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Francisco G. Cigarroa, M.D, Biography
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Dr. Cigarroa joined the faculty of The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio in 1995, where he served as director of pediatric surgery before serving as president of the institution from 2000 -2009. In 2003, President George W. Bush appointed him to serve on the President’s Committee on the National Medal of Science.
Dr. Cigarroa is a member of several prestigious societies, including the American College of Surgery, the Institute of Medicine, the American Board of Surgery and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He is also an honorary member of the National Academy of Science in Mexico. He was elected to serve as an Alumni Fellow to the Yale Corporation, the university’s governing board. He also served as the 2010 president of the Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas. In 2009, Dr. Cigarroa became the first Hispanic to be named chancellor of The University of Texas System. As chancellor, he oversees one of the largest public systems of higher education in the nation, which consists of nine universities and six health institutions. He is also vice chairman for policy on the Board of Directors of The University of Texas Investment Management Company.
Currently, he serves on the National Research Council Committee on Research Universities and on the American Academy Commission on the Humanities and Social Sciences. In addition, President Barack Obama appointed Dr. Cigarroa to serve as a commissioner on the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans.
Dr. Cigarroa is a nationally renowned transplant surgeon and continues to perform liver and kidney transplant surgeries.
Dr. Cigarroa and his wife, Graciela, an attorney, have two daughters, Maria Cristina and Barbara Carisa.