Message From the Chair
Dear Alumni and Friends,
It is a tremendous privilege to share the work of the Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery over the last year, and to highlight the remarkable advances that we have made in our fight against head and neck cancer, hearing loss, and other related otolaryngologic conditions. This has been a year of continued clinical and research growth for the Department. I am proud to say that with the support of the Eye and Ear Foundation we have successfully recruited some of the best surgeons and scientists from across the United States to Pittsburgh. Our recruitment reflects key priorities for the Department, including providing worldclass clinical care and conducting groundbreaking translational research. The success of the Department is being recognized, as this year we had a significant improvement in our U.S. News and World Report rankings, from #44 to #19 in the nation.
Additionally, design and planning for the new Pittsburgh Hearing Institute at the UPMC Mercy Pavilion is well underway! With insights from clinicians and researchers, we have designed a unique center where surgeons, audiologists, and researchers work side-by side to discover the next generation of treatments for hearing loss and tinnitus. We are incredibly grateful to the Eye & Ear Foundation and our donors for their continuing efforts to help make the Pittsburgh Hearing Institute a reality.
In this issue of our alumni newsletter, I’m excited to introduce you to the brilliant crop of new residents and fellows that have joined our department this year, while also saying goodbye to those trainees who have moved onto the next phases of their careers. You’ll get a chance to hear about the research being done by one of our newest faculty recruits, Greg Basura. And finally, you’ll get a chance to catch up with Jeff Bumpous, a distinguished and accomplished alumnus who has continued to stay connected to our department throughout his career.
We had a great time seeing many of you at our reception in Miami, and look forward to more opportunities in the future to get together and celebrate!
All of my best,
José Zevallos, MD, MPH, FACS
Professor, The Eugene N. Myers, MD Chair
Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery
The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
José Zevallos, MD, MPH, FACS
Fall 2024
Incoming Residents
Wesley Cai, MD, PhD
Dr. Cai grew up in Los Angeles and completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Arizona. He developed a passion for cancer research and pursued a PhD at Yale University studying the epigenetic mechanisms of tumor immunology and cancer metastasis. His hope is to combine novel sequencing, tissue imaging, and machine learning technologies to uncover new therapeutic targets and prognostic indicators for head and neck cancer. Outside of medicine, he enjoys cooking with his wife, exploring Pittsburgh, and playing video games with friends.
Sabrina Goyal, MD
Dr. Goyal grew up in Palo Alto, California and completed her B.S. in Brain and Cognitive Science at the University of Rochester. She received her MD From Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine. She is passionate about medical education, health equity, and the intersections between music and otolaryngology. In her free time, she enjoys playing piano, staying active, and traveling.
Jenny Kim, MD
Dr. Kim is from Katy, TX and attended college at University of Chicago where she studied biology and human rights. She received her medical degree at UT Southwestern where she developed her passion for addressing health disparities and improving medical education both within and outside otolaryngology. Outside of the hospital, she enjoys playing cello, photography, and climbing.
Maryanna Owoc, MD, PhD
Dr. Owoc grew up in central Massachusetts and attended college at Worcester State University where she majored in communication sciences and disorders. Combining her passion for speech and hearing with medicine and science, she joined the University of Pittsburgh-Carnegie Mellon University Medical Scientist Training Program with the intention of pursuing a career in otolaryngology. Outside of the hospital, you can find her hiking with her dog, running, singing in her local choir, or enjoying a good book.
Ellie Sell, MD
Dr. Sell grew up in Tallahassee, Florida and graduated summa cum laude with a concentration in chemistry from Princeton University. She then completed a MA in Literature with a concentration in Gender, Sexuality and Culture at University College Dublin as a Mitchell Scholar followed by a year at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the Intramural research program. Ellie then earned her MD from the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. In her free time, Ellie enjoys hiking, jogging, and exploring new restaurants.
Incoming Fellows
Jason R. Crossley, MD – Rhinology and Cranial Base Surgery
Dr. Crossley came to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center to pursue advanced training in rhinology and cranial base surgery. He received a BA in Biological Sciences, with a concentration in Neurobiology and Behavior, from Cornell University. He received his Medical Degree from Georgetown University in Washington, DC where he also completed his otolaryngology residency training.
