American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF)
AAO-HNSF Bobby R. Alford Endowed Research Grant
Linda Magaña, MD, PhD
University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine
Project Title: Anatomic and Physiologic Predictors of Route of Breathing during Wake and Sleep
Linda C. Magaña is currently a fellow in Sleep Medicine (Otolaryngology track) at the University of Pennsylvania where she recently completed a T32 Postdoctoral Research Training fellowship. She received a bachelor’s degree from Columbia University, a master’s and doctorate degree from the University of Oxford, and a medical degree from Thomas Jefferson University. Dr. Magaña completed an otolaryngology-head and neck surgery residency at the University of Pittsburgh. Her research is focused on determining the physiologic and anatomic mechanisms underlying obstructive sleep apnea in order to improve diagnostics and therapeutics.
GSK Research Grant: Social Determinants of Health, Diversity/Equity/Inclusion, and the intersection of patient care with workforce culture
Elaine Thompson, MD, PhD
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Project Title: Impact of Communication on Disparities in Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Elaine (Ellie) Thompson is an otolaryngology resident in the R25 Clinician-Scientist Training Program at Johns Hopkins University. She completed a PhD in auditory neuroscience at Northwestern University before earning her MD at Emory University. Her research centers on optimizing parent-clinician communication during surgical decision-making, with the goal of promoting equity and empathy in pediatric otolaryngologic care.
AAO-HNSF Maureen Hannley Research Grant
Pratyusha Yalamanchi, MD, MBA
The Regents of the University of Michigan
Project Title: Incidence and Economic Burden of Diagnostic Workup for the Adult Neck Mass
Dr. Yalamanchi is an Assistant Professor of Head and Neck Oncology and Microvascular Reconstruction in the Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. Her clinical practice includes all aspects of head and neck surgical oncology and reconstructive surgery. She brings her clinical perspective to her role as a Faculty Expert at the Institute of Healthcare Policy and Innovation at the University of Michigan, with a research focus on value-based oncologic care delivery (https://ihpi.umich.edu/our-experts/ypratyus). She has an MBA in Healthcare Management with specific training in quantitative analysis, particularly in cost-based analyses, and operations experience.
AAO-HNSF Resident Research Award Sponsored by Akouos
Ryan Anderson, MD
Indiana University
Project Title: Role of Endocochlear Potential in TMPRSS3 Cochlear Hair Cell Degeneration
Ryan Anderson is currently a PGY3 otolaryngology resident at Indiana University. He earned his bachelor’s degree in medical laboratory science at Weber State University and completed his medical training at University of Utah Medical School. Under the direction of Rick Nelson, MD, PHD, his research will investigate potassium’s role in hair cell death in Tmprss3 mutant mice and explore whether pharmacologically reducing endocochlear potential offers therapeutic benefits. This study aims to elucidate TMPRSS3-related hearing loss mechanisms and identify potential treatment options.
AAO-HNSF Resident Research Award
Micah Harris, MD
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Project Title: Surgical Drain Fluid as a Surrogate of the Tumor Microenvironment in HPV(-) HNC
Micah Harris, MD is a rising 3rd year resident in Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan and received his medical degree from The Ohio State University. He is interested in pursuing an academic career in head and neck surgery. Under the guidance of Dr. Jose Zevallos, he will examine surgical drain fluid as a potential surrogate of the local tumor microenvironment, particularly as it relates to key components such as tumor infiltrating lymphocytes.
Diane Jung, MD
Miller School of Medicine of the University of Miami
Project Title: Elucidating molecular mechanisms of NF2 pathogenesis
Diane Jung is a first-year Otolaryngology resident at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital, originally from Oregon. She earned her B.A. from Harvard and her M.D. from Johns Hopkins, where she participated in research on Meniere’s Disease and vestibular pathology. Her current R25 project investigates the molecular mechanisms driving Schwann cell proliferation in NF2-associated vestibular schwannomas using the human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) model. Outside of medicine, she enjoys hiking and reading.
Zachary Kons, MD
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
Project Title: Otic Delivery of Sodium Thiosulfate to Prevent Cisplatin-Induced Hearing Loss
Zachary Kons, MD is a rising PGY-3 at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear/Harvard Medical School residency program. Before residency, his research focused on computational neuroscience and olfaction. Under the mentorship of Dr. Aaron Remenschneider, MD MPH FACS, his current proposal explores a self-administered otic drop method for delivering sodium thiosulfate (STS) to prevent cisplatin-induced hearing loss. Using oil-infused, geometrically optimized tympanostomy tubes, he will assess STS delivery through in vitro testing and in vivo evaluation in a chinchilla model, aiming to preserve hearing without compromising cisplatin’s antitumor efficacy or requiring intratympanic or IV drug administration.
