Dima Suki (formerly Abi-Said), PhD
Department of Neurosurgery, Division of Surgery
About Dr. Suki (formerly Abi-Said)
Dima Suki, Ph.D., has been interested in clinical research methodology and regulations for many years. She has pursued these interests both at the departmental level where she actively collaborates on clinical protocol design and implementation and oversees several clinical research staff, and at the institutional level, where she serves as the chair of the institutional review board dealing with psychosocial, behavioral, health services, and epidemiologic research, as well as all data reviews.
Dr. Suki has been and continues to be involved in the statistical analysis of a large number of research projects. She has made significant contributions in the area of data banking and management, overseeing the day-to-day data collection and management activities, and regulatory and information security aspects of an extensive multipurpose database. The database houses demographic, medical history, and patient, disease, and tumor data, as well as treatment and outcomes data on over 25,000 neurosurgical patients. It is highly utilized within and outside the Department of Neurosurgery and has resulted in a large number of high-profile publications, helped jump start a number of clinical research programs and changed global neurosurgical practice in many areas.
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Professor, Department of Neurosurgery, Division of Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Adjunct Professor, Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
Adjunct Professor, Department of Neurosurgery - Research, Division of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 1993 | The University of Texas, Houston, TX, USA, PhD, Epidemiology (Minors: Biostatistics and Maternal and Child Health) |
| 1988 | American University of Beirut, Beirut, LBN, MS, Nutrition |
| 1987 | American University of Beirut, Beirut, LBN, Teaching Diploma, Health Education |
| 1986 | American University of Beirut, Beirut, LBN, BS, Nutrition & Dietetics |
Experience & Service
Academic Appointments
Associate Epidemiologist, Department of Neurosurgery, Division of Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2004 - 2011
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Director of Clinical Research Operations, Department of Neurosurgery - Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2019 - Present
Director of Data Management, Department of Neurosurgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2000 - 2019
Co-Director of Clinical Research, Department of Neurosurgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2000 - 2019
Institutional Committee Activities
Chair, Institutional Review Board IV, 2016 - 2021
Member, Institutional Review Board III, 2016 - 2021
Member, Promotion & Tenure Committee, Research Faculty Appointment Panel, 2013 - Present
Honors & Awards
| 2009 | Madison Who's Who |
| 2009 | Marquis Who's Who |
Professional Memberships
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Ferguson S, Levine N, Suki D, Tsung A, Lang FF, Sawaya R, Weinberg JS, McCutcheon IE. The surgical treatment of tumors of the fourth ventricle: a single-institution experience. J Neurosurgery 128(2):339-351, 2018. PMID: 28409732.
- Tatsui CE, Nascimento C, Suki D, Amini B, Li J, Ghia AJ, Thomas JG, Stafford RJ, Rhines LD, Cata JP, Kumar AJ, Rao G. Image guidance based on MRI for spinal interstitial laser thermotherapy: technical aspects and accuracy. J Neurosurg Spine 26(5):605-612, 2017. PMID: 28186470.
- Li YM*, Suki D*, Hess K, Sawaya R (*Both authors contributed equally to the manuscript). The influence of maximum safe resection of glioblastoma on survival in 1229 patients: can we do better than gross-total resection. J Neurosurg 124(4):977-88, 2016. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 26495941.
- Brown TJ, Brennan MC, Li M, Church EW, Brandmeir NJ, Rakszawski KL, Patel AS, Rizk EB, Suki D, Sawaya R, Glantz M. Association of the extent of resection with survival in glioblastoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Oncol 2(11):1460-1469, 2016. PMID: 27310651.
- Tatsui CE, Lee SH, Amini B, Rao G, Suki D, Oro M, Brown PD, Ghia AJ, Bhavsar S, Popat K, Rhines LD, Stafford RJ, Li J. Spinal laser interstitial thermal therapy: a novel alternative to surgery for metastatic epidural spinal cord compression. Neurosurgery 79(Suppl 1):s73-s82, 2016. PMID: 27861327.
- Sathyan P, Zinn PO, Marisetty AL, Liu B, Kamal MM, Singh SK, Bady P, Lu L, Wani KM, Veo BL, Gumin J, Kassem DH, Robinson F, Weng C, Baladandayuthapani V, Suki D, Colman H, Bhat KP, Sulman EP, Aldape K, Colen RR, Verhaak RG, Lu Z, Fuller GN, Huang S, Lang FF, Sawaya R, Hegi M, Majumder S. Mir-21-Sox2 axis delineates glioblastoma subtypes with prognostic impact. J Neurosci 35(45):15097-112, 2015. PMID: 26558781.
