Saadai appointed chief of Pediatric General, Thoracic and Fetal Surgery

Payam Saadai, professor of clinical surgery and fellowship-trained pediatric and fetal surgeon, has been appointed chief of the Division of Pediatric General, Thoracic and Fetal Surgery in the UC Davis Department of Surgery.

Saadai also leads the UC Davis Fetal Care and Treatment Center, and serves as director of the Pediatric Colorectal Center at UC Davis Health.

"Over the past decade, Dr. Saadai has demonstrated the thoughtful leadership, clinical excellence, and innovative research that define our Department of Surgery," said Diana Farmer, chair of the UC Davis Department of Surgery. "His ability to build transformative clinical programs, advance groundbreaking research, and mentor the next generation of surgeon-scientists positions the Division of Pediatric, Thoracic, and Fetal Surgery for continued growth and national prominence."

Saadai first came to UC Davis Health in 2011 as the inaugural research fellow in the Center for Surgical Bioengineering, where he contributed to research that led to the ongoing $15 million CuRe Trial clinical trial, the first-in-human trial of stem cell treatment for fetal repair of spina bifida. He then completed his surgical training at The Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City, followed by specialty fellowship training at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, before returning to UC Davis Health in 2016.

He is board certified in general and pediatric surgery and an internationally recognized expert in fetal surgery, pediatric colorectal disorders and robotic surgery.

"I've been fortunate to spend the last decade building my clinical practice at UC Davis alongside incredible colleagues," Saadai said. "My vision is to support every member of our division as we build destination surgical programs that families across the region and the country seek out for exceptional, compassionate care."