{"id":383,"date":"2022-01-31T14:43:10","date_gmt":"2022-01-31T20:43:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.uthscsa.edu\/svp-health-affairs\/?page_id=383"},"modified":"2025-08-14T14:54:14","modified_gmt":"2025-08-14T19:54:14","slug":"biography","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/wp.uthscsa.edu\/svp-health-affairs\/biography\/","title":{"rendered":"Dr. Cigarroa’s Biography"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column width=”3\/4″][vc_column_text css=””]\"FranciscoFrancisco G.\u202fCigarroa, MD<\/strong><\/p>\n

Senior Executive Vice President for Health Affairs and Health System<\/p>\n

Francisco G.\u202fCigarroa, MD, serves as Senior Executive Vice President for Health Affairs and Health System at The University of Texas at San Antonio. In this role, he oversees the strategic leadership and stewardship for UT San Antonio Health Science Center, including its academic, research and clinical missions, as well as the delivery of patient care through the clinical enterprise.<\/p>\n

Dedicated to Public Service<\/strong><\/p>\n

A renowned physician, academic leader and public servant whose career reflects an unwavering commitment to excellence in health care, innovation and service, Cigarroa\u202fgot his start at Yale University – where he earned his undergraduate degree – followed by his medical degree from UT Southwestern Medical School in 1983. He completed his general surgery residency at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), 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 MGH.<\/p>\n

Upon completing his training, Cigarroa\u202fjoined 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 and his leadership in this field has had a lasting impact on transplant medicine in South Texas and beyond.<\/p>\n

Groundbreaking Contributions within UT System<\/strong><\/p>\n

In 2000, Cigarroa\u202fwas 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.<\/p>\n

In 2009, Cigarroa\u202fbecame 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 university funding support for the first time in the history of the Lower Rio Grande Valley focused on Higher Education.<\/p>\n

Leading Successful Patient Outcomes\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

After concluding his tenure as chancellor in 2015, Cigarroa\u202freturned to UT Health San Antonio as Director of the Pediatric Transplant Program and, later, Director of the Malu\u2019 and Carlos Alvarez Center for Transplantation, Hepatobiliary Surgery and Innovation. His leadership transformed the center into one of the nation\u2019s most innovative and successful transplant programs, recognized for innovation and exceptional patient outcomes at both the Alvarez Center and the University Health Transplant Institute, which has been recognized as one of the most elite transplant programs in the United States.\u202f Upon his departure, University Health Transplant Institute achieved Center of Excellence Designations across kidney, liver, and lung transplantation both in pediatric and adult patients.<\/p>\n

Cigarroa\u2019s contributions to medicine and education have earned him numerous accolades, including membership in the United States\u2019 National Academy of Medicine, Mexico\u2019s 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\u2019 Medal and the American Medical Association\u2019s highest award for medical education. He serves on prominent local and national boards focused on education, health, the arts and enhancing the quality of life for those in need.<\/p>\n

Education<\/strong><\/p>\n