Michael J. Zobel, M.D. is currently a chief resident in the UCSF Department of Surgery. He has published 18 peer-reviewed papers in JAMA Surgery, the Journal of Pediatric Surgery, the Journal for Immunotherapy of Cancer, and the Journal of Surgical Research, among others. He has also authored chapters in multiple textbooks, including Mulholland and Greenfield's Surgery, and Fundamentals of Pediatric Surgery. In total, he has authored over 30 published research abstracts that have been presented at conferences around the world. His most recent research podium presentations were delivered at the American College of Surgeons, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Pediatric Surgical Association, the Academic Surgical Congress, and the Pacific Coast Surgical Association.

From 2018 to 2020, Dr. Zobel completed the research fellowship at Children's Hospital Los Angeles where he worked with Dr. Eugene S. Kim to identify novel treatments for the aggressive childhood cancer, neuroblastoma. Dr. Zobel received the American College of Surgeons Resident Research Scholarship to support this research.

Dr. Zobel will begin the pediatric surgery fellowship at Children's Hospital Los Angeles in August 2022. 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, graduating magna cum laude while receiving degrees in both Biological Sciences and Business Administration.

His other interests include basketball and vocal music. 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).