Josh Smith, MD – Head and Neck Cancer
Dr. Smith grew up in Ada, OH and obtained a B.A. in biochemistry and psychology from the University of Toledo. He completed medical school and residency at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI. He chose UPMC for fellowship for its unparalleled mentorship, clinical training, and translational research opportunities. He enjoys spending time with his family exploring all Pittsburgh has to offer.
Richard Raad, MD MS – Head and Neck Cancer
Dr. Raad is a current Advanced Head and Neck Oncologic and Microvascular Reconstructive Surgery Fellow. He completed his Otolaryngology residency at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, IL. He attended medical school at Wayne State University – SOM in Detroit, MI.
Research Spotlight: Gregory Basura, MD, PhD
Dr. Basura has joined the UPMC/University of Pittsburgh as a surgeon-scientist in the Division of Otology/NeurotologySkull Base Surgery in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. With 50 percent research, Dr. Basura will divide his time between patient care, basic science/human translational clinical research, resident/medical student teaching, administrative/committee, institutional service, student mentoring and serve as the Departmental Lead on global outreach/ humanitarian efforts.
Dr. Basura’s clinical practice includes all aspects of otology/neurotology including hearing loss, chronic ear disease, facial nerve, and vestibular disorders, complex lateral skull base and temporal bone tumors to include schwannomas, glomus tumors and cutaneous malignancy. In additional to a thriving cochlear implant practice, he also treats advanced skull base problems including superior semicircular canal dehiscence syndrome, skull base cerebrospinal fluid leaks and temporal lobe encephaloceles. Dr. Basura’s practice includes chronic ear surgery for cholesteatoma, facial nerve tumors, and surgery for vestibular disorders. Dr. Basura employs complex approaches to the inner ear, lateral skull base and brainstem including the trans-labyrinthine, middle cranial fossa and internal auditory canal dissection via the retro-sigmoid approach.
Basic Science Research Role:
Dr. Basura’s research interests include both basic science animal and human translational studies of tinnitus and single-sided deafness, both of which are challenging and common clinical problems. Using animal models of tinnitus and single-sided deafness, he has investigated multisensory integration (e.g., cross-modal plasticity of auditory cortex with somatosensory and visual systems) in the modulation of central auditory pathways following noise-induced tinnitus and single-sided deafness. His previous collaborations employed extracellular in vivo electrophysiology recordings to understand how non-auditory systems (e.g., somatosensory, and visual) modulate neural firing properties in auditory cortex neurons. This research helped to elucidate central neural origins of tinnitus percepts and brain plasticity following sudden unilateral (singlesided) deafness. Dr. Basura’s basic science work has been published in high-profile journals with numerous citations and has been funded by foundational (Deafness Research Foundation), governmental (NIH R03, R21) and clinical organizational (Clinician-Scientist Developmental Award sponsored by the American Otological Society) grant awards.
Clinical Research Role:
Dr. Basura’s clinical/translational human research capitalizes on his basic science work and clinical practice expertise. He is currently using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), a type of noninvasive neuroimaging technology, to measure brain activity and plasticity in humans with tinnitus and single-sided deafness. This work has yielded several key seminal high-profile publications and many national and international presentations and a funded “high risk” NIH R21 grant for new technology development in collaboration with Biomedical/Electrical Engineering. The goal of this work is to advance existing fNIRS technology using highly innovative adaptations of the traditional fNIRS probes to gain better understanding of central
auditory nervous system dysfunction to diagnose and treat disorders such as tinnitus and deafness that involve human central auditory circuits.
Lastly, Dr. Basura has collaborated with now retired colleague Dr. Susan Shore. That work garnered several grants (as co-investigator) to assist in the development and implementation of a non-invasive auditory-somatosensory delivery device (Coulter Foundation) to treat human tinnitus. Dr. Basura served as a co-lead clinician on a recently completed NIH-Clinical Trials R01 Grant to treat human tinnitus (PI, Shore). His clinical-translational human research has been published in several high-profile journals (e.g., PLOS One, Neural Plasticity and Science Translational Medicine ). He was recently awarded an R01 grant through the NIDCD to investigate neural response patterns in both central auditory and non-auditory cortical regions in somatosensory tinnitus.
