Specialties

Syed Nabeel Zafar, MD, MPH

Assistant Professor

  • Division of Surgical Oncology

zafars@surgery.wisc.edu
(608) 262-2025

Education

  • Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, Aga Khan University Medical College
  • Master of Public Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
  • General Surgery Residency, Howard University Hospital
  • Advanced GI and Minimally Invasive Surgery Fellowship, University of Maryland Medical Center
  • Complex General Surgical Oncology Fellowship, MD Anderson Cancer Center

Clinical Specialties

Dr Zafar is fellowship trained in both Minimally Invasive Surgery and in Cancer Surgery. He is certified by the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Medical Quality. Dr Zafar is an active member of several professional societies including the Association of Academic Surgeons, the Society of Surgical Oncology, the American College of Surgeons, and the Association of Global Academic Surgeons.

His clinical focus is in gastrointestinal malignancies and especially laparoscopic and Robotic approached to cancer surgery. Dr Zafar specializes in malignant disease of the pancreas, liver, gallbladder, biliary tree, stomach, small intestine, neuroendocrine tumors, gastrointestinal stromal tumors, retroperitoneal sarcoma and in peritoneal surface malignancies including cytoreductive and HIPEC procedures.

Research Interests

Dr. Zafar conducts health services research and research on global oncology/global surgery. He analyzes large datasets to study outcomes after cancer surgery, as well as disparities in outcomes after surgical care. His research also focuses on improving cancer care delivery and cancer surgery in low-and middle-income countries.

Dr. Zafar was awarded a 3-year, $120,000 grant from the Baldwin Wisconsin Idea Endowment to support work he is doing in Sub-Saharan Africa. Read more here.

Recent Publications

  • Corrigendum to "Cancer research funding in South Asia" [J. Cancer Policy 41 (2024) 100489].
    Virani SS, Ahmed KS, Jaraczewski T, Zafar SN
    J Cancer Policy 2024 Nov 22; 100523
    [PubMed ID: 39580301]

  • A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Oncologic Liver Resections in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Opportunities to Improve Evidence and Outcomes.
    Khan AH, Mahmud O, Fatimi AS, Ahmed S, Wiener AA, Nishtala MV, Stahl CC, Christensen L, Khan MR, Schwartz PB, Zafar SN
    J Surg Oncol 2024 Nov 21;
    [PubMed ID: 39573859]

  • ASO Visual Abstract: Reflections from the Annals of Surgical Oncology Social Media Committee: The Impact of Promoting Surgical Science Online.
    Narayan RR, Fleming AM, Gunder M, Zafar SN, Abdelsattar Z, Bilir E, Tran T, Pu T, Friedman L, McMasters KM, Ahmad SA, Annals of Surgical Oncology Social Media Committee
    Ann Surg Oncol 2024 Nov 20;
    [PubMed ID: 39567435]

  • Reflections From the Annals of Surgical Oncology Social Media Committee: The Impact of Promoting Surgical Science Online.
    Narayan RR, Fleming AM, Gunder M, Zafar SN, Abdelsattar Z, Bilir E, Tran T, Pu T, Friedman L, McMasters KM, Ahmad SA, Annals of Surgical Oncology Social Media Committee
    Ann Surg Oncol 2024 Nov 12;
    [PubMed ID: 39532759]

  • Morbidity and Mortality Following Surgery for Pancreatic Cancer in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
    Khan MA, Sherwani M, Ahmed KS, Ali M, Kumar PA, Tariq J, Christensen L, Bogale N, Schwartz PB, Zafar SN
    J Surg Oncol 2024 Oct 23;
    [PubMed ID: 39444276]

All Publications on PubMed