Waleed M. Abuzeid, MD

Waleed M. Abuzeid, M.D., is an associate professor and fellowship-trained rhinology/skull base surgery specialist in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Washington. Dr. Abuzeid provides comprehensive care for nasal, sinus, and skull base conditions by leveraging the full range of surgical and non-surgical treatments. He specializes in treating inflammatory diseases such as sinusitis, difficulties with nasal breathing, nose bleeds, smell and taste disorders, allergies, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks. Dr. Abuzeid also specializes in treating benign and malignant tumors of the nose and sinuses, including complex tumors of the skull base. His research efforts are focused on: 1) the development of translational therapeutics to treat chronic sinusitis, 2) building software/hardware tools that make surgery safer and more efficient, and 3) evaluating patient outcomes in severe forms of sinusitis. 

Dr. Abuzeid received his medical degree from University College London (UCL) and then completed a two-year postdoctoral research fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Abuzeid graduated from the University of Michigan Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery residency program, which is consistently ranked in the top three training programs in the country. He then completed a fellowship in advanced rhinology and skull base surgery at Stanford University. Prior to joining the University of Washington in 2020, Dr. Abuzeid served as director of the Division of Rhinology and Skull Base Surgery at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.

Dr. Abuzeid has published over 70 peer-reviewed journal articles and co-authored numerous textbook chapters. He regularly presents at national conferences and enjoys teaching medical students, residents, and other otolaryngologists across the country. Dr. Abuzeid is on the editorial board of the World Journal of Otorhinolaryngology and is a member of the American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, the American Rhinologic Society, the North American Skull Base Society, and the Society of University Otolaryngologists. He has been recognized in the New York Times Magazine “Super Doctors” list.

Undergraduate Education: B.Sc. with 1st Class Honors in Physiology, University College London, 2002

Medical School: M.B.B.S. with Distinction in Clinical Practice, University College London Medical School, 2005

Postdoctoral Research Fellowship: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, 2008

Residency: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, 2013

Fellowship: Advanced Rhinology and Skull Base Surgery, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Stanford University, 2014

Board Certification: Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, 2014

Memberships: American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, American Rhinologic Society, North American Skull Base Society, Society of University Otolaryngologists

2000: University College London Medical School, London, UK     Drummond Prize for Biochemistry

2001: University College London Medical School, London, UK    Meyerstein Scholarship (for top rank in medical school class),     Paraskevaides Foundation Prize in Mechanisms of Drug Action    Drummond Prize in Functional and Chemical Changes in Disease    Prankerd Jones Prize for Final Preclinical Project

2001: Royal College of Physicians, London, UK    Wolfson Scholarship  

2002: University College London, London, UK    Leonard Bayliss Memorial Prize (first in class for B.Sc. Physiology)

2003: University College London Medical School, London, UK    Certificate of Merit for Overall Performance in Year 3 of medical school

2005: University College London Medical School, London, UK    Certificate of Merit in Final M.B.B.S. Examination

2010: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan    Department of Otolaryngology Merle Lawrence Research Award 

2011-present: American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery    Member, Centralized Otolaryngology Research Efforts (CORE) Study Section

2013: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan    Department of Otolaryngology Rontal Family Resident Education Award 

2013: North American Skull Base Society 23rd Annual Meeting, Miami, Florida    1st Place, Basic Science Research

2017-present: American Rhinologic Society    Member, Research and Grants Committee

2018: American Rhinologic Society at Combined Otolaryngology Spring Meeting, National Harbor, Maryland    1st Place, Basic Science Research

2018-present: American Rhinologic Society    Member, Program Committee

2019: Rhinoworld (Combined International Rhinologic Meeting), Chicago, Illinois    Top 10 Abstract

Dr. Abuzeid’s clinical interests include acute and chronic sinusitis, sinonasal and skull base tumors, cerebrospinal fluid leaks, smell and taste disorders, nasal obstruction and sinonasal allergy. He is a fellowship-trained rhinologist and skull base surgeon with expertise in endoscopic sinus surgery and uses the latest office-based and operating room techniques. As a member of the University of Washington skull base program, Dr. Abuzeid works with his colleagues in neurosurgery to perform minimally invasive surgery for tumors of the skull base.

Waleed Abuzeid's NCBI Bibliography 

Dr. Abuzeid works alongside partners in UW Engineering and the tech industry to innovate and develop new technologies such as, for example, artificial intelligence supported clinical decision-making, real-time surgical navigation, and augmented reality. These innovations are aimed at making surgery smarter, safer, and more efficient. Dr. Abuzeid is also interested in novel therapeutics for the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis. As a nationally recognized researcher, he has received competitive research grants to support his work. He is the Principal Investigator for two studies focused on using nanoparticles to treat chronic sinusitis. This work has featured at numerous conferences and won an award from the American Rhinologic Society. In the past, Dr. Abuzeid was involved in cancer research and was part of the team that successfully isolated the first skull base chordoma in the lab. This “cell line” is now being studied by researchers all over the world. Dr. Abuzeid has published over 40 peer-reviewed journal articles and has presented his work at national and international conferences.