Gilbert Massard, Luxembourg professor at the University of Strasbourg, was awarded the prize « Vocation – 2009 » by the Russian Minister of Health Tatyana Golikova on 16th June 2009 at the occasion of the Russian Day of Medicine.

This is the first time that the prize has been granted to a foreign national. In 2006, Dr Massard carried out the first lung transplant in Russia with his colleagues at the St Petersburg Hospital No 2. Dr Massard has been active many years in Russia. He has established a triangular cooperation partnership between the medical academy of Omsk, and the universities of Strasbourg and Luxembourg, and has coordinated the Tempus 26029 program between these three institutions.