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UT Southwestern appoints chair of surgery department
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Herbert J. Zeh, III, has been chosen as the next chair of the department of surgery at UT Southwestern.
Zeh, recognized for his expertise in pancreatic cancer and other pancreatic diseases, previously served as chief of the gastrointestinal surgical oncology division at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
“Zeh is exceptionally well prepared for this new role,” J. Gregory Fitz, MD, who appointed Zeh to the role before stepping down as vice president for academic affairs and dean of UT Southwestern Medical School, said in a press release. “[He] is recognized for his teaching and research excellence. He is the recipient of multiple resident and fellow teaching awards and directs a robust translational and clinical research program funded by the NIH that focuses on the role of autophagy in pancreatic cancer.”
Zeh received advanced training in surgery, surgical oncology and pancreatic-hepatobiliary surgery at The Johns Hopkins Hospital and also completed a surgical oncology fellowship at NCI.
“The decision to join the UT Southwestern team was an easy one; I was attracted to its excellence,” Zeh said in the release. “[It] is truly one of the world’s first-class medical centers. It features an incredible tradition of medical education with one of the country’s largest medical schools, world-class research and state-of-the-art facilities to build innovative clinical programs. It is a place where there is an opportunity to transform the way medical care is delivered.”
Zeh said his vision for the department of surgery will be to challenge the team to “make tomorrow better” for his colleagues and their patients.
“I have always looked for the toughest challenge, and pancreatic cancer represents that,” Zeh said. “Patients with this disease are in desperate need of better solutions. I have dedicated the better part of the past 2 decades to building innovative approaches to chemotherapy and surgical care of pancreatic cancer. I believe that the department of surgery can leverage the resources and infrastructure across the entire UT Southwestern enterprise to provide a springboard to even greater advances in the fight against this deadly disease.”