Joseph F Sobanko, MD, MBA
Professor of Dermatology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Senior Fellow, Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics
Director of Cosmetic Dermatology & Laser Surgery, University of Pennsylvania
Department: Dermatology
Contact information
Department of Dermatology
Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine
3400 Civic Center Blvd., Suite 1-330S
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine
3400 Civic Center Blvd., Suite 1-330S
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Office: 215-360-0909
Fax: 215-662-4132
Fax: 215-662-4132
Education:
BS (Major: Biology, Minor: Philosophy)
The University of Scranton, 2001.
MD (Recognition in Research)
State University of New York at Stony Brook, 2005.
M.B.A (Management)
The Wharton School at The University of Pennsylvania, 2022.
Permanent linkBS (Major: Biology, Minor: Philosophy)
The University of Scranton, 2001.
MD (Recognition in Research)
State University of New York at Stony Brook, 2005.
M.B.A (Management)
The Wharton School at The University of Pennsylvania, 2022.
Selected Publications
Wang S, Hunter E, Valdes-Morales K, Tran V, Manaois A, Easo N, Walker JL, Zhang J, Higgins HW II, Etzkorn JR, Miller CJ, Sobanko JF: Cosmetic Outcomes of Nasolabial and Forehead Interpolation Flaps Reconstructing the Nasal Ala. Australasian College of Dermatology Annual Scientific Meeting, Brisbane, Australia May 2026 Notes: Poster.Lin SK, Deitermann AM, Miller CJ, Ricciardelli K, Sharma M, Haynes D, Cheng B, Daneshpajouhnejad P, Valdes-Morales K, Trifoi MD, Frankel D, Etzkorn JR, Modi M, Sobanko JF, Giordano CN, Walker JL, Zhang J, Nguyen HP, Lewis DJ, Higgins HW 2nd: Mohs micrographic surgery of Merkel cell carcinoma lowers local recurrence risk and has similar metastasis and survival compared with conventional excision: A single-center retrospective cohort study. J Am Acad Dermatol 94(2): 675-78, Feb 2026.
Trifoi MD, Morales KV, Frankel D, Lin SK, Deitermann AM, Haynes D, Lubeck M, Etzkorn JR, Sobanko JF, Giordano CN, Walker JL, Zhang J, Lewis DJ, Higgins HW 2nd, Miura JT, Karakousis GC, Rajasekaran K, Cannady SB, Brody RM, Mitchell TC, Amaravadi RK, Lukens JN, Miller CJ: Compliance with guidelines and timeliness of sentinel lymph node biopsy for Merkel cell carcinoma treated with Mohs micrographic surgery versus conventional excision at a tertiary academic center. J Am Acad Dermatol 94(2): 688-690, Feb 2026.
Wang SY, Hunter ER, Valdes Morales KL, Perry NJ, Feldman E, Freeman SC, Miller CJ, Etzkorn JR, Sobanko JF, Zhang J, Walker JL, Higgins HW 2nd: Increased bleeding complications after nasolabial interpolation flap repair with only combined antiplatelet and anticoagulation use. A retrospective, single-center experience. J Am Acad Dermatol 94(1): 276-78, Jan 2026.
Wang SY, Turner G, Valdes-Morales KL, Hunter ER, Kim M, Tran VA, Polen K, Haynes D, Miller CJ, Etzkorn JR, Sobanko JF, Walker JL, Zhang J, Brody RM, Cannady SB, Rajasekaran K, Farwell DG, Miura JT, Karakousis GC, Lukens JR, Amaravadi RK, Schuchter LM, Mitchell TC, Higgins HW 2nd and Carey RM: Accuracy of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy to Predict Nodal Metastasis in Head and Neck Merkel Cell Carcinoma. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg Page: e255211, Jan 2026.
Freeman SC, Miller CJ, Shahwan KT, Aasi SZ, Bordeaux JS, Brewer JD, Brodland DG, Christensen SR, Demer AM, Etzkorn JR, Holmes TE, Kibbi N, Maher IA, Nijhawan RI, Saylor DK, Sobanko JF, Srivastava D, Zitelli JA, Latour E, Lucero OM, Yu W, Bar A, Carr DR, Leitenberger JJ: Interrater and Intrarater Reliability of Mohs Surgeons in the Assessment of MART-1 Frozen Section Margins for Melanoma. Dermatol Surg Oct 2025 Notes: Online Ahead of Print - doi: 10.1097/DSS.0000000000004906.
Veerabagu SA, Nugent ST, Geng Z, Yanes AF, Fischer JP, Kovell R, Kuntz AF, Rajasekaran K, VanderBeek BL, Miller CJ, Etzkorn JR, Sobanko JF, Higgins HW 2nd, Walker J, Zhang J, Giordano CN: National opioid prescription decline across outpatient specialty surgeries: a claims database study. J Am Acad Dermatol 93(3): 733-41, Sep 2025.
Frankel D, Valdes-Morales K, Trifoi MD, Lin SK, Deitermann AM, Banala M, Zhang E, Easo N, Lubeck M, Haynes D, Lewis D, Nugent ST, Etzkorn JR, Jariwala NN, Zhang J, Walker JL, Higgins HW 2nd, Sobanko JF, Giordano CN, Daneshpajouhnejad P, Modi M, Lin IC, Chang B, Wink J, Karakousis G, Miura J, Miller CJ: Mohs micrographic surgery reduces the risk of reconstruction with positive margins, repeat surgeries, and time to definitive reconstruction compared to conventional excision of hand and foot melanomas: A retrospective cohort study. J Am Acad Dermatol. 93(1): 157-164, Jul 2025.
Wang S, Hunter ER, Valdes Morales KL, Feldman E, T. Tran VA, Pesantes JA, Cocchella GA, Perry NJ, Walker JL, Zhang J, Higgins HW II, Etzkorn JR, Sobanko JF, Miller CJ: Interpolation flaps done under local anesthesia for facial reconstruction are safe and reliable: A single-center retrospective study of 929 flaps. Australasian College of Dermatology Annual Scientific Meeting, Brisbane, Australia Jun 2025 Notes: Oral Presentation.
Valdes Morales K, Wang S, Hunter E, Frankel D, Trifoi M, Anh Tran V, Freeman SC, Walker JL, Zhang J, Higgins HW II, Etzkorn JR, Sobanko JF, Miller CJ: Mohs micrographic surgery for intermediate-thickness head and neck melanomas. Society for Investigative Dermatology Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA May 2025 Notes: Poster.