- Sellin JN, Suki D, Harsh V, Elder BD, Fahim DK, McCutcheon IE, Rao G, Rhines LD, Tatsui CE. Factors affecting survival in 43 consecutive patients after surgery for spinal metastases from thyroid carcinoma. J Neurosurg Spine 23(4):419-28, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 26140400.
- Tatsui CE, Stafford RJ, Li J, Sellin JN, Amini B, Rao G, Suki D, Ghia AJ, Brown P, Lee SH, Cowles CE, Weinberg JS, Rhines LD. Utilization of laser interstitial thermotherapy guided by real-time thermal MRI as an alternative to separation surgery in the management of spinal metastasis. J Neurosurg Spine 23(4):400-11, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 26140398.
- Sellin JN, Gressot LV, Suki D, St. Clair EG, Chern J, Rhines LD, McCutcheon I, Rao G, Tatsui CE. Prognostic factors influencing the outcome of 64 consecutive patients undergoing surgery for metastatic melanoma of the spine. Neurosurgery 77(3):386-93, 2015. PMID: 25933368.
- Salaskar AL, Hassaneen W, Keenan CH, Suki D. Intracranial tuberculoma mimicking brain metastasis. J Cancer Res Ther 11(3):653-655, 2015. PMID: 26458638.
- Patel AJ, Suki D, Hatiboglu MA, Rao VY, Fox BD, Sawaya R. Impact of surgical methodology on the complication rate and functional outcome of patients with a single brain metastasis. J Neurosurg 122(5):1132-43, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 25794344.
- Sellin JN, Reichardt W, Bishop AJ, Suki D, Rhines LD, Settle SH, Brown PD, Li J, Rao G, Chang EL, Tatsui CE. Factors affecting survival in 37 consecutive patients undergoing de novo stereotactic radiosurgery for contiguous sites of vertebral body metastasis from renal cell carcinoma. J Neurosurg Spine 22(1):52-59, 2015. PMID: 25360530.
- Nassar GM, Suki D, Rhee E, Khan AJ, Nguyen B, Achkar K. Outcomes of Arteriovenous Grafts Following Simultaneous Thrombectomy and Stent Graft Placement Across the Venous Anastomosis. Semin Dial 27(6):639-44, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24976160.
- Suki D, Khoury-Abdallah R, Ding M, Khatua S, Sawaya R. Brain metastases in patients diagnosed with a solid primary cancer during childhood: Experience from a single referral cancer center. J Neurosurg Pediatr 14(4):372-385, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 25127097.
- Maldaun MVC, Khawja SN, Suki D, Levine NB, Rao G, Lang FF, Weinberg JS, Tummala S, Cowles CE, Ferson D, Nguyen AT, Sawaya R, Prabhu SS. Awake craniotomy for gliomas in a high-field (1.5T) intraoperative magnetic resonance operating room: analysis of 42 cases. Clinical article. J Neurosurg 121(4):810-817, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 25105702.
- Gressot L, Chamoun R, Patel A, Valadka A, Suki D, Robertson CS, Gopinath S. Predictors of outcome in civilians with gunshot wounds to the head upon presentation. J Neurosurg 121(3):645-52, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24995781.
- Fahim Dk, Tatsui CE, Suki D, Gumin J, Lang FF, Rhines LD.. Ortotopic murine model of a primary malignant bone tumor in the spine: functional, bioluminescene, and histological correlations. J Neurosurg Spine 21(3):378-85, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24971476.
- Marko NF, Weil RJ, Schroeder JL, Lang FF, Suki D, Sawaya RE. Extent of Resection of Glioblastoma Revisited: Personalized Survival Modeling Facilitates More Accurate Survival Prediction and Supports a Maximum-Safe-Resection Approach to Surgery. J Clin Oncol 32(8):774-82, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24516010.
- Fahim DK, Tatsui CE, Suki D, Gumin J, Lang FF, Rhines LD. Orthotopic murine model of a primary malignant bone tumor in the spine: functional, bioluminescence and histological correlations. J Neurosurg Spine 21(3):378-85, 2014.
- Tatsui CE, Suki D, Rao G, Kim SS, Salaskar A, Hatiboglu MA, Gokaslan ZL, McCutcheon IE, Rhines LD. Factors affecting survival in 267 consecutive patients undergoing surgery for spinal metastasis from renal cell carcinoma. J Neurosurg Spine 20(1):108-16, 2014. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 24206037.
- Beiko J, Suki D, Hess KR, Fox BD, Cheung V, Cabral M, Shonka N, Gilbert MR, Sawaya R, Prabhu SS, Weinberg J, Lang FF, Aldape KD, Sulman EP, Rao G, McCutcheon IE, Cahill DP. IDH1 mutant malignant astrocytomas are more amenable to surgical resection and have a survival benefit associated with maximal surgical resection. Neuro Oncol 16(1):81-91, 2014. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 24305719.
