- E rik ▁Gel in . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁the ▁Goth enburg ▁University ▁granted ▁him ▁the ▁Ph . D . ▁and ▁made ▁him ▁" Doc ent " ▁in ▁trans plant ▁surg ery . ▁ ▁Fund ed ▁by ▁the ▁Swedish ▁Can cer ▁Society , ▁B itter - Su ermann ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 6 – 7 7 ▁was ▁Vis iting ▁Scient ist ▁to ▁the ▁Can cer ▁Research ▁Unit , ▁McG ill ▁University , ▁Montreal , ▁Quebec , ▁Canada . ▁He ▁performed ▁research ▁in ▁s ple en ▁gra ft s ▁versus ▁ ▁chem ically ▁induced ▁tum ours ▁in ▁r ats . ▁ ▁From ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁through ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁he ▁was ▁staff ▁of ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁Path ology , ▁Ge or get own ▁University , ▁Washington , ▁D . C . ▁Support ed ▁by ▁the ▁National ▁Instit utes ▁of ▁Health ▁ ▁he ▁studied ▁the ▁mechan isms ▁of ▁s ple en ▁gra ft ▁induced ▁trans plant ation ▁toler ance ▁in ▁gu inea ▁p igs , ▁and ▁is let ▁trans plant ation ▁in ▁r ats . ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time ▁he ▁collabor ated ▁with ▁Eth an ▁M . She v ach ▁ ▁as ▁Vis iting ▁Scient ist ▁at ▁the ▁National ▁Institute ▁of ▁All er gy ▁and ▁In fect ious ▁D ise ases ▁( N IA ID ), ▁Beth es da , ▁Maryland . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁Associ ate ▁Professor ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁Professor ▁of ▁Ge or get own