Joseph Murray

Joseph Murray was a surgeon working at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston. He was referred a patient dying with end stage renal failure due to chronic glomerulonephritis who had a potential donor in the form of an identical twin. After extensive investigation with the collaboration of John Merrill and many others Joseph Murray performed the first kidney transplant between identical twins. It was notable becase renal transplantation was only used for people with presued acute tubular necrosis. This was because the transplants failed and it was hoped that the patients kidneys might recover. Both twins did well. There was a very clear message from this experience. If the immunological barrier could be overcome, a transplanted kidney could give new life to a dying patient.