Dr. Greg Tiao Joins Stanford Surgery

Greg Tiao, MD will join the Stanford Surgery team as a Professor in in the UML effective January 1, 2026. Tiao will be dual-appointed in the Divisions of Abdominal Transplantation and Pediatric Surgery. 

“Dr. Greg Tiao is an exceptional addition to our team, bringing a wealth of expertise and fresh perspectives in liver transplantation and complex pediatric surgery,” said Division of Abdominal Transplant Chief Dr. Marc Melcher. 

At Stanford, Tiao will also serve in multiple administrative roles including: 

• Vice Chair of Pediatric Clinical Affairs (Department of Surgery),

• Director of the Pediatric Transplant Center of Emphasis (LPCH), and

• Program Director of Pediatric Liver Transplant.

As the new Director of the Pediatric Transplant Center of Emphasis, Dr. Tiao will play a key role in strategizing and driving the growth of our abdominal transplant programs, propelling them to new heights. In his role as Program Director of Pediatric Liver Transplant, he will continue to build upon the strong foundation established by Carlos Esquivel over the past 25 years. 

Tiao will also serve as Director of Stanford’s Pediatric Hepatobiliary Program.

“Greg  [Tiao] will develop the hepatobiliary program within our Division. He has a national reputation for his work in biliary atresia and pediatric liver tumors,” said Dr. James Dunn, chief of the Division of Pediatric Surgery. “Greg also has extensive experience with subspecialty program development in pediatric surgery and will improve the care of children in multiple areas.”

Tiao says he’s also looking forward to mentoring junior faculty and continuing his research on the pathogenic basis of biliary atresia. Biliary Atresia is a rare liver disease that typically affects infants within the first few months of life, characterized by the absence or narrowing of the bile ducts. Tiao has an R01 from the NIH and serves as Study Co-Chair on AHEP1531 - Pediatric Hepatic Tumor International Therapeutic Trial.

“Tiao’s NIH-funded research and lab will also be valuable assets to our institution,” said Melcher. “Our overarching goal is to elevate our multidisciplinary infrastructure and plan for the future leadership in pediatric liver transplantation.”

Tiao is a board-certified surgeon in both transplant and pediatric surgery. He earned his medical degree at the University of Illinois at Chicago before completing General Surgery Residency at the University of Cincinnati. He then went on to complete both a Pediatric Surgery and a Transplant Surgery fellowship at Los Angeles Children’s Hospital and the University of Cincinnati respectively. Most recently, Tiao served as Director of the Division of Pediatric General and Thoracic Surgery and Surgical Director of Liver Transplantation at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

“I've been here in Cincinnati for my whole career; I joined right out of fellowship in 2002. It’s arguably the best children's hospital in the country, but we’re not as good partners with our adult colleagues,” said Tiao. 

Tiao says he hopes to gain a different perspective by learning and working with the adult surgeons at Stanford and then to use that broader exposure to make positive impacts in how we care for kids.

“We are thrilled to have Dr. Tiao take over the mantle of our internationally renowned pediatric liver transplant program established by Dr. Carlos Esquivel,” said Department Chair Dr. Mary Hawn. “Dr. Tiao brings a breadth of experience to both our pediatric transplant and general surgery programs, and I’m excited to see where he takes us.”

Melcher says he deeply appreciates the dedication of Drs. Kirchner, Busque, and Sasaki, who have led these programs with excellent results during the recruitment process.

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