- Wu AS, Trinh VT, Suki D, Graham S, Forman A, Weinberg JS, McCutcheon IE, Prabhu SS, Heimberger AB, Sawaya R, Wang X, Qiao W, Hess KR, Lang FF. A prospective randomized trial of peri-operative seizure prophylaxis in patients with intraparenchymal brain tumors. J Neurosurg 118(4):873-83, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23394340.
- Trinh VT, Fahim DK, Shah K, Tummala S, McCutcheon IE, Sawaya R, Suki D, Prabhu SS. Subcortical injury is an independent predictor of worsening neurological deficits following awake craniotomy procedures. Neurosurgery 72(2):160-9, 2013. PMID: 23147778.
- Chamoun RB, Suki D, DeMonte F. Surgical management of cranial base metastases. Neurosurgery 70(4):802-10, 2012. PMID: 21937928.
- Aizenberg MR, Fox BD, Suki D, McCutcheon IE, Rao G, Rhines LD. Surgical management of unknown primary tumors metastatic to the spine. J Neurosurg Spine 16(1):86-92, 2012. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 21981272.
- Hatiboglu MA, Chang EL, Suki D, Sawaya R, Wildrick DM, Weinberg JS. Outcomes and prognostic factors for patients with brainstem metastases undergoing stereotactic radiosurgery. Neurosurgery 69(4):796-806, 2011. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 21508879.
- Hassaneen W, Levine NB, Suki D, Salaskar AL, de Moura Lima A, McCutcheon IE, Prabhu SS, Lang FF, DeMonte F, Rao G, Weinberg JS, Wildrick DM, Aldape KD, Sawaya R. Multiple craniotomies in the management of multifocal and multicentric glioblastoma. Clinical article. J Neurosurg 114(3):576-84, 2011. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 20690813.
- Fox BD, Cheung VJ, Patel AJ, Suki D, Rao G. Epidemiology of metastatic brain tumors. Neurosurg Clin N Am 22(1):1-6, 2011. PMID: 21109143.
- Chamoun R, Suki D, Gopinath SP, Goodman JC, Robertson C. Role of extracellular glutamate measured by cerebral microdialysis in severe traumatic brain injury. J Neurosurg 113(3):564-70, 2010. PMID: 20113156.
- Patel AJ, Suki D, Hatiboglu MA, Abouassi H, Shi W, Wildrick DM, Lang FF, Sawaya R. Factors influencing the risk of local recurrence after resection of a single brain metastasis. J Neurosurg 113(2):181-9, 2010. e-Pub 2009. PMID: 20035574.
- Hassaneen W, Suki D, Salaskar AL, Levine NB, DeMonte F, Lang FF, McCutcheon IE, Dorai Z, Feiz-Erfan I, Wildrick DM, Sawaya R. Immediate morbidity and mortality associated with transcallosal resection of tumors of the third ventricle. J Clin Neurosci 17(7):830-6, 2010. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 20478709.
- Hassaneen W, Suki D, Salaskar AL, Wildrick DM, Lang FF, Fuller GN, Sawaya R. Surgical management of lateral ventricle metastases: report of 29 cases in a single institution experience. J Neurosurg 112(5):1046-55, 2010. e-Pub 2009. PMID: 19663549.
- Hentschel SJ, Vora Y, Suki D, Hanna EY, DeMonte F. Malignant tumors of the anterolateral skull base. Neurosurgery 66(1):102-112; discussion 112, 2010. PMID: 20023541.
- Hatiboglu MA, Weinberg JS, Suki D, Tummala S, Rao G, Sawaya R, Prabhu SS. Utilization of intraoperative motor mapping in glioma surgery with high field intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging. Stereotact Funct Neurosurg 88(6):345-352, 2010. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 20733348.
- Williams BJ, Suki D, Fox BD, Pelloski CE, Maldaun MV, Sawaya RE, Lang FF, Rao G. Stereotactic radiosurgery for metastatic brain tumors: a comprehensive review of complications. J Neurosurg 111(3):439-48, 2009. PMID: 19301968.
- Tatsui CE, Lang FF, Gumin J, Suki D, Shinojima N, Rhines LD. An orthotopic murine model of human spinal metastasis: histological and functional correlations. J Neurosurg Spine 10(6):501-512, 2009. PMID: 19558282.
- Hatiboglu MA, Weinberg JS, Suki D, Rao G, Prabhu SS, Shah K, Jackson E, Sawaya R. Impact of intraoperative high-field magnetic resonance imaging-guidance on glioma surgery: a prospective volumetric analysis. Neurosurgery 64(6):1073-81, 2009. PMID: 19487886.
