Provide expert multidisciplinary care for head and neck cancer patients
Increase access to novel treatment strategies for patients with all stages of head and neck cancer - Total EGFR blockade - Immunotherapy - Radiation priming IIT
Build chemoprevention and behavioral health programs to better serve catchment area, provide foundation for research into HNC prevention
Yale Head and Neck Cancer Specialized Program of Research Excellence Aims:
Aim 1: To overcome resistance to EGFR inhibition in HNSCC by targeting active conformations of ErbB family members;
Aim 2: To advance rational synthetic lethal combination therapy to the clinic in HPV-negative HNSCC;
Aim 3: To advance combination demethylating therapy with immune checkpoint inhibition to the clinic for HPV-mediated HNSCC, with mechanistic studies and characterization of immune response;
Aim 4: To bolster the foundation for HNSCC research through our Administrative, Biospecimen and Biostatistics/Bioinformatics cores, to engage institutional resources and the wider SPORE community;
Aim 5: To advance new research and to foster the next generation of HNSCC translational researchers through a Developmental Research Program, a Career Enhancement Program, and interaction and collaboration with the wider SPORE and HNSCC research communities.
Anthony N. Brady Professor of Medicine (Medical Oncology); Chief Translational Research Officer, Yale Cancer Center; Chief, Head and Neck Cancers/Sarcoma; Co-Leader, Developmental Therapeutics, Yale Cancer Center; Associate Cancer Center Director for Translational Research, Yale Cancer Center
Research Interests
Drug Therapy
Head and Neck Neoplasms
Chemicals and Drugs
Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment
Medical Oncology
Barbara Burtness, MD is Professor of Medicine (Medical Oncology) at the Yale School of Medicine, Chief Translational Research Officer, and Associate Cancer Center Director for Translational Research at the Yale Cancer Center. She serves as Co-Leader of the Developmental Therapeutics Program, Division Chief for Head and Neck/Sarcoma Oncology, and Director of the Yale Head and Neck Specialized Program of Research Excellence. Dr. Burtness is internationally recognized for her research in head and neck cancer. She chairs the ECOG-ACRIN Cooperative Group Head and Neck Cancer Therapeutics Committee and the ECOG-ACRIN Task Force for the Advancement of Women, and leads national and international trials of targeted therapy in head and neck cancer. Her laboratory studies synthetic lethal therapeutic strategies in head and neck cancer and the targeting of aurora kinase A...
Associate Professor of Medicine (Medical Oncology); Clinical Research Team Leader Sarcoma, Medical Oncology; Director Medical Oncology Inpatient Consult Service, Medical Oncology
Research Interests
Soft Tissue Neoplasms
Thyroid Neoplasms
Neoplasms, Connective and Soft Tissue
Leiomyosarcoma
Liposarcoma
Liposarcoma, Myxoid
Sarcoma, Synovial
Osteosarcoma
Chondrosarcoma
Dr. Hari Deshpande, Associate Professor of Medicine in the Section of Medical Oncology, cares for patients with sarcomas along with the sarcoma multidisciplinary team.Previously in practice at both the New London Cancer Center and Las Vegas Cancer Center, Dr. Deshpande also has clinical interests in sarcomas, cancers of unknown primary, and thyroid cancers. He is a member of the Head and Neck Cancer and GU cancer teams. He is the Director of the Medical Oncology Inpatient Consult service.Learn more about Dr. Deshpande>>
Charles W. Ohse Professor of Surgery (Otolaryngology), Vice Chair, Faculty Affairs; Chief, Division of Otolaryngology, Yale Medicine; Vice Chair of Faculty Affairs, Surgery
Research Interests
Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases
Neoplasms
Dr. Judson is a head and neck surgeon, investigator, and educator, who is passionate about the mission of academic medicine. He previously served as Chief Ambulatory Officer of Smilow Cancer Hospital and Program Director of the Yale Otolaryngology Residency. His surgical practice focuses on the treatment of benign and malignant tumors and other surgical disorders of the head and neck. He was an early adopter of trans oral robotic surgery and specializes in minimally invasive surgical approaches including endoscopic laser and tailored open surgeries. He routinely operates on complex and difficult cases and works with a multidisciplinary team of other surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation doctors, and other specialist providers. As an investigator, Dr. Judson started a tumor biorepository that supports multiple laboratory investigations of head and neck cancer at Yale and other...
