A world famous Polish surgeon running Plastic Surgery Research at Clevland Clinic in Ohio, she graduated from Poznan Univerity of Medical Sciences in 1974, receiving her MD. She furthered her education and in 1985 received her Ph.D. in microsurgery and then in 1992 her „habilitation” in medical sciences. She was awarded the title of professor by President Lech Kaczyński.
After she emigrated to the USA she received a scholarship and continued her work at Christine Kleinert Institute in Louisville in Kentucky, specialising in hand surgery. She has always been interested in vascular surgery and reconstructive transplantation. For many years she was preparing for giving patients face transplantations, and finally in December 2008 she led the world’s first almost total face reconstructive transplantation to a woman patient who was a victim of a shotgun blast. The 22-hour long surgery performed by the team of 8 led by Prof. Siemionow was a success.
Prof. Maria Siemionow still cooperates with Poznan University of Medical Sciences. Thanks to her support, over 20 Polish students have received scholarships and been offered a clinical rotation at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.