UC Davis Department of Surgery Annual Report

The UC Davis Department of Surgery continues to be shaped by bold ideas, purposeful investment, and a collective belief in the power of academic surgery to transform patient care.

This year stands as a reflection of sustained progress and focused ambition. It demonstrates what is achievable when surgeons, scientists, trainees, and administrative staff work in concert to advance the boundaries of surgical practice and discovery.

Our clinical programs continued to expand in both reach and sophistication. Across every division, our faculty elevated the standard of care for the communities we serve. And we saw record procedural volumes, improved quality metrics, and increasing regional and national referrals driven by our reputation for excellence.

Some highlights and snapshots from our 2025 annual report:

Research Highlights

Historic progress continues on fetal spina bifida 

The scientific engine of the department continued its extraordinary ascent. Our research portfolio — already among the strongest in the region — expanded with major federal grants and philanthropic gifts, prolific publications, and groundbreaking translational discoveries.

The progress of the fetal spina bifida stem cell therapy program stands as one of the most inspiring scientific achievements not only at UC Davis Health, but in the world of regenerative surgery. Members of that team are now expanding to nanomedicine to help find treatment to babies with genetic diseases. Our surgeon-scientists are also advancing new therapies in tissue engineering, immunology, biomaterials, trauma recovery, oncology, and health equity research. 

Endocrine Surgery

Using radiofrequency for innovative treatment

Patients have come to UC Davis Health from as far as Idaho for a procedure that was only available in a few parts of the country. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a nonsurgical, outpatient treatment that is an alternative to surgery in some patients with thyroid nodules.

Endocrinological surgeon Claire Graves learned the procedure under one of the first surgeons in the country to perform it. To bring it to patients in Northern California, she teamed up with radiologist Sima Naderi and formed the UC Davis Center for Interventional Thyroidology.

General Surgery

Introducing one of the nation’s largest outpatient surgery centers

UC Davis Health has opened the new 48X Complex, a four-story, 268,000-square-foot, $589 million outpatient surgery center that includes 14 operating rooms and addresses growing demand for same-day procedures.

“You can have outpatient surgery – same-day surgery or overnight surgery – and then get back to your regular activities without having to stay in the hospital,” said Department of Surgery Chair Diana Farmer. “It’s patient-friendly and tailored for efficiency with the most advanced technology,” such as robot-ready operating rooms and advanced imaging technologies like photon-counting CT.

Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

One of only 20 in world to earn designation

Our Center for Lymphatic Disease is one of only 20 centers worldwide recognized as a Comprehensive Center of Excellence by the Lymphatic Education and Research Network (LE&RN). It’s also the only UC Health campus to earn this prestigious designation

The center’s multidisciplinary team offers novel procedures like lymphovenous bypass (LVB) utilizing ultra-high frequency ultrasound (UHFUS) mapping, helping to provide new options for improving quality of life in post-cancer survivorship. 

Pediatric Surgery

Pioneering programs provide new hope

An Ohio baby diagnosed with spina bifida is one of the patients that gained new hope through fetal surgery at UC Davis Health. We’re home to the landmark clinical trial known as the “CuRe Trial: Cellular Therapy for In Utero Repair of Myelomeningocele,” the world’s first spina bifida treatment combining fetal surgery with a stem cell treatment. We’re also proud to be honored for excellence in fetal nursing. 

Meanwhile, our nationally-renowned multidisciplinary pediatric colorectal program is growing to offer seamless coordination for the most complex patients. The program had been housed under both Shriners Children’s Northern California and UC Davis Health, but is now fully integrated at UC Davis Health. We are also proud to be home to a first-in-the-nation program to improve surgery experiences for neurodiverse children.

Surgical Oncology

A proven leader for a key Comprehensive Cancer Center role

David Tom Cooke, a recognized trailblazer in reducing cancer burdens in marginalized communities, has been permanently appointed physician-in-chief for UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center after serving in an interim role.

As the only National Cancer Institute-designated facility in inland Northern California, the center provides crucial services. For example, in pancreatic cancer care we offer a high volume of intensive, technically demanding surgeries such as the Whipple procedure, and also insights from research through our founding membership in the UC Pancreatic Cancer Consortium.

Transplant Surgery

First living-donor liver transplant

“This transplant marks a historic milestone for our center and a tremendous step forward in expanding access to life-saving care,” said Chief of Abdominal Transplant Surgery Sophoclis Pantelis Alexopoulos about the first-ever living donor liver transplant performed at the UC Davis Transplant Center. Only a small number of U.S. centers offer this complex, highly specialized procedure.

Our high-volume transplant center also performs adult and pediatric kidney transplants – such as the life-changing procedure for a teen who was on dialysis for 7 years.

Trauma Surgery

‘An unforgettable case and intense moment’ after pregnant woman hit by car

Nicole was less than half a mile from home when the unthinkable happened in the crosswalk. A driver came out of nowhere after running a red light at 40+ mph.

An ambulance took her to UC Davis Medical Center, the only level 1 trauma center in inland northern California, where scans showed a suspected placental abruption.

Vascular Surgery

A steady stream of new minimally invasive treatments

UC Davis Health was recently one of the first sites nationwide to treat thoracic aortic disease with TEVAR using the minimally invasive Zenith Alpha® 2 thoracic endovascular graft, and one of five U.S. sites participating in the C-GUARDIANS II carotid stent/TCAR trial.

We also performed the region’s first percutaneous transmural arterial bypass therapy (PTAB) using the DETOUR System as an alternative to open bypass.

Learn more

• Department of Surgery home page
• More Department of Surgery news
• More Clinical Science news
• More Featured Specialties
• Research: From Labs to Lives
• UC Davis Health magazine
• Synthesis magazine (Comprehensive Cancer Center)

Contact Us

UC Davis Department of Surgery
2335 Stockton Blvd.
North Addition Office Building, 6th Floor
Sacramento, CA 95817
916-734-3528
health.ucdavis.edu/surgery
surgerynews@health.ucdavis.edu

Physician Referrals

Physician Referral and Transfer Center
800-4-UCDAVIS (800-482-3284)
referrals.ucdavis.edu