, intestine) from living donors. He served as chairman of the Departments of Surgery at the Universities of Zürich, Arizona, and New York State (SUNY Downstate).In 2020, he witnessed first-hand the horrible consequences that the COVID-19 pandemic had on New York City when it became the world’s epicenter. During the lockdown of New York City, he took historically unique photos across town which became a centerpiece of this first and comprehensive COVID-19 chronicle of New York City.