Dr. Gabriel Mena is a distinguished physician, clinician scientist, and healthcare innovator whose career is marked by exceptional achievement, leadership, and dedication to advancing patient care. He serves as a Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, with a dual appointment as Professor in the Department of Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery. His influence extends beyond medicine into entrepreneurship and global health advocacy as the Founder and President of the United2Cure Children Foundation, a nonprofit providing life-saving cancer therapies to children in need.
A Diplomate of the American Board of Anesthesiology since 2006 and a Fellow of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (FASA), an honor bestowed on only the top 5% of anesthesiologists nationwide, Dr. Mena is recognized for excellence, leadership, and major contributions to research and academia. He completed his M.D. at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá, Colombia (1996), followed by clinical clerkships at Brown University, where he earned honors in neurology, cardiology, and infectious diseases. He completed a Categorical Internship and Residency in Anesthesiology at Baylor College of Medicine (2004) and a Cardiovascular Anesthesiology Fellowship at The Houston Methodist DeBakey Hospital (2005).
Dr. Mena has built an extensive clinical and academic career, authoring numerous peer-reviewed publications, abstracts, and book chapters, and serving in roles ranging from Research Assistant to Instructor, Director, and invited Speaker at national and international conferences. His achievements have been recognized with multiple awards, including FAER’s Outstanding Scholastic Performance and Research Award (ASA, 2003), Outstanding Academic Abstract of the Year at the James Arens Endowed Lectureship (2017, 2019), and a distinguished recognition from the Texas-Colombia Chamber of Commerce (2018).
An active leader in professional societies, Dr. Mena is a member of the ASA, SCA, TSA, and RAMSES, where he also serves on the Board of Directors and Managing Board. At MD Anderson, he leads the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) programs for Thoracic, Gynecologic, Breast, and Plastic Surgery, and contributes to system-wide innovation through the Telemedicine & Tele-surgery Committee and the Pain Task Force, helping develop virtual care strategies and scientific approaches to addressing the U.S. opioid epidemic. He also collaborates with the Surgical Oncology Research Group (ASORG) and the MD Anderson Cancer Center Network.
Beyond clinical practice, Dr. Mena is an advocate for healthcare innovation and entrepreneurship, serving on the Scientific Board of Advisors for the Texas Medical Center Accelerator (TMCx). His expertise includes Goal-Directed Fluid Therapy, ERAS, Cardiovascular Anesthesiology, Difficult Airway Management, Anesthesia for Robotic Surgery, innovation strategy, and leadership development. His certification as a RICE Leadership Coach from the CoachRICE Doerr Institute at Rice University reflects his commitment to cultivating future healthcare leaders. Dr. Mena’s career reflects a rare blend of medical excellence, scientific advancement, leadership, and social impact—demonstrating a lifelong commitment to improving patient outcomes, inspiring the next generation, and transforming healthcare through innovation.