Brad W. Warner, M.D., has been named pediatric surgeon-in-chief at the School of Medicine and St. Louis Children’s Hospital effective July 1.
Warner also has been appointed the Apolline Blair St. Louis Children’s Hospital Professor of Surgery, an endowed chair of the medical school and the hospital. The appointments were jointly announced by Timothy J. Eberlein, M.D., the Bixby Professor and head of the Department of Surgery, and Lee Fetter, president of St. Louis Children’s Hospital.
“Dr. Warner is an exceptional pediatric surgeon,” said Larry J. Shapiro, M.D., executive vice chancellor for medical affairs and dean of the School of Medicine. “His leadership as pediatric surgeon-in-chief will help strengthen the University’s position as a major center for pediatric surgery, research and training. He also will be instrumental in helping to recruit additional nationally recognized pediatric surgeons as we continue to expand the range of surgical services available to our young patients.”
Warner, who grew up in St. Louis, returns after a 25-year tenure in Cincinnati, where he was an attending surgeon in the division of pediatric surgery, program director for the pediatric surgery residency program and director of surgery research at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. He also was professor of surgery and of pediatrics at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.
He is widely recognized for his clinical expertise in pediatric cancer surgery and surgical procedures for short bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease.
“Dr. Warner’s arrival illustrates our continued dedication to providing world-class surgical care to children,” Fetter said. “We’re thrilled to have him on board.”
“Brad Warner is a phenomenal addition to our Department of Surgery,” said Eberlein, also director of Siteman Cancer Center. “Not only does he bring an internationally recognized research program with him to St. Louis, but he is an outstanding surgeon and mentor.”
Warner’s research focuses on understanding how the body adapts when a large part of the intestine is surgically removed or lost due to injury, inflammation or lack of blood supply. In many cases, the part of the intestine that remains senses this loss and tries to compensate by growing back.
Warner is hoping to identify key genes involved in this process, with the goal of enhancing intestinal growth. This would allow patients to live a more normal life and avoid the need for intravenous nutrition, which can lead to sepsis, liver failure and other complications.
Warner earned a medical degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine. He completed his residency in surgery at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, with a fellowship in pediatric surgery at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. He is a 1976 Parkway North High School graduate.
“I am excited to join the exceptional academic environment of the School of Medicine and clinical programs of St. Louis Children’s Hospital,” Warner said. “Working with the outstanding teams at both institutions, we will build world-class programs for pediatric surgery and a research infrastructure that is second to none with the common goal of making a difference in the lives of children and families.”