On May 15, 2024, at the opening ceremony for the annual American Head and Neck Society Meeting, Barbara Burtness, MD, Anthony N. Brady Professor of Medicine (Medical Oncology), was awarded an American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) Presidential Citation in recognition of her contributions to the field of head and neck surgery.
Dr. Burtness is the founding director of the Yale Head and Neck Cancer Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) and is an internationally recognized leader in the treatment of head and neck cancer, having led numerous clinical trials. Her laboratory studies synthetic lethal therapeutic strategies in head and neck cancer and the targeting of aurora kinase A to overcome adaptive resistance to EGFR inhibition and - in lung cancer- to direct KRAS inhibition.
Presidential Citations recognize individuals personally selected by AAO-HNS President, Robert Ferris, MD, PhD, who have left a personal imprint on the life and/or career of the president, and/or have made a lasting impression through their outstanding contributions and dedication. AAO-HNS is one of the world’s largest organizations representing specialists who treat the ears, nose, throat, and related structures of the head and neck.