About Dr. Francisco Cigarroa, merger next steps

JANUARY 23, 2025 — Dr. Francisco G. Cigarroa 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, Dr. 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, Dr. Cigarroa joined the faculty of UT Health 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, Dr. Cigarroa was appointed President of UT Health San Antonio. His tenure was marked by significant achievements, including modernizing the clinical practice, expanding research initiatives, and securing transformational philanthropic support.

In 2009, Dr. 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 (UTRGV) and its School of Medicine, securing permanent funding for the region through the Permanent University Fund for the first time in history.

After concluding his tenure as Chancellor in 2015, Dr. Cigarroa returned to UT Health San Antonio as Director of the Pediatric Transplant Program and, later, Director of the Transplant Center. His leadership transformed the center into one of the nation’s most innovative and successful transplant programs, recognized for innovation and exceptional patient outcomes at both the Malú and Carlos Alvarez Center for Transplantation, Hepatobiliary Surgery, and Innovation and the University Health Transplant Institute, which has been recognized as one of the most elite transplant programs in the United States.

Dr. 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 the quality of life.

Next Steps in the Merger Process

Dr. Taylor Eighmy and Dr. Cigarroa will prioritize defining an ambitious long-term vision that will serve as the cornerstone for the health science center and health system enterprise to advance research and innovation, foster interdisciplinary excellence and amplify the transformative impact on health outcomes and economic growth in Texas and beyond.

A top priority for Dr. Cigarroa is to strengthen collaboration with essential partners, such as University Health System—one of the largest public health systems in the nation and the primary teaching hospital of UT Health San Antonio—to enhance patient care and improve health outcomes across the region. Dr. Cigarroa’s partnership with University Health showcases the power of collaboration, uniting UT Health San Antonio’s world-class faculty with University Health’s commitment to clinical excellence. Together, they have propelled the University Health Transplant Institute to national prominence, achieving elite status and setting a benchmark for excellence in patient care. In one of the nation’s fastest-growing metropolitan areas, the focus on expanding care, advancing specialty services, and increasing access to comprehensive health care remain critical priorities.

Eighmy and Cigarroa will be updating the community in the coming weeks about integration planning.

For the latest updates, detailed information, and insights on the integration process between The University of Texas at San Antonio and UT Health San Antonio, visit www.UTSanAntonioTogether.org.