Professor Michel Merle is the current Head of the Department Hand Surgery at the Luxembourg Kirchberg Hospital. He was previously the Head of the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive surgery of the locomotor apparatus at the University Hospital Nancy from 1989 to 2000.

A world renown hand, peripheral nerve and reconstructive microsurgeon, he has held numerous appointments including Professor of Orthopaedics and Plastic Surgery- University Henri Poincaré -Nancy since 1979, Director of the Diploma of Microsurgery from 1986 to 1998, Founder (1987) and Director (1987-1994 et de 1998-2000) of the European Institute of Biomaterials and Microsurgery and Director of the Institute for Surgical Research, between 1989 to 1993 and 1998 to 2000.

He has authored more than 200 scientific papers, 60 book chapters and 4 textbooks on hand surgery and microsurgery. His books have been translated to many languages and used around the world. In addition, he is also a widely sought after speaker, and has made more than 1000 presentations at International Meetings. For his pioneering work in hand surgery and microsurgery, he was awarded the Pioneer of Hand Surgery at the IFSSH meeting in Buenos-Aires in 2016.