Dr. Zoukaa Sargi on Advancing Skull Base Surgery Through Innovation, Collaboration and Global Leadership
As president of the North American Skull Base Society, Zoukaa Sargi, M.D., M.P.H., shares his vision for multidisciplinary collaboration, research advances in sinonasal cancers and training the next generation of surgeons.
The University of Miami Miller School of Medicine has earned global recognition for its program in skull base surgery, one of medicine’s most complex, collaborative and highly specialized fields. Few have helped shape that reputation more than Zoukaa Sargi, M.D., M.P.H., professor of otolaryngology — head and neck surgery and neurological surgery at the Miller School.
Now, as president of the North American Skull Base Society (NASBS), Dr. Sargi is bringing that expertise to a global stage. We spoke with him about his goals for the organization, his own research program and his advice for aspiring skull base surgeons.
Dr. Sargi, what first drew you to skull base surgery?
I had initially decided to focus on head and neck cancer surgery because my original plan was to go back to Lebanon, although I had always been drawn to skull base surgery.
Serendipitously, one of my fellowships focused on minimally invasive, endoscopic, endonasal skull base surgery. And little did I know that would set me up to become a comprehensive skull base surgeon. As is often the case in life, the more you do one thing, the better you become at it and the more you understand it. You learn it, you can teach it. And that’s exactly what happened with me.
Since skull base surgery is multidisciplinary by definition, the University of Miami allowed me, by virtue of support from the department and other colleagues in the institution, to actually be a dedicated skull base surgeon as a practicing physician. The volume, the setup, the patient population, the demand and the circumstances made it such that I was afforded that opportunity. And I think this is what allowed me to grow into the skull base surgeon I’ve become.
What current research or clinical projects are you most excited about right now, and why?
I’ve become very interested in research on sinonasal cancer, the group of cancers that happen inside the nose and the sinus cavities, which very often involve the skull base. These are considered rare cancers, making it very difficult to truly understand them and conduct large-scale research. One of the biggest advances over the past decade or so is better understanding and classification of those illnesses, incorporating some sophisticated molecular and genetic techniques to more accurately diagnose them.
By achieving that, we are now dealing with diseases that we can better label and hopefully better understand and tailor treatment for. We used to offer oftentimes mutilating surgeries for all sinonasal cancers, and now we’re able to understand how we can incorporate other modalities of treatment like chemotherapy and radiation that can limit the side effects and optimize the chances for cure.
You’ve described skull base surgery as a “team sport.” During your term as president of NASBS, how do you hope to strengthen collaborations across specialties?
Many of the illnesses we deal with as skull base surgeons are not very common and the only way to generate meaningful information is to pull data from multiple institutions. I think collaborations between institutions and disciplines are extremely important. One thing I’ll be focusing on is increasing membership from specialties that so far have not been represented enough in our society.
I also want to create opportunities for collaborative research between different members and different institutions through committees, task forces and educational opportunities. Another goal is to bring together skull base experts from all over the world. By engaging people from South America, from Australia, from Asia, from Europe, from Africa, I’m hoping the society will become an international forum where ideas are shared and meaningful research is started.
And of course, by definition, NASBS covers North America. While Canada and the U.S. have been very involved, I’m planning on improving the engagement of skull base surgeons from Mexico, which has a large contingency of neurosurgeons and ENT surgeons.
Looking ahead, when your year as NASBS president is over, what are a few things that would make you feel like it was a success?
My first goal is to make sure that the current members are engaged and actively working within the society. One of the problems we face is that the demand has traditionally been much higher than the number of opportunities we can offer our members. I would feel great after my presidency if every member of the society who has applied to serve on a committee or to participate in an educational activity, task force or research project is given the opportunity to do so. I think member satisfaction and member engagement is extremely important.
I’d also like to see increased participation in the society’s big, educational events, specifically the annual summer course and the annual meeting that happens in February. Finally, I’d like to keep the society on solid financial ground. I’d like to see more industry partners engaging with the society, whether through sponsorships or grant money. A lot of what we do depends on very advanced equipment and tools that we couldn’t get without partnering with industry. Making research funding sustainable is another priority of mine, though fundraising and philanthropy.
What topics or innovations do you think should be front and center for the 2027 NASBS meeting in Nashville?
Well, I don’t want to spoil the surprise! Dr. Dinh and Dr. Magill, this year’s chairs of the Scientific Program Committee, have started to work on what promises to be a very exciting meeting. I’ll just say for now that we are increasing the educational content and organizing special education days in advance of the meeting.
We’re also testing some new formats that will combine learning with social interaction, making sessions fun and interesting. We’re trying out new ways to teach and engage members and to have NASBS members interact with industry.
What career advice would you give young physicians or trainees who are interested in going into skull base surgery?
Seek a mentor. We do have a formal mentorship program through NASBS, where junior physicians are partnered with mid-level career and senior skull base surgeons. Through NASBS I’ve mentored several skull base surgeons, and I’ve found it to be helpful. I wish I had received the kind of mentorship that’s now available as I was starting.
Also, don’t be shy about getting engaged in the society and getting to know your peers in other institutions. Listening to their stories, their challenges, what they’re dealing with, will help you progress much faster on your professional journey. And finally, be intentional about focusing your practice, your research and your learning on skull base surgery. If you really want to become a dedicated skull base surgeon, you’ll want to use every single opportunity to take care of patients with skull base diseases.
What do you like to do in your time away from work?
I love to travel and enjoy good food with my wife and kids. Personally, I find gardening, taking care of my environment and my plants, very therapeutic and calming. My son also got me into rock climbing a few years ago and that’s been a way for us to bond and spend time together.
As I tell my trainees, it’s important to remember that there are no limits to the number of patients you can care for. But the opportunity to spend time with your loved ones is extremely precious.
More from the Miller School of Medicine
University of Miami Miller School surgeons present skull base surgery research and techniques at the NASBS annual meeting.
This year’s Dean’s Faculty Awards honored 18 distinguished faculty members for their outstanding contributions to academic medicine.
Six Miller School otolaryngologists have served in leadership positions for respected professional societies in the past 10 years.
The professional organization brings together medical specialists specializing in the base of skull, a complex medical challenge.
Tags: Department of Otolaryngology, Dr. Zoukaa Sargi, head and neck cancers, otolaryngology, Skull-base surgery, team science