Bioengineered vascular graft with autologous stem cells: first use in the clinic. Interview with Michael Olausson

Michael Olausson talks to Regenerative Medicine about the pioneering clinical use of a bioengineered vascular graft to treat a 9-year-old girl with extrahepatic portal vein obstruction and the future potential of bioengineered vessels. Michael Olausson has been Professor of Transplantation Surgery at Gothenburg University (Gothenburg, Sweden) since 2000, and was Chairman of the Sahlgrenska Transplant Institute at Sahlgrenska University Hospital (Gothenburg, Sweden) between 1994 and June 2011. His scientific interests include transplant immunology and experimental and clinical transplantation studies. He has published over 240 original articles, reviews and book chapters in the field of transplantation. He has been invited as a speaker at several national and international meetings all over the world. He has pioneered several innovative surgical procedures in the Nordic countries, Europe and the rest of the world. Last year, he performed the first operation in the world using a stem cell-derived vein and recently he performed the two first mother-to-daughter live donor uterus transplantations in the world, together with a team from Gothenburg. In the past, he has been President of The Swedish Transplantation Society, and board member and Vice President of the European Liver and Intestinal Transplantation Association. In 2008 he received the Carl-Gustav Groth Scandinavian Transplant Prize.