Omair A. Shariq, M.B.B.S., Ph.D.

Omair A. Shariq, M.B.B.S., Ph.D., is an endocrine surgeon and researcher at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota who specializes in the surgical management of complex endocrine tumors and hereditary endocrine conditions. His clinical practice encompasses diseases of the thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal glands and endocrine pancreas, with particular expertise in multiple endocrine neoplasia and other hereditary endocrine tumor syndromes. His approach centers on thoughtful, individualized care that considers both the immediate need for treatment and the person's long-term journey. He has a particular interest in caring for individuals with hereditary endocrine conditions, where decisions about surgery may evolve over many years.

Areas of expertise

Dr. Shariq focuses on providing comprehensive surgical care for people with complex endocrine disorders. His clinical focus includes:

• Hereditary endocrine tumor syndromes: Specialized surgical care for people with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) and type 2 (MEN2), as well as other inherited endocrine tumor syndromes, such as von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease and hereditary pheochromocytoma-paraganglioma syndromes.
• Thyroid disease: Surgical management of benign and malignant thyroid conditions, including thyroid cancer, thyroid nodules, multinodular goiter, and Graves' disease.
• Parathyroid disease: Minimally invasive and complex parathyroid surgery for primary, secondary, and tertiary hyperparathyroidism, including hereditary parathyroid disease associated with MEN1 and MEN2, hyperparathyroidism-jaw tumor (HPT-JT) syndrome, and parathyroid cancer.
• Adrenal tumors: Surgical management of benign and malignant adrenal disease including Cushing syndrome, mild autonomous cortisol secretion (MACS), primary aldosteronism, pheochromocytoma, and adrenocortical carcinoma, using laparoscopic and robotic transabdominal, retroperitoneoscopic, and open surgical techniques when appropriate.
• Endocrine pancreas: Surgical management of functional and nonfunctioning pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, including insulinoma, gastrinoma, and glucogonoma, with particular expertise in MEN1-associated pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, using individualized approaches that may include minimally invasive and pancreas-preserving procedures when appropriate.

Research and professional background

Dr. Shariq's research focuses on improving the care of people with hereditary endocrine tumor syndromes, particularly multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1), as well as pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. His work lies at the intersection of clinical outcomes research, genomics and molecular biology, with the goal of identifying patients at greatest risk of disease progression, refining decisions about whether, when and how to operate, and developing novel therapeutic approaches. During his Ph.D. training, he developed expertise in molecular and translational research methods, with a particular interest in the epigenetic mechanisms that drive endocrine tumor development and progression and how these insights may inform new targeted therapies. By integrating laboratory-based research with clinical investigation, he aims to develop more personalized approaches to care that improve long-term outcomes while minimizing the burden of treatment

Dr. Shariq earned his medical degree from Imperial College London, followed by general surgery residency at Mayo Clinic in Rochester. During residency, he was awarded a Clarendon Scholarship to pursue graduate studies at the University of Oxford, where he completed M.Sc. and D.Phil. (Ph.D.) degrees in Surgical Sciences. His doctoral research explored novel epigenetic therapies for pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, establishing the foundation for his ongoing clinical and research interests in hereditary endocrine tumor syndromes and endocrine cancers. He subsequently completed consecutive fellowships in endocrine surgery at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and hepato-pancreatico-biliary surgery at Indiana University, with his advanced surgical training supported by a Mayo Foundation Scholarship.