Benjamin Padilla Appointed Director of General and Thoracic Surgery
Post Date: July 28, 2026 | Publish Date:
Pediatric surgeon and researcher brings a career focused on surgical innovation, outcomes and collaboration to leadership of Cincinnati Children’s General and Thoracic Surgery
Research and surgery have long been closely connected for Benjamin Padilla, MD. His academic career has taken him from laboratory research at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), to developing new approaches to pediatric surgical care and leading multicenter studies designed to improve outcomes for children.
Now, Padilla brings that experience to Cincinnati Children’s as director of the Division of Pediatric General and Thoracic Surgery. The role was formerly held by Greg Tiao, MD, who is now at Stanford University in Pediatric Surgery and Transplant Surgery.
Padilla joins Cincinnati Children’s after seven years at Phoenix Children’s, where he served as an attending pediatric surgeon, director of Pediatric Surgical Research and surgical quality officer. He previously spent six years at UCSF, progressing from assistant to associate professor of surgery.
His path to pediatric surgery began with an academic foundation in chemistry and mathematics at the University of New Mexico, followed by medical school at UCSF. He completed general surgery training and a research fellowship at UCSF before pursuing an international clinical fellowship in pediatric surgery in Buenos Aires and a pediatric surgery fellowship at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Throughout his career, Padilla has pursued research questions that emerge directly from the care of children. His work has included minimally invasive surgery, surgical quality and safety, postoperative pain management and multicenter approaches to studying pediatric surgical conditions.
One prominent area of his research has been the use of intercostal nerve cryoablation to manage pain following minimally invasive repair of the chest wall. His research has examined the approach’s effects on opioid use, hospital length of stay and long-term sensory function, including prospective and multicenter studies.
Padilla also has a strong record of building research collaborations and mentoring the next generation of investigators. He served as chair of the Western Pediatric Surgery Research Consortium from 2022 to 2026 and has mentored research fellows, medical students and clinical trainees who have gone on to academic careers.
His contributions have been recognized with honors including the Nusz Achievement Award for Outstanding Chief Resident, an Exceptional Physician Award from UCSF and the Phoenix Children’s Researcher of the Year award. He also has served as a visiting professor nationally and internationally and as an associate editor for the Journal of Pediatric Surgery Case Reports.
At Cincinnati Children’s, Padilla will lead a division whose clinical and research programs span a broad range of pediatric surgical conditions. The division’s research encompasses clinical, translational and basic science, creating opportunities to connect discoveries in the laboratory and operating room with improved care for children.
“My goal is to build upon the world-renowned foundation of excellence and innovation in Pediatric Surgery and continue advancing personalized, world-class surgical care,” he says. “I am committed to growing our specialty programs and expanding their reach so that children locally, nationally and around the world can benefit from the innovations developed by our team.”
His appointment adds another dimension to Cincinnati Children’s longstanding commitment to advancing pediatric surgery through research, collaboration and innovation.
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The Research Horizons blog features news and insights about the latest discoveries and innovations developed by the scientists of Cincinnati Children's. This blog does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Email researchnews@cchmc.org with questions or ideas.
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