Patricio Polanco, M.D., is an Associate Professor of Surgery in the Division of Surgical Oncology in the Department of Surgery at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. He is an expert in minimally invasive/robotic pancreas and liver surgery and serves as the Director of the Robotic Surgery Training Program at UT Southwestern and Co-Director of Pancreatic Cancer Program and Pancreatic Cancer Prevention Clinic at the Simmons NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Polanco’s research endeavors include robotic surgery training, simulation curriculum development, health services research in disparities in access to care for hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) malignancies. He is also the site principal investigator for several national clinical trials for pancreatic cancer. His research has resulted in over 150 peer reviewed publications published in several high impact journals.  Dr. Polanco serves in several committees and leadership positions of academic associations including the Americas Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association, Society of Surgical Oncology, American College of Surgeons, among others. He also serves in the Pancreatic Cancer expert panel for the National Comprehensive Center Network (NCCN) guidelines.  Dr. Polanco's commitment to education and training extends globally, as he has trained and proctored several international surgeons in establishing robotic surgery HPB programs. Furthermore, his extensive experience in medical mission trips to Latin-America highlights his dedication to providing healthcare access to underserved populations.