Brennan McMichael, MD, MBA
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Project Title: Novel Biomarker for Facial Nerve Disruption and Regenerative Potential
Brennan McMichael is an otolaryngology resident in the R25 clinician scientist training program at Johns Hopkins. She completed her undergraduate studies and a joint MD/MBA program at the University of Michigan. Her primary academic interest is in translational head and neck peripheral nerve surgical research, with an emphasis on developing technologies to improve the diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of facial nerve injuries. Under the mentorship of Drs. Tuffaha and Nellis, she is investigating the application of a novel molecular marker for PET and NIR imaging to visualize axonal disruption and regeneration.
Prithwijit Roychowdhury, MD
Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
Project Title: Role of the Synapse in Hair-Cell Pathology
Prith Roychowdhury is a resident physician and R25 postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery at Washington University in St. Louis. After obtaining undergraduate degrees in Molecular Biology & Anthropology at Johns Hopkins University he taught high school science for two years prior to completing his medical training at the University of Massachusetts School of Medicine. Under the mentorship of Lavinia Sheets, PhD and Mark Warchol, PhD, he is investigating the mechanisms of excitotoxic injury and the macrophage response in the zebrafish lateral line system using live imaging techniques.
Abhinav Talwar, MD, MBA
Northwestern University – Chicago Campus
Project Title: Patient-Reported Outcome Measures in Head and Neck Surgery
Abhinav Talwar, MD, MBA, is a PGY-3 Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery resident at Northwestern University. He completed his undergraduate studies at Northwestern, followed by his MD from the Feinberg School of Medicine and MBA from the Kellogg School of Management. His research focuses on the development and validation of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) to better capture quality of life and postoperative complications in head and neck cancer care. This work aligns with his longstanding research interest at the intersection of health economics and surgical care, including prior studies on price transparency and structural trends in healthcare delivery.
Tiffany Toni, MD
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Project Title: Effect of key neurotrophic factors on osteogenesis within PCL-DCB scaffolds
Tiffany Toni, MD is a resident in Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at Johns Hopkins University. She is originally from Chicago, Illinois. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Notre Dame with a B.S. in Honors Biochemistry with a Science, Technology, and Values Minor. She then attended the University of Chicago for medical school, during which time she spent one year at the NIH investigating head and neck cancer therapeutics. She is passionate about head and neck reconstruction.
Sina Torabi, MD
The Regents of the University of California, Irvine
Project Title: Data Deficiencies: Implications for Medicare Valuations Within Otolaryngology
Sina J. Torabi, MD is a rising chief resident in Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at the University of California, Irvine. He will be pursuing a fellowship in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the University of California, Davis, under the mentorship of Dr. Travis Tollefson. Originally from Palm Springs, California, Dr. Torabi graduated summa cum laude from the University of Southern California before earning his medical degree from Yale. Under the mentorship of Drs. Edward Kuan and R. Peter Manes, he developed a strong interest in health economics and its intersection with otolaryngology.
Shannon Wu, MD
Stanford University School of Medicine
Project Title: Developing a Financial Hardship Patient-Reported Outcome in Head and Neck Cancer
Shannon Wu, MD is currently a PGY-2 resident in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at Stanford University. She graduated from UC Berkeley with a B.A. in Molecular and Cell Biology, and attended Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine for medical school. Under the mentorship of Dr. Michelle Chen, her research focuses on financial hardship in head and neck cancer, with the goal of improving burden of treatment, enhancing survivorship, and promoting high-quality cancer care.
American Head and Neck Society (AHNS)
AHNS Pilot Grant
Michelle Chen, MD, MHS
Stanford University School of Medicine
Project Title: Development of a food is medicine intervention for head and neck cancer
Dr. Michelle Chen is a fellowship-trained head and neck surgical oncologist and reconstructive surgeon and assistant professor in the Department of Otolaryngology at Stanford School of Medicine. She specializes in treating head and neck cancers, with advanced training in microvascular reconstruction and transoral robotic surgery. Dr. Chen leads a research lab focused on health services research and survivorship in head and neck cancer, with work published in JAMA, Cancer, JNCI, and JCO.
