Michael J. Zobel, M.D. is currently a resident in the UCSF Department of Surgery. He received his medical degree from the Keck School of Medicine of USC, graduating with Distinction in Research and as a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha honor medical society. He completed his undergraduate education at the University of Southern California, where he was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa honor society, receiving degrees in Biological Sciences and Business Administration, graduating magna cum laude.

In the summer of 2018, Dr. Zobel began a surgery research fellowship at Children's Hospital Los Angeles where he is currently working with Dr. Eugene S. Kim to identify novel treatments for the aggressive childhood cancer, neuroblastoma.

Dr. Zobel is a recipient of the American College of Surgeons Resident Research Scholarship. He has published five peer-reviewed papers, most recently publishing "Intercostal Nerve Cryoablation during the Nuss Procedure - A Randomized Clinical Trial" in the Journal of Pediatric Surgery and "Evaluation of Clinical Outcomes of Sutureless vs. Sutured Closure Techniques in Gastroschisis Repair" in JAMA Surgery and with members of the UCSF Division of Pediatric Surgery. Recent research podium presentations include "The Incidence of Neuropathic Pain after Intercostal Cryoablation during the Nuss Procedure" (American Pediatric Surgical Association; Boston, MA), “Surgical Management of Children with Hypoglycemia due to Congenital Hyperinsulinism or Insulinomas” (Pacific Coast Surgical Association; Tucson, AZ), and "Clinical Management and Outcomes of Pelvic Neuroblastoma" (Academic Surgical Congress; Houston, TX). He has an upcoming podium presentation at the 2019 meeting of the American College of Surgeons (San Francisco, CA) entitled, "The Role of C-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 2 (CCL2) in Metastatic Neuroblastoma."

He is the great-great nephew of San Francisco native Dr. Alfred Zobel, former president of the American Society of Colorectal Surgeons (previously the American Proctologic Society). His other interests include basketball and vocal music.