Michel Gagner, MD FRCS FACS FASMBS

Dr. Gagner obtained, at the age of 22, his M.D. in 1982, and did his surgical training at McGill from 1982-1988. Upon completion of his fellowships in HPB surgery (Paris and Lahey Clinic), he was recruited to the U. of Montreal, Hotel-Dieu (1990-1995), and worked at the Cleveland Clinic where he co-founded the MIS Center (1995-1998). He was appointed Professor of Surgery and Director of the MIS Center of Mount Sinai (New York), from 1998 to 2003. He then joined Weill-Cornell (New York) as Professor of Surgery and Chief of Laparoscopic/Bariatric Surgery (2003-2007). He was until recently, Chair of Surgery at Mount Sinai (Miami), and is currently Professor at FlU , and senior consultant at Hopital du Sacre Coeur in Montreal. In 2014, he founded a non-profit organization WWO (World Without Obesity), for the education and development of metabolic surgery in Third world countries. Dr Gagner is known for his contributions in MIS, in particular the first description of laparoscopic adrenalectomy for Cushing and pheochromocytoma (1992), first description of laparoscopic pancreatectomy (distal/proximal) (1992-93), first description of endoscopic neck surgery with parathyroidectomy in 1995, first transgastric cholecystectomy in 1997 (NOTES), first description of laparoscopic duodenal switch in 1999 and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy in 2000. He has over 400 published articles, 50 book chapters, and 10 books on MIS surgery. He has been visiting professor and operated in 60 institutions in 48 countries. He has held positions in more than 35 societies, and has served on the editorial boards of 12 surgical journals. He has also organized many international and national meetings in the field of laparoscopic surgery and bariatric surgery. Dr Gagner was the President IFSO 2014 (International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders) annual meeting and 5th International Conference on Sleeve gastrectomy held in Montreal, August 26-30th, 2014. Dr Gagner also has received honorary memberships and awards and his most recent contributions focus on innovative GI surgery such as bariatric and endoluminal procedures.