Manuel Cobos, a transplant surgeon in Argentina, works with patients suffering from liver failure. For patients who have exhausted other treatment options, transplant surgery may offer the last hope. Unfortunately, liver donors are in short supply, and in a world where liver disease is on the rise, the need for alternative treatments is growing.
To help search for alternatives, in 2015 Dr. Cobos took a three-month break from his normal work to participate in the Next Generation Scientist program run by Novartis and the University of Basel in Switzerland. There he learned about designing and managing clinical trials of experimental treatments in patients. While at Novartis, he met researchers exploring the biological processes that facilitate livers to regenerate themselves. Intrigued, he returned a year later for an internship with the liver research group of Jan Tchorz at the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research.
Dr. Cobos is currently working on an M.D.-Ph.D. at the Universidad Nacional de La Plata in Argentina, while also continuing to perform transplants. In 2017, photographer Andrea Bruce followed Dr. Cobos through the process of transplanting a liver.
![Dr. Cobos, transplant surgeon in Argentina, confers with colleagues Transplant surgeon in Argentina confers with colleagues](/sites/novartis_com/files/styles/crop_freeform/public/2021-08/story-meet-manuel-cobos-1.png.webp?itok=GZitZine)
![Dr. Cobos prepares to operate on liver donor Transplant surgeon prepares to operate on liver donor](/sites/novartis_com/files/styles/crop_freeform/public/2021-08/story-meet-manuel-cobos-2.png.webp?itok=mqFwKpUa)
![Dr. Cobos and team transport donor liver Transplant team transports donor liver](/sites/novartis_com/files/styles/crop_freeform/public/2021-08/story-meet-manuel-cobos-3.png.webp?itok=1BYuKJ77)
![Dr. Cobos finishes preparing donor liver Transplant surgeon finishes preparing donor liver](/sites/novartis_com/files/styles/crop_freeform/public/2021-08/story-meet-manuel-cobos-4.png.webp?itok=wGJet86a)
![Dr. Cobos preps for transplant surgery Transplant surgeon preps for surgery](/sites/novartis_com/files/styles/crop_freeform/public/2021-08/story-meet-manuel-cobos-5.png.webp?itok=FhewuLwJ)
![Dr. Cobos and team perform laparoscopic surgery using small video camera Transplant team performs laparoscopic surgery using small video camera](/sites/novartis_com/files/styles/crop_freeform/public/2021-08/story-meet-manuel-cobos-6.png.webp?itok=uNN2WWn6)
![Dr. Cobos and team guide surgical instruments using video monitor Transplant team guides surgical instruments using video monitor](/sites/novartis_com/files/styles/crop_freeform/public/2021-08/story-meet-manuel-cobos-7.png.webp?itok=17uhQbN1)
![Dr. Cobos at the end of his day’s work as a transplant surgeon Transplant surgeon at the end of his day’s work](/sites/novartis_com/files/styles/crop_freeform/public/2021-08/story-meet-manuel-cobos-8.png.webp?itok=M8-DTtuL)
Meet Dr. Manuel Cobos, transplant surgeon in Argentina and alumnus of #NextGenScience program. #AccessInAction