Francisco G. Cigarroa

Francisco G. Cigarroa, MD, is a renowned physician, academic leader and public servant whose career reflects an unwavering commitment to health care excellence, innovation and service. A third-generation physician, Cigarroa earned his undergraduate degree from Yale University and his medical degree from UT Southwestern Medical School in 1983. He completed his general surgery residency at Massachusetts General Hospital, where he served as chief resident, followed by prestigious fellowships in pediatric and transplant surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital. During his surgical training, he conducted groundbreaking research on fetal growth factors, in the laboratory of Patricia Donahoe, MD, FACS, at Mass General.

Upon completing his training, Cigarroa joined the faculty of The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio in 1995, where he quickly rose to prominence as director of pediatric surgery and pediatric transplantation. He established a multidisciplinary pediatric transplant program recognized for exceptional outcomes in kidney, liver and intestinal transplants. His leadership in this field has had a lasting impact on transplant medicine in South Texas and beyond. 

In 2000, Cigarroa was appointed president of UT Health Science Center San Antonio. His tenure was marked by significant achievements, including modernizing the clinical practice, expanding research initiatives and securing transformational philanthropic support.  In 2009, Cigarroa became chancellor of The University of Texas System, where he championed initiatives that reshaped public higher education in Texas. He played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Dell Medical School at UT Austin and The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and its School of Medicine, securing permanent funding for the region through the Permanent University Fund for the first time in history.  He concluded his tenure as Chancellor in 2015.  

Cigarroa has returned to the full-time practice of pediatric surgery and transplantation.   Cigarroa’s contributions to medicine and education have earned him numerous accolades, including membership in the United States’ National Academy of Medicine, Mexico’s National Academy of Medicine, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Council on Foreign Relations. He has been honored with the Massachusetts General Hospital Trustees’ Medal and the American Medical Association’s highest award for medical education. He serves on important local and national boards focused on education, health education, the arts and improving quality of life.