AHNS Presidential Award: Defining and Implementing Value-Based Care in Head and Neck Cancer
Pratyusha Yalamanchi, MD, MBA
The Regents of the University of Michigan
Project Title: Defining the Denominator in Head & Neck Value-Based Care: Cancer Continuum Cost
Dr. Yalamanchi is an Assistant Professor of Head and Neck Oncology and Microvascular Reconstruction in the Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. Her clinical practice includes all aspects of head and neck surgical oncology and reconstructive surgery. She brings her clinical perspective to her role as a Faculty Expert at the Institute of Healthcare Policy and Innovation at the University of Michigan, with a research focus on value-based oncologic care delivery (https://ihpi.umich.edu/our-experts/ypratyus). She has an MBA in Healthcare Management with specific training in quantitative analysis, particularly in cost-based analyses, and operations experience.
AHNS Presidential Award: Novel Therapeutic Targets and Combinations in Head and Neck Cancer
Jovanka Gencel-Augusto, PhD
The Regents of the University of California, San Francisco
Project Title: Cholesterol metabolism as therapeutic target in p53-deficient HNSCC
Dr. Jovanka Gencel-Augusto is a postdoctoral fellow at UCSF specializing in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), with a focus on p53-driven metabolic and immune regulation. She earned her Ph.D. in Genetics and Cancer Biology from MD Anderson Cancer Center, where she uncovered novel functions of non-tetrameric forms of the tumor suppressor p53. She brings deep expertise in p53 biology and applies molecular and systems biology approaches to translational HNSCC research. Her current work aims to identify vulnerabilities in p53-deficient tumors to inform targeted therapies for aggressive, treatment-resistant disease.
AHNS Presidential Award: Understanding Treatment Resistance in Head and Neck Cancer
Kazi Ahmed, PhD
Baylor College of Medicine
Project Title: Unlocking PI3K Inhibitors: Predicting Treatment Resistance in Head & Neck Cancer
Kazi Mokim Ahmed, M.S., Ph.D., is an Instructor (Research Faculty) at Baylor College of Medicine. He earned his doctoral degree from Gunma University, Japan, where he studied genetic variations in the MDK gene and their role in aberrant expression and tumorigenesis, resulting in two patents. At Baylor, he leads a project investigating mechanisms of sensitivity to PI3K inhibitors in head and neck cancers, aiming to develop novel therapeutics. He also explored the mechanistic role of GPX2 in enhancing tumor-infiltrating immune cells and promoting cytotoxicity in syngeneic oral cavity cancers, contributing to the understanding of tumor-immune interactions in cancer therapy.
Edward Sim, MD
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Project Title: Dissecting ALOX5AP+ macrophages as drivers of HNSCC anti-PD1 resistance
Edward Sim is an otolaryngology-head and neck surgery resident at Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts Eye and Ear/Mass General Brigham. He obtained a BS in Biochemistry from Case Western Reserve University and an MD from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He is currently completing a post-doctoral research fellowship supported through a NIDCD T32 grant at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute under the mentorship of Ravindra Uppaluri, MD, PhD. Dr. Sim’s research is focused on immunotherapy for head and neck cancer and identifying targetable resistance mechanisms to enhance response rates and broaden patient benefit.
AHNS Alando J. Ballantyne Resident Research Pilot Grant
Hoang Bui Nguyen, MD, PhD
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
Project Title: Orphan non-coding RNAs in detecting and targeting Head and Neck cancers
Hailed from Nha Trang, Vietnam, Hoang Bui-Nguyen, MD PhD is a rising PGY-4 at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear/Havard Medical School residency program. Prior to residency, Dr. Bui-Nguyen has had a wide range of high-impact basic and translational research in immunology and computational biology. His current research proposal focuses on elucidating the mechanism through which a class of non-coding RNA termed Orphan non-coding RNAs or oncRNAs can be utilized to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of Head and Neck cancers.
Arushi Gulati, MD
The Regents of the University of California, San Francisco
Project Title: Development of a Personalized Device for Treatment of Post-Radiation Trismus
Dr. Gulati is a rising third-year resident in the Department of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery at the University of California, San Francisco. After graduating from the University of Southern California with a degree in biomedical engineering, she attended medical school at the University of California, San Francisco where she completed a one-year research fellowship studying quality of life outcomes in head and neck cancer patients. Her project will focus on the development and validation of a novel, personalized therapeutic device aimed at improving comfort and accessibility of post-radiation trismus treatment.
