Dr. Felicitas Koller named inaugural Hardy-Raju Chair of Transplant Surgery
Dr. Felicitas Koller, professor of transplant surgery, has been named the Hardy-Raju Chair of Transplant Surgery, recognizing her outstanding leadership in surgical education, innovation in transplant medicine and commitment to providing high-quality care.
The chair, established in 2024 by Dr. Seshadri Raju and his wife Dr. Sybil Raju, honors two pioneers whose legacies shaped the course of modern transplant surgery—Dr. James D. Hardy and Dr. Seshadri Raju himself.
“This endowed chair connects our proud past to a bright future,” said Dr. LouAnn Woodward, vice chancellor for health affairs. “Through the generosity of Drs. Seshadri Raju and Sybil Raju, we can continue to build on UMMC’s legacy of innovation, compassion and excellence in transplant surgery.”
The award pays tribute to Hardy, who in 1963 performed the world’s first human lung transplant and, the following year, the first heart transplant from animal to human. His achievements laid the foundation for modern organ transplantation and put Mississippi on the map as a site for historic medical breakthroughs.
Raju, Hardy’s former trainee and surgical partner at UMMC, went on to perform the nation’s first clinically successful single and double lung transplants in 1987. Soon after, he completed the first clinically successful heart and liver transplants in the South.
Raju is widely recognized for developing venous stent technology, which has revolutionized venous care, making it more accessible. He was recognized by the U.S. Congress in 1988 and 2004 for his trailblazing work in lung transplantation.
The Rajus established the Hardy-Raju Chair of Transplant Surgery to ensure that spirit of discovery endures.
“Dr. Koller is an exceptional surgeon, educator and leader whose dedication to advancing transplant medicine embodies the very spirit of this honor,” said Dr. Christopher Anderson, the James D. Hardy Chair of Surgery. “Her appointment represents both a continuation of UMMC’s proud legacy and an exciting step forward for the future of transplant surgery.”
A member of the UMMC faculty since 2017, Koller is a professor of surgery and clerkship director in the Department of Surgery’s Division of Transplantation and Hepatobiliary Surgery. She completed her general surgery residency at Vanderbilt University and a fellowship in multi-organ abdominal transplantation at Northwestern University, where she later served as director of dialysis access and associate program director for the general surgery residency.
At UMMC, she has been instrumental in advancing transplant education and innovation, launching the Normothermic Regional Perfusion program—an initiative that improves organ function and expands the pool of viable organs for patients in need.
Her teaching and mentorship have earned her some of the Medical Center’s highest honors including the Fred Rushton Faculty Teaching Award, induction into the Nelson Order of Teaching Excellence, the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award and induction into the UMMC Academy for Excellence in Education.
The Hardy-Raju Chair is the third endowed chair within the Department of Surgery and the first dedicated to transplant surgery at UMMC. As the inaugural chairholder, Koller hopes to use the platform to expand access to transplantation, foster diversity in surgery and nurture the next generation of physician leaders.
“This is such an incredible honor and an absolutely transformative gift from the Drs. Rajus,” said Koller. “Transplant surgery is certainly a challenging and unpredictable field, and the generosity of the Raju family fuels our ability to innovate and serve the people of Mississippi.”