Lars Å A Lidgren was born 1943 in Kall/Jämtland in the northern mountains of Sweden. He studied statistics at the University of Lund before going into medical school, graduating in 1971. He started training in orthopedics and presented his PhD entitled “Post-operative Wound Infections in Orthopedic Surgery” in 1973. In 1975 he obtained his specialist credentials in orthopedic surgery and worked briefly at the Balgrist Orthopedic Clinic in Zürich, Switzerland. In November 1987 he was appointed Professor of Orthopedics at the University of Lund, Sweden. In 1990 he was appointed to the University Chair in Orthopedics and is Head of Department. His early research activities focused on orthopedic infections. In 1973 he presented the first randomised study on systemic antibiotic prophylactics in joint replacement. He studied degradation and release from biological and polymeric antibiotic carriers. Since 1975 he has been involved in the internationally renowned Swedish National Knee Register that is recognised as a valuable data source of surgical outcomes. His present research focus on epidemiology and biomaterials, especially in relation to the interface of existing and new structurally tailored surfaces, new biological active substances in calcium sulphate and phosphate bone replacements. Professor Lidgren has received significant honours and been President of various musculoskeletal societies. He is honorary member of several orthopedic societies. He is Director of the National Board of Health and Welfare, Musculoskeletal Competence Center, Member of several Editorial Boards, Director, WHO Collaborating Centre for Evidence-Based Care in Musculoskeletal Disorders. He initiated a Bone and Joint Decade Consensus Meeting in Lund in 1998, which led to the worldwide Bone and Joint Decade 2000-2010, officially supported by the United Nations on 13th November 1999 and launched by the WHO in January 2000. He is presently Chairman of the International Steering Committee. Professor Lidgren has authored and co-authored over300 original publications, tutored 25 PhD students, and has more than 100 patents. He presently receives grant funding from the Swedish Medical Research Council, EC, the Medical Faculty and Region Skåne.