Weekly Lunch Lunch at the Witte

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.

After concluding his tenure as chancellor in 2015, Cigarroa returned to UT Health San Antonio as director of the Pediatric Transplant Program and, later, director of the Transplant Center. In 2025, Cigarroa was named senior executive vice president, health affairs and health system, for UT Health San Antonio. In this role, he oversees the strategy and stewardship for UT Health San Antonio health sciences and plays an instrumental role in the merger between UTSA and UTHealth to create a comprehensive, world-class university in San Antonio.

Cigarroa’s contributions to medicine and education have earned him numerous accolades, and he serves on numerous local and national boards focused on education, health education, the arts and improving quality of life.