Biography

Dr. Zundel is a Clinical Professor of Surgery at the Department of Surgery University at Buffalo, NY. Additionally, Dr. Zundel functions as a consultant for the Minimally Invasive and Bariatric Surgery of Fundacion Santa Fe de Bogota, and as Bariatric Surgeon at Jackson North Medical center in Miami. Dr. Zundel has extensive experience with Minimally Invasive and bariatric surgical procedures.He is an active member of the following societies, serving on various committees and executive boards: ACS, ASMBS, SAGES, IFSO, IFSES, FELAC, ABE, ASGE, ALACE. Dr. Zundel has served as a Founder, Active or/and Honorary member of Surgical, Laparoscopic and/or Bariatric Societies in 46 Countries around the world. In addition to being a world class educator in laparoscopic and bariatric surgery, Dr. Zundel has also been a leader. He was / is the President of several international surgical societies and meetings including the World Congress of Endoscopic Surgery (2012), the Latin-American chapter of IFSO (2013-2015), the VI IFSO LAC Congress in Los Cabos, Mexico, (July 8-11,2015) and International Federation for Obesity Surgery (IFSO) (2015-2016). He was former President and now currently serves as Governor for the ACS South Florida Chapter. Also, President of IFSES (2020-2023), and of the next WCES in November 2023. He was elected Executive Director of FELAC on March 2017, a Federation that comprises 17 Countries from Latin America for the next 8 years.Dr Zundel was also voted by his peers and was a member of ASMBS Executive Council for the past 4 years.He has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals, books chapters, and other educational platforms. He is Editor of or Co-Editor of 9 Books. He currently serves on several editorial boards including Bariatric Times, Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases (SOARD), Obesity Surgery, Surgical Laparoscopy, Endoscopy, Percutaneous Techniques, Surgical Endoscopy, Bariatric Surgical Practice and Patient Care in the US, along with 6 other international publications. He is an Ad-hoc reviewer for JACS, World Journal of Surgery, and Annals of Surgery.Dr Zundel has lectured extensively all over the world on Minimally Invasive and Bariatric topics. He also trained and proctored hundreds of surgeons, fellows and surgical residents on Bariatric and Minimally invasive procedures. He has been very active in developing, real and simulation training programs, like the LAP Project. Dr Zundel or his research has received more than 39 awards both nationally and internationally. He received the SAGES International Ambassador Award in 2015, the ASMBS Master Educator Award in 2017, the ASMBS Surgical Innovation Award 2018, Walter Poires Award in Washington D.C in 2021, the biggest honor for a Surgeon in his native country Colombia: Master of Colombian Surgery, given in a ceremony in November 2021. He was awarded with the Lifetime Outstanding Achievement award by ASMBS this past June, also the IFSO Life Membership in August 2022 and the Surgical Innovator Award IFSO 2022. ACOCIB, the Colombian Bariatric Association just decided to name the contest for best papers : Natan Zundel Award and next the Lifetime Outstanding Achievement Award from EAES (European Association of Endoscopic Surgeons), will be given in Rome in June 2023.Dr. Zundel was awarded the academic rank of Professor of Surgery at various universities in 6 countries.