Zellerman Lecturership

Gabor Zellerman Lecture in Peritoneal Dialysis Research

Lisa and Gabor

“One of Gabor’s most important characteristics was his ability to solve almost any technical problem he was asked to. Whenever his medical colleagues encountered a problem, Gabor would find the time to discuss the issues, sometimes for several hours. Then, to the amazement of all, he would come back in a day or two with a prototype.”

Dimitrios Oreopoulos

Gabor Zellerman (1934-1981)

Gabor Zellerman was born in Budapest to a family with longstanding interest in medical equipment. His father worked with Einthoven, and was Director of a family medical equipment factory that employed more than 200 people before World War II. At age 9, he was sent to a concentration camp, bayonetted in the leg by a Nazi guard for stealing two potatoes. After liberation, he walked back to Budapest.

He received a scholarship to study in Moscow and he worked as a biomedical engineer in Budapest until 1956. He then escaped to Austria in the back of an ambulance, immigrated first to United States and then to Canada. He repaired medical equipment during the day and did research at night. He married Lisa Hoffman in 1975. Gabor would work during the day, spend time from 4:00 through 7:00 pm with Lisa, and then go back to his research.  He collaborated with Dimitrios Oreopoulos on equipment for peritoneal dialysis. He held 50 patents from a bone biopsy kit to a shunt for hydrocephalus.

After Gabor’s death, Lisa took over Accurate Surgical Instruments Corporation, and turned it into an international powerhouse. When the company was sold in 1998, 95% of its sales were outside Canada.  Lisa Hoffman has established a lecturership in the name of her late husband and the North American chapter of the International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis is grateful for her generosity.

Award Recipients

2018:      Joanne Bargman

2016:     Thomas Golper (United States)

2013:     Peter Blake (Canada)

2011:     Beth Piraino (United States)

2009:     Raymond Krediet (Netherlands)

2007:     Karl D. Nolph (United States)

2005:     Dimitrios Oreopoulos (Canada)