# Joseph E. Murray

_US surgeon (1919–2012)_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/joseph-e-murray
Last updated: 2026-11-01

> Joseph Edward Murray (April 1, 1919 – November 26, 2012) was an American plastic surgeon who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1990 with E. Donnall Thomas for "their discoveries concerning organ and cell transplantation in the treatment of human disease."

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 1 April 1919 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q192282#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Milford ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q192282#P19))
- **Died:** 26 November 2012 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q192282#P570))
- **Place of death:** Boston ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q192282#P20))
- **Citizenship:** United States ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q192282#P27))
- **Occupation:** physician; surgeon; university teacher ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q192282#P106))
- **Education:** Harvard Medical School; College of the Holy Cross; Milford High School ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q192282#P69))
- **Awards:** Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine; Laetare Medal; Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons; Amory Prize ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q192282#P166))

## About

Murray  is known as the "father of transplantation" for major milestones in the field of transplantation, including performing the first successful human kidney transplant, defining brain death, organizing the first international conference on human kidney transplants, and founding the National Kidney Registry, the forerunner of the current United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS).

## Questions

**When was Joseph E. Murray born?**  
Joseph E. Murray was born on 1 April 1919 in Milford.

**Where did Joseph E. Murray study?**  
Joseph E. Murray was educated at Harvard Medical School, College of the Holy Cross, Milford High School.

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## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Joseph E. Murray](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_E._Murray) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q192282](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q192282) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Joseph E. Murray, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0).

## Cite this page

"Joseph E. Murray". DigiNepal. Last updated 1 November 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/joseph-e-murray. Retrieved 5 November 2026.