About the Author

Alexis Carrel (1873–1944) was a French surgeon and biologist who won the 1912 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for pioneering techniques in vascular suturing and organ transplantation, work that helped lay the foundations for modern transplant surgery. Born in Lyon and trained as a surgeon, he later worked at the Rockefeller Institute in New York, where he became famous for his experimental skill and fascination with the boundaries of life and death. Carrel is remembered both for his medical breakthroughs and for controversial views on eugenics, which have complicated his legacy. A man who depended on collaboration with other scientists, nurses, and technicians for his complex experiments, he spoke from experience when he emphasized the human need for advice and help from others.