Associate Professor of Surgery (Otolaryngology); Section Chief, Head and Neck Surgery, Otolaryngology Surgery; Director, Head and Neck Oncologic and Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship, Surgery
Research Interests
Health Services Research
Microsurgery
Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures
Plastic Surgery Procedures
Head and Neck Neoplasms
Dr. Saral Mehra serves as Chief of the Section of Head and Neck Surgery, Director of the Head and Neck Tumor Board, and the Fellowship Director for our Internationally renowned Advanced Training Program in Head and Neck Oncologic and Reconstructive Surgery. He has received teaching and clinical accolades from within the Institution and beyond, including the 2023 Yale Cancer Center Award for Excellence in Clinical Care (awarded to only one-two physicians a year). He is proud to be part of an incredible Head and Neck Tumor Center of Excellence at Yale delivering cutting edge multi-disciplinary care to patients throughout Connecticut and beyond. Learn more about Dr. Mehra>> Dr. Mehra’s clinical practice focuses on treating patients with Head and Neck, Salivary, and Thyroid diseases, particularly tumor and cancer. His expertise also includes advanced reconstruction and rehabilitation. He...
Associate Professor of Therapeutic Radiology; Vice Chair for Clinical Research, Therapeutic Radiology; Chief, Thoracic Radiotherapy Program, Therapeutic Radiology; Chief, PET-Guided Radiotherapy Program, Therapeutic Radiology; Assistant Medical Director, Clinical Trials Office, Yale Cancer Center; Head of Advisory House, Horstmann House, Office of Student Affairs
Research Interests
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung
Lung Neoplasms
Head and Neck Neoplasms
Small Cell Lung Carcinoma
Radiation
Dr. Henry S. Park is a board-certified radiation oncologist who serves as associate professor, vice chair for clinical research, chief of thoracic radiotherapy, and chief of PET-guided radiotherapy for the Department of Therapeutic Radiology at the Yale School of Medicine. For the Yale Cancer Center, he is an assistant medical director of the Clinical Trials Office, where he also leads the radiation oncology committee and is associate leader of the lung clinical research team. For the medical school's Office of Student Affairs, he is the head of one of the six advisory houses (Horstmann House). He has previously held roles as the associate residency program director, medical student electives director, and continuing medical education director for radiation oncology. Dr. Park received his undergraduate degree from Yale College, master's degree from the Harvard School of Public Health, and...
Avanti Verma, MD has returned to Yale after completing her undergraduate studies here. She earned her medical degree from New York University where she also completed her residency training in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. During her residency, she developed an interest in caring for head and neck cancer patients and was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society. She subsequently completed fellowship training in Head and Neck Surgical Oncology with Microvascular Reconstruction at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.Dr. Verma focuses on the surgical treatment of patients with both benign and cancerous tumors of the head and neck, including thyroid and salivary diseases. Her clinical practice ranges from advanced reconstruction to minimally invasive techniques such as robotic surgery. She prioritizes the aesthetic and functional outcomes of her patients.
Associate Professor of Therapeutic Radiology; Medical Director, Radiation Oncology Center, Smilow Cancer Hospital Care Center in New Haven, Therapeutic Radiology; Chief, Head and Neck Radiotherapy Program, Therapeutic Radiology
Dr. Young completed her MD, PhD training as part of the medical scientist training program in Dallas, Texas at the University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center in 2010. She then continued her training in Radiation Oncology at the Yale School of Medicine and Yale New Haven Hospital, and stayed on to join the faculty ranks in 2015. She specializes in Head and Neck Cancer and treatment of malignant and benign skin conditions at the Smilow Cancer Hospital main campus. In addition to her clinical responsibilities, she also serves as medical director of the New Haven Radiation Oncology center at Smilow Cancer Hospital.