An Interview with Prof. Peter Schemmer
OBM Transplantation Editorial Office 
LIDSEN Publishing Inc., 2000 Auburn Drive, One Chagrin Highlands, Suite 200, Beachwood, OH, USA
Received: May 16, 2022 | Accepted: May 17, 2022 | Published: May 18, 2022
OBM Transplantation 2022, Volume 6, Issue 2, doi:10.21926/obm.transplant.2202159
Recommended citation: OBM Transplantation Editorial Office. An Interview with Prof. Peter Schemmer. OBM Transplantation 2022; 6(2): 159; doi:10.21926/obm.transplant.2202159.
© 2022 by the authors. This is an open access article distributed under the conditions of the Creative Commons by Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is correctly cited.
Prof. Dr. Peter Schemmer
1. Could You Please Provide Your Personal Information & Photos (Portrait and One from Research (Laboratory, Clinic, Etc.))
My current academic positions are Full Professor of Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Austria, Professor of Partnership, Vilnius University, Lithuania and Medical Counselor, Shulan Health, Hangzhou Hospital, China.
I am an academic surgeon and clinical scientist who is devoted to both surgical oncology and solid organ transplantation. While I perform general, endocrine, hepato-pancreato-biliary, upper and lower GI surgery my special interest is surgical oncology (i.e., complex surgery of the digestive tract and hepato-pancreato-biliary surgery) and transplant surgery. All operations are intended to be performed minimal invasive including robotic surgery if feasible. To date I have performed more than 7,100, mostly highly complex surgical operations.
2. Could You Please Tell Us Your Scientific Background?
Based on my personal scientific track record for third party funding, international networks and research alliances, investigator initiated clinical trials, basic experimental and translational research, and publications I have shown to be able to outline, organize, promote and facilitate the execution of research projects. My research focus is on the predominantly scientific topics "surgical oncology" (i.e., chemoresistance, tumor angiogenesis), "protection of visceral organs" (i.e., chemotoxicity, reperfusion injury) and "transplantation" related research.
3. Can You Share Your Career Development Story Briefly? For Example, What Cases Have Influenced You the Most?
I was trained in General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery at the University of Heidelberg, Germany as well as at several other renowned institutions in the USA, Canada, Switzerland and Asia. From 2013-2016 I was Vice Chairman of the Dept. of General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery in Heidelberg. In November 2016 I was appointed Head of General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, Surgical University Clinic, Medical University of Graz, Austria. I was heavily influenced by my academic teachers Prof. Ch. Herfarth, Prof. R.G. Thurman and Prof. M. W. Büchler in the best possible sense - I owe them a lot.
4. Is There a Book You’ve Read that You’d Recommend Universally (i.e., to Everyone You Meet)?
I have co-authored several books / book chapters:
For surgical residents (German language):
“Facharztwissen Viszeralchirurgie”, Billmann F., Keck T. (Eds.), Springer, 2001: 177-198, ISBN 978-3-662-61520-1.
For visceral surgeons (German language):
“Viszeralchirurgische Operationen und technische Varianten - Ösophagus - Leber - Pankreas - Endokrine Chirurgie - Metabolische Chirurgie”, Korenkov M., Germer C.-T., Lang H. (Eds.), Springer, ISBN 978-3-662-60474-8.
For HPB surgeons:
“Extreme Hepatic Surgery and Other Strategies”, de Santibañes E., Ardiles V., Alvarez F.A., Busnelli V.C., de Santibañes M. (Eds.), Springer, ISBN 978-3-319-13895-4.
For transplant surgeons:
“Liver Transplantation - Operative Techniques and Medical Management”, Molmenti E.P., de Santibañes M., de Santibañes E. (Eds.), McGraw Hill, ISBN 978-1-260-46251-7.
5. What is Your Main Research Area? What Got You Interested in Scientific Research in the First Place?
My doctoral thesis was on malignant tumor growth and transplantation. Ever since my surgical career was highly influenced by my special interest in cancer of the digestive tract, liver and pancreas including metastatic disease. Liver transplantation as a treatment option for malignant tumors was always of interest in this setting.
6. Where are Your Sources of Information? Where do You Get Your Latest News about Transplant Research? Where do You Take Inspiration from?
Personal exchange with colleagues, meetings and the current literature keeps me updated and inspired for new research projects.
7. What is Your Long-term Research Goal?
To find a way to overcome the hurdle of chemoresistance of cancer, protecting visceral organs for optimal function prior to surgery in a setting of personalized medicine including surgical oncology and transplantation.
8. What are the Recent Research Trends that You, as a Scholar, Would Suggest OBM Transplantation to Observe and to Follow in the Coming Years?
New minimal invasive strategies in living related organ donation and transplantation and liver transplantation for colorectal liver metastases within a multidisciplinary framework providing multimodal treatment options. Further organ repair during machine perfusion to expand the donor pool is definitely one of the future aspects that will allow to widen the indication for transplantation.
9. Do You Have Any Suggestions or Recommendations for Young Scientists, for Instance, Your Students and Young Collaborators?
I do hope for the junior staff to have the opportunity to work at the best medical institutions possible and to have a great mentor. Both factors contribute a lot for a bright academic future.
10. What do You Think of the Future of OBM Transplantation, an Open-access Journal? In Your Opinion, What Challenges and Developments Can We Expect to See in the Next Few Years in This Field?
Open-access journals are the future in a world of knowledge that is offered free of charge.