Maxwell Lee, MD
Stanford University School of Medicine
Project Title: Spatial Transcriptomic Analysis of Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Maxwell Lee, MD, is a third-year resident in the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at Stanford University. He completed his undergraduate studies in physics and applied math at Johns Hopkins University before deciding to pursue a medical education at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine. As an aspiring surgeon-scientist, he contributed to pre-clinical studies of novel immunotherapies that led to multiple first-in-human clinical trials. His current research will implement multiple platforms to investigate the mechanisms of activity and resistance to immunotherapy in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma under the mentorship of Dr. John Sunwoo and Dr. Vasu Divi.
AHNS Endocrine Surgery Section ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association Award for Thyroid Cancer Research Grant
Taylor Jamil, MD, MPH
University of Colorado Denver, AMC and DC
Project Title: Identification and Validation of Germline Mutations in Thyroid Carcinoma
Taylor L Jamil MD MPH is a current T32/R25 Otolaryngology Resident at the University of Colorado (Class of 2029). She went to Kenyon College for her undergraduate degrees in Area Studies Spanish and Molecular Biology. She earned her medical degree and public health masters at Boston University. She plans to pursue a head and neck cancer and microvascular reconstruction fellowship after residency to become a surgeon scientist in head and neck cancer. Her academic interests include thyroid cancer, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, bioinformatics, immunology, survivorship, and health inequities in head and neck cancer.
American Head and Neck Society (AHNS)/American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF)
AHNS/AAO-HNSF Young Investigator Research Development Award
Albert Han, MD, PhD
University of Southern California (USC)
Project Title: Investigating Stroma-Driven Tumor Support Pathways in HPV+ Oropharyngeal Cancer
Dr. Albert Han is an Assistant Professor at the University of Southern California. He received a B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley and an M.D./Ph.D. from UCLA. He completed his residency in otolaryngology–head and neck surgery at UCLA, followed by a fellowship in head and neck surgical oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Han is currently a KL2 scholar at USC under the mentorship of Dr. Yang Chai, Dr. Uttam Sinha, and Dr. Dechen Lin, studying the heterogeneity of the head and neck tumor microenvironment. His research program focuses on defining key pathways of fibroblast activation and therapy resistance using multi-omic analysis of patient-derived organoid models.
Association of Migraine Disorders (AMD)
AMD Resident Research Grant
Alexandra Bourdillon, MD
The Regents of the University of California, San Francisco
Project Title: Is Spatial Navigation Altered in Vestibular Migraine?
Alexandra Bourdillon, MD, is a rising PGY4 in Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at the University of California, San Francisco. She completed her undergraduate studies at Stanford University in Biomedical Computation and earned her medical degree at Yale University. She hopes to expand her experience in 3D simulation and computation to neuro-otology through spatial analysis and brain imaging. This award will support her investigation into disparities in spatial navigation among patients with vestibular migraine using a novel virtual reality simulation.
Nicole Kloosterman, MD
Medical University of South Carolina
Project Title: Assessment of Trigeminal Function in Nasal Congestion, Headache, and Facial Pain
Nicole Kloosterman, MD is a third-year resident in the Department of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery at the Medical University of South Carolina. She is originally from Miami, Florida. After earning her bachelor’s degree from the University of Miami in Neuroscience and Public Health, she completed her medical training at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Under the mentorship of Dr. Rodney Schlosser, her project will explore the relationship between trigeminal nerve function and headache and midfacial pain using intranasal trigeminal thermal function testing.
American Rhinologic Society (ARS)
ARS Resident Research Grant
Heidi Martini-Stoica, MD, PhD
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Project Title: Characterization of neutrophils in CRS secondary to primary ciliary dyskinesia
Heidi Martini-Stoica, MD, PhD is a resident in the Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery at the University of North Carolina. She will be completing her fellowship in Advanced Rhinology and Skull Base Surgery at the University of North Carolina. She completed a B.S. in Biochemistry and Cell Biology from Rice University, graduating Summa Cum Laude. She completed her MD/PhD training at Baylor College of Medicine. She plans to pursue a career as a surgeon scientist in rhinology. Her current work is under the mentorship of Adam Kimple, MD, PhD, studying factors underlying recalcitrant CRS in primary ciliary dyskinesia.