- Kim SS, McCutcheon IE, Suki D, Weinberg JS, Sawaya R, Lang FF, Ferson D, Heimberger AB, DeMonte F, Prabhu SS. Awake craniotomy for brain tumors near eloquent cortex: correlation of intraoperative cortical mapping with neurological outcomes in 309 consecutive patients. Neurosurgery 64(5):836-45; discussion 345-6, 2009. PMID: 19404147.
- Suki D, Hatiboglu MA, Patel AJ, Weinberg JS, Groves MD, Mahajan A, Sawaya R. Comparative risk of leptomeningeal dissemination of cancer after surgery or stereotactic radiosurgery for a single supratentorial solid tumor metastasis. Neurosurgery 64(4):664-676, 2009. PMID: 19197219.
- Fox BD, Patel A, Suki D, Rao G. Surgical management of metastatic sarcoma to the brain. J Neurosurg 110(1):181-186, 2009. PMID: 18834268.
- Suki D, Abouassi H, Patel AJ, Sawaya R, Weinberg JS, Groves MD. Comparative risk of leptomeningeal disease after resection or stereotactic radiosurgery for solid tumor metastasis to the posterior fossa. J Neurosurg 108(2):248-57, 2008. PMID: 18240919.
- Aoki H, Yokoyama T, Fujiwara K, Tari AM, Sawaya R, Suki D, Hess KR, Aldape KD, Kondo S, Kumar R, Kondo Y. Phosphorylated Pak1 level in the cytoplasm correlates with shorter survival time in patients with glioblastoma. Clin Cancer Res 13(22 Pt 1):6603-9, 2007. PMID: 18006760.
- Pelloski CE, Ballman KV, Furth AF, Zhang L, Lin E, Sulman EP, Bhat K, McDonald JM, Yung WK, Colman H, Woo SY, Heimberger AB, Suki D, Prados MD, Chang SM, Barker FG, Buckner JC, James CD, Aldape K. Epidermal growth factor receptor variant III status defines clinically distinct subtypes of glioblastoma. J Clin Oncol 25(16):2288-2294, 2007. PMID: 17538175.
- Jurdi M, Abi-Said (Suki) D, Kambris MAK.. Decision to fluoridate. 1. Fluoride levels in herbal teas used in Lebanese communities. Food Nutrition Bull 22(1):62-6, 2001.
- Jurdi M, Abi-Said (Suki) D, Kambris MAK.. Decision to fluoridate. 2. Intake of fluoride from nonmilk fluids by children under two years of age in Lebanon. Food Nutrition Bull 22(1):67-70, 2001.
- Lacroix M, Abi-Said (Suki) D, Fourney DR, Gokaslan ZL, Shi W, DeMonte F, Lang FF, McCutcheon IE, Hassenbusch SJ, Holland E, Michael C, Miller D, Sawaya R.. A multivariate analysis of 416 patients with glioblastoma multiforme: Extent of resection and survival. J Neurosurg 95(2):190-198, 2001. PMID: 11780887.
Invited Articles
- Suki D, Lang FF, Maldaun MVC, Abouassi H, Chang EL, de Aguiar PHP, Sawaya R.. Complications of stereotactic radiosurgery in patients with brain metastases: considerations for deep and functional brain tumor locations. Neurosurgery Q 17(2):81-91, 2007.
- Suki D.. Building data quality into clinical research: the role and requirements of clinical information systems. SoCRA Source 51:20-6, 2007.
Book Chapters
- Lang FF, Chang EL, Suki D, Wildrick DM, Sawaya R. Metastatic Brain Tumors. In: Winn HR, (ed). In: Youmans Neurological Surgery, 6th Edition. 6th. Elsevier Saunders: Philadelphia, PA, 1410-1425, 2011.
- Sawaya R, Bindal RK, Lang FF, Suki D. Metastatic Brain Tumors. In: Kaye AH, Laws ER, (eds). In: Brain Tumors: An Encyclopedic Approach. 3rd Edition. Elsevier Saunders: Philadelphia, PA, 864-92, 2011.
- Suki D. The Epidemiology of Brain Metastasis. In: Sawaya R, (ed), Intracranial Metastases: Current Management Strategies. Blackwell Publishing/Futura Division: Elmsford, NY, 20-34, 2004.
Books (edited and written)
- Suki D, Rao G, Lonser R. Metastatic Brain Tumors: Trends in Treatments and Outcomes. In: Special Issue, International Journal of Surgical Oncology, Lead Guest Editor. Hindawi Publishing Corp, 2013.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified April 19, 2024