Cancer Center Names Garcia-Aguilar Surgeon in Chief

Julio Garcia-Aguilar

Julio Garcia-Aguilar, MD, PhD, has been named surgeon in chief of the UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center, a position which will help plan for cancer services at the proposed medical center at Mission Bay. Garcia-Aguilar is professor of surgery and chief of the Colon and Rectal Surgery section in the Department of Surgery, Division of General Surgery. In his new role, he will take over for Peter Carroll, MD, who recently assumed the role of director of strategic planning and clinical services within the Cancer Center's Director's Group. "I'm delighted that Dr. Garcia-Aguilar has taken on this important leadership role," said Carroll. "He is a superb clinician and clinician-scientist who understands the needs of surgeons and the patients they care for." The surgeon in chief represents the interests of UCSF Department of Surgery faculty as a member of the Clinical Cancer Center Operations Group, chaired by Carroll, which reports to the governing board and oversees outpatient operations. In that role, Garcia-Aguilar will join with Margaret Tempero, MD, and Mack Roach, MD, who provide equivalent physician leadership for medical oncology and radiation oncology, respectively. In addition to convening regular meetings of their affiliated clinical faculty, as well as providing guidance on administrative governance, the leaders represent Cancer Center interests to the UCSF Medical Center and UCSF School of Medicine. In the immediate future, all four individuals -- Carroll, Garcia-Aguilar, Roach and Tempero -- will be instrumental in the planning process for the provision of cancer services at UCSF Mission Bay. Garcia-Aguilar came to UCSF in 2002 from the University of Minnesota. His areas of expertise include the treatment of patients with colorectal cancers, inflammatory bowel disease and pelvic floor disorders. A native of Spain, he earned undergraduate and medical degrees at the Complutense University of Madrid. After his medical residency in Spain, he completed a general surgery residency at Harvard's Beth Israel Hospital and an advanced fellowship in colon and rectal surgery at the University of Minnesota. Related Links: UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center Julio Garcia-Aguilar