MD, PhD, Pauli Puolakkainen received his medical degrees from the University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, where he also completed his generaland abdominal surgery residencies. During his career as an academic surgeon he has spent over 5 years in Seattle, WA, doing medical research. After serving as professor of surgery at the University of Turku, Finland, Dr. Puolakkainen is (since 2012) currently professor of surgery and Chairman at the Department of Surgery in Helsinki University, Finland. He is a program director of the abdominal surgery residency program. He is a member of European Surgical Association, American Pancreatic Association and a council member in the International Gastric Cancer Association. Dr. Puolakkainen is a Deputy Editor in Scandinavian Journal of Surgery and Editorial Board member of JAMA Surgery. Heis an editor in many text books. He has published about 240 original studies and numerous review articles and book chapters. He has supervised more than ten PhD thesis works. His research interests include acute pancreatitis, gastric and pancreatic cancers, the role of inflammation and tumor environment in cancer growth and pancreatic surgery.