Biography

Stelzner received a M.D. magna cum laude from the University of Bonn School of Medicine in Germany in 1983. He was an intern in gastroenterology from 1983 to 1985 at the University of Düsseldorf Hospital. From 1985 to 1987 and in 1989 Stelzner trained in the general surgery residency program at the University of Cologne Hospital and from 1991 to 1995 he was a resident in general surgery at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Mass. Stelzner was an instructor in surgery at Harvard Medical School in 1995 and 1996. He worked at the University of Washington in 1996 as an assistant professor of surgery and is also a staff surgeon at the VA Puget Sound. Stelzner is now Professor of Surgery in UCLA's Department of General Surgery and the Director of Surgical and Perioperative Careline for VA Greater Los Angeles Health Care System.

Stelzner's research focuses on stem cell therapy in the gut mucosa, including the use of bioengineered scaffolds to support growth of transplanted cells in patients where part of the intestinal tract has been surgically removed as a result of other health issues.

Matthias Stelzner's Abstract