Jeremy Ruthberg, MD
University of Washington
Project Title: Dynamic CT Updates for Image Guidance in Sinus Surgery Using Computer Vision
Jeremy Ruthberg is currently a PGY4 Otolaryngology resident at the University of Washington. He graduated with a B.A. in cognitive neuroscience from the University of Pennsylvania and completed his M.D. at Case Western Reserve University. He is interested in utilizing innovative techniques in computer vision, machine learning, and software engineering to explore opportunities for improving clinical outcomes in endoscopic sinus and skull base surgery. Dr. Ruthberg’s proposed research aims to extract 3D data from endoscopic video to dynamically update CT images and reflect the evolving surgical field in real time.
Taylor Stack, MD
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Project Title: Characterizing the Immunopathology of PCD-Related CRS
Taylor J. Stack, MD, is a first-year Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery resident at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is originally from Cullowhee, North Carolina. She graduated magna cum laude from Western Carolina University with a B.S. in Chemistry. She then attended the UNC School of Medicine at Chapel Hill. Under the guidance of Dr. Adam Kimple, her project will explore immunological and molecular mechanisms underlying PCD-related CRS.
ARS New Investigator Award
Alan Workman, MD, MTR
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
Project Title: Inflammatory and disruptive effects of micro/nanoplastics in nasal epithelium
Dr. Alan Workman is a rhinologist and skull base surgeon at Massachusetts Eye and Ear and an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. Originally from New Jersey, he received a B.A. from Cornell University and an M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. He then completed his otolaryngology residency at Massachusetts Eye and Ear followed by fellowship in rhinology at the University of Pennsylvania. He has a special interest in research on the external drivers of chronic sinusitis, focusing on etiologies of disease and interventions for patients with severe or refractory symptoms.
ARS Women in Rhinology Research Grant Sponsored by Medtronic
Lauren Roland, MD
Washington University in St. Louis
Project Title: Development of a targeted therapeutic option for invasive fungal sinusitis
Lauren Roland, MD, MSCI is a rhinologist at Washington University in St Louis. Her research interests are focused on epithelial dysregulation in fungal sinusitis and drug development for invasive fungal sinusitis.
American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology (ASPO)
ASPO Research Grant
Peter Kfoury, MD
University of Utah
Project Title: Filociclovir for cCMV-Related Hearing Loss: Insights from a Murine Model
Peter Kfoury, MD, is a research associate in the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Utah. He earned his B.S. in Biology (2019) and M.D. (2023) from the American University of Beirut, Lebanon. Under the mentorship of Dr. Albert Park, Dr. Kfoury’s research focuses on congenital cytomegalovirus and its role in sensorineural hearing loss. His current work will investigate the efficacy of the antiviral agent Filociclovir as a potential alternative to Ganciclovir for the prevention of cytomegalovirus-induced hearing loss using a mouse model.
Grace Kim, MD
Stanford University School of Medicine
Project Title: Role of cochlear immune cells in congenital cytomegalovirus-related hearing loss
Dr. Grace S. Kim is an Assistant Professor of Pediatric Otolaryngology at Stanford School of Medicine. She completed her residency, T32 postdoctoral research fellowship and pediatric otolaryngology fellowship at Stanford. Her research interests include understanding the pathophysiology of hearing loss associated with congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) and the role of the developing immune system. She is also interested in the epidemiology of cCMV-associated hearing loss and the systems-level factors that impact its diagnosis and treatment.
Benjamin Laitman, MD, PhD
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Project Title: Histologic and multiomic examination of fetal laryngotracheal development
Benjamin M. Laitman, MD, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery in the Mount Sinai Health System, and member of the Grabscheid Voice and Swallowing Center of Mount Sinai and Mount Sinai’s Institute for Airway Sciences. He received his medical degree and PhD from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where he graduated with honors (Alpha Omega Alpha) and a distinction in medical education and research. He completed his residency in Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery at Mount Sinai, and then stayed on as fellow in Laryngology to pursue advanced training in the care of voice, airway, and swallowing conditions. Dr. Laitman’s primary clinical focus and expertise includes the medical and surgical management of complex airway stenosis and vocal fold paralysis, with a specific focus on tracheal stenosis, idiopathic subglottic stenosis, and posterior glottic stenosis secondary to autoimmune disease or damage from intubation trauma or head and neck surgery. As a surgeon-scientist in the department, he has received funding from multiple agencies to investigate novel approaches to prevent or reverse airway scarring, regenerate tissue, and reconstruct the larynx and trachea.
