Dai Chung, M.D., M.B.A., Professor of Surgery, has been selected to receive the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society of University Surgeons (SUS). Dr. Chung, a pediatric surgeon, is the first UT Southwestern faculty member to earn this recognition.

The highest honor from the premier organization for academic surgeons, the SUS Lifetime Achievement Award celebrates leaders who have had sustained careers in academic surgery with contributions to surgical science. The award will be presented at the 21st Academic Surgical Congress in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, in February 2026.

“Your peers have nominated and selected you for this recognition based on your embodiment of the ideals of the Society of University Surgeons – through groundbreaking research, transformative leadership, and an unwavering commitment to mentorship,” wrote Danny Chu, M.D., SUS President, and O. Joe Hines, M.D., SUS Foundation President, in their notification letter to Dr. Chung.

“Your impressive body of work includes prolific and impactful research in pediatric surgical oncology. Your investigations into the neuroendocrine regulation of neuroblastoma have led to the development of novel targeted therapies for this formidable pediatric cancer,” they added.

One of the country’s most highly acclaimed pediatric surgeons, Dr. Chung serves as Chief Medical Officer for the Children’s Health and UT Southwestern Joint Pediatric Enterprise. He is also Chief Medical Executive for Children’s Health. His clinical expertise includes pediatric solid tumors, burns, and neonatal surgery.

The author of more than 160 academic articles, Dr. Chung has delivered presentations worldwide. His basic and translational research studies on neuroblastoma have been funded by the National Institutes of Health for over two decades.

“I am incredibly grateful for all the support I’ve received throughout my career,” Dr. Chung said. “I was drawn to all aspects of surgery – pathophysiology, surgical sciences, and the hands-on nature of surgical care. I was fortunate to have met great surgical mentors who inspired me to pursue an academic surgical career. They shaped and helped me throughout my career.”

Dr. Chung has served the SUS as Education Committee Chair, Councilor, President, and Foundation President. In addition to honoring surgeons who embody SUS principles, the Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes them as role models for younger generations of surgeons.