Gail E. Besner
H. William Clatworthy Jr. Professor of Surgery
Division of Pediatric Surgery
College of Medicine
Gail E. Besner is internationally recognized as a pioneering surgeon-scientist whose work has transformed the fields of pediatric surgery and neonatal intestinal disease. A member of the Ohio State faculty for more than three decades, she has built a career defined by sustained innovation, translational impact and national leadership.
Besner’s research has advanced understanding of how the intestine responds to injury. Early in her career, she discovered heparin‑binding EGF‑like growth factor (HB‑EGF), a finding that opened new directions in the study of tissue repair. Her work addresses necrotizing enterocolitis, a life‑threatening disease in premature infants, and has resulted in the development of new approaches to protecting and healing the newborn intestine. Continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health for 30 years, her recent work has led to a probiotic therapy now being tested in clinical studies, positioning her to lead the first trials of this approach in newborns. In 2025, she was elected to the National Academy of Medicine and received the Medallion for Scientific Achievement from the American Surgical Association.
A dedicated educator, Besner has trained hundreds of learners, including postdoctoral fellows, medical students and surgical trainees. Her mentorship has been recognized with national awards and membership in the American College of Surgeons Academy of Master Surgeon Educators, and her mentees have earned major national awards. She has also played a central role in pediatric surgery education, serving as director of the college’s Division of Pediatric Surgery since 2012.
Chief of Pediatric Surgery at Nationwide Children’s Hospital since 2012, she has worked to advance clinical care, academic programs and surgical training. Nationally, she has chaired surgical committees for the American College of Surgeons and the American Academy of Pediatrics, and she will serve as president of the American Pediatric Surgical Association in 2026–27. She continues to practice as a pediatric surgeon, providing specialized care for infants and children.
