02/21/2023

Ammar Sukari, M.D.

Dr. Ammar Sukari is a Professor of Oncology, Head and Neck Medical Oncologist and the Medical Oncology Division Chief for the Department of Oncology at the Wayne State University School of Medicine. He is the Leader of the Head and Neck Multidisciplinary Team and member of the Breast and Thoracic Cancer MDTs at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute. Dr. Sukari also oversees the annual KCI Head and Neck Cancer Symposium as the Program Director.

Dr. Sukari is a graduate of the University of Aleppo Medical School in Aleppo, Syria. He completed his Residency and Fellowship at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, MI, and is American Board certified in Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology. Dr. Sukari is especially interested in early development clinical trials, immune-oncology research, head and neck cancer, and thoracic oncology. He is an active clinical and scientific member of Karmanos, with significant experience in clinical research. His current research is focusing on conducting clinical and translational research trials to improve treatment strategies for patients with head and neck and lung cancers.

As a member of the Eisenberg Center for Translational Therapeutics at Karmanos, which houses the Phase I Clinical Trials Program, Dr. Sukari is currently the principal investigator for multiple clinical trials in solid tumors, particularly head and neck cancer. He has also worked on multiple early development phase I/transitional head and neck clinical trials. Since joining Karmanos over 15 years ago, he has published numerous articles, including peer-reviewed original works, case reports, and abstracts. He has built a robust oncology clinic at Karmanos’ Wertz Clinic in Detroit and its outpatient treatment location in Farmington Hills. 

As a Professor of Oncology, Dr. Sukari spends a great deal of time teaching and mentoring students at various levels of their education. He has been an invited lecturer at numerous oncology conferences, symposiums, and grand rounds over the years, sharing his oncologic expertise across the world. Dr. Sukari also plays a crucial role in the Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program at the Wayne State University School of Medicine and was selected as Teacher of the Year in 2016 and 2017.

Dr. Sukari has been a member of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Head and Neck Steering Committee for many years. He has been a champion in improving the quality of cancer care and access to cancer care at Karmanos Cancer Center and throughout Michigan through his work with the Michigan Society of Hematology and Oncology (MSHO) and the Michigan Oncology Quality Consortium. He has been a board member of MOQC since 2018, as well as a member of the MOQC Steering Committee. Additionally, he belongs to the Michigan State Medical Society, American Society of Clinical Oncology, and Syrian American Medical Society.

When Dr. Sukari is not working, you can find him spending time with his loving wife Noorah, and their wonderful children. They enjoy traveling the world, sailing by sea, and enjoying everything life has to offer. As a recent addition to MSHO’s Board of Directors, Dr. Sukari looks forward to working alongside his fellow board members to ensure access to quality care for Michigan’s cancer patients.