Paul Wales, MD, Named Moritz Ziegler Chair of Pediatric Surgery
Paul Wales, MD, MSc, of the Division of Pediatric General and Thoracic Surgery, has been selected as the recipient of the Moritz Ziegler Chair of Pediatric Surgery. The chair position recognizes Ziegler’s contributions to pediatric surgery research and education and provides ongoing resources to support the research endeavors of the recipient. Ziegler was the second Surgeon-in-Chief at Cincinnati Children’s.
Paul, a world expert in the field of intestinal rehabilitation, was selected based on his clinical research and treatment paradigms that have had life-changing impacts on patients suffering from complex diseases leading to failure of the intestinal tract. He has a collaborative approach to work and enjoys close relationships with medical colleagues, patients and families, and research partners.
Additionally, he directed the intestinal rehabilitation program at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada, from its inception in 2002, until his arrival at Cincinnati Children’s in 2021.
He was recruited to Cincinnati Children’s to lead the Intestinal Rehabilitation program. This important recruitment complements the existing expertise we have in basic science and translational research on the intestine.
With Paul’s expertise, and that of existing medical leaders in the Intestinal Rehabilitation program, Cincinnati Children’s is now set apart from any other institution in the world regarding capabilities to understand and treat intestinal failure.
In 2016, Paul was awarded the Stanley Dudrick Research Scholar Award from the American Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN). This award is given to a mid-career researcher who has contributed greatly to nutrition research. In 2021, he was designated a Fellow of ASPEN (FASPEN) for his contributions to nutrition science.
“Both honors are meaningful as they represent recognition from my professional peers,” said Paul.
Also, in 2006 and 2014, he received the Teaching Award for the Pediatric Surgery Fellowship at The Hospital for Sick Children.
“The graduating fellows choose the recipient, so it was an honor and very humbling for me to be recognized by our trainees who represent the future of our profession,” he said.
Paul was officially presented with the Moritz Ziegler Chair of Pediatric Surgery at a ceremony in Sabin Auditorium on August 19.
Moritz Ziegler, Md, and Paul Wales, MD, MSc
“It is a tremendous honor for me to receive this chair in Dr. Ziegler’s name. He has been a giant in pediatric surgery and has made a tremendous contribution to clinical practice and academic surgery,” said Paul. “In addition, he is known for his kindness, strong leadership and mentorship to countless faculty and trainees. To hold the chair in the name of such an outstanding physician and person is truly humbling for me.
“Although I never had the privilege to work directly with Dr. Ziegler, I knew him by reputation. This process has allowed me to get to know him personally, and I look forward to the guidance and counsel he will provide me with in the future.”
Paul Wales, MD, and his family