Dr. Basura’s long-term goals for patient care are to continue to develop improved algorithms based on his research for improved management of temporal bone malignancy and cranial base tumors. For research, his goal is to continue to independently fund human and basic science as the primary investigator and lead on clinical trials to improve our understanding and treatments for tinnitus and single-sided deafness.
For humanitarian outreach/service and teaching, Dr. Basura’s goal is to contribute to international populations to help improve clinical and research independence in otology and to assist in the expansion and further development of the recently minted one-year dedicated otology clinical/ surgical fellowship at the University of Cape Town in South Africa with fellowship director Dr. Tashneem Harris. He has also established the African Otological Society (www.afotos.org) to build otology and audiology capacity and community in Africa.
Graduating Residents
Tracy Cheng
Dr. Cheng lived in Shanghai, China for eight years before growing up in Central Jersey. She attended college at Princeton University, graduating summa cum laude. Her medical training was completed at Duke University School of Medicine, where she took an extra NIH funded research year to complete a master’s in health sciences. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking and running to offset the calories from her baking hobby. Dr. Cheng is moving onto a Neurotology Fellowship at Stanford.
Sophia Dang
Dr. Dang is a Brooklyn native and an artist-turned resident who grew up in a close-knit family and multilingual community by the sea. After graduating with a degree in Studio Art and Art History, and minors in Business Management and Digital Arts/Media, she decided to go to medical school, graduating from Jefferson Medical School in Philadelphia and residency at UPMC. Dr. Dang is now completing a head and neck cancer fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania.
Mark Fadel
Dr. Fadel is a native of Cleveland, Ohio. He graduated from DePauw University in 2013 with a BA in biochemistry, then pursued his MD/JD dual degree at the University of Toledo. His research interests include financial toxicity of head and neck cancer, malpractice claims in otolaryngology, and healthy policy. He enjoys running, swimming and anything outdoors. Dr. Fadel is completing a pediatric otolaryngology fellowship at Texas Children’s.
Linda Magaña
Dr. Magaña is a 2019 graduate of Thomas Jefferson University. She received her BA in from Columbia University and a Masters and DPhil from the University of Oxford. Her research interests in otolaryngology relate to systemic barriers to care and interventions related to addressing frailty and survivorship in head and neck cancer. In her free time, she enjoys exploring new spots in the Strip District and the eternal hunt for the best coffee in Pittsburgh. Dr. Magana is moving on to a sleep medicine fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania.
Vusala Snyder
Dr. Vusala Snyder, a native of Baku, Azerbaijan, received her medical degree from the University of Kansas and her Masters of Biomedical sciences from Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences. Dr. Snyder’s research interests include basic and translational research pertaining to the head and neck oncology at large and in particular, molecular targeting of head and neck cancer stem cells. Dr. Snyder is now completing a facial plastics & reconstructive surgery fellowship at the Medical University of South Carolina.
Caitlin Olson
Dr. Olson attended Columbia University for her undergraduate degree and St. George’s University School of Medicine for her medical degree, during which she attended the Global Scholars Program in the UK. She joined the UPMC Otolaryngology family after discovering her interest in head and neck surgery during the two years she spent in General Surgery residency. Dr. Olson is now at Loma Linda University in California completing a combined fellowship of facial plastics & rhinology/skull base and endocrine.
Graduating Fellows
Brandon R. Rosvall, MD – Rhinology and Cranial Base Surgery
Dr. Rosvall received a BS in Biology and Psychology from the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada and received his medical degree from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Dr. Rosvall then completed his otolaryngology residency training at the University of Alberta in Edmonton.
Dr. Rosvall has joined the faculty of the Department of Otolaryngology at Dalhousie University in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada.
Arturo Eguia, MD – Head and Neck Cancer
Dr. Eguia completed a fellowship in Advanced Head and Neck Oncologic and Microvascular Reconstructive Surgery. He completed his Otolaryngology residency at McGovern Medical School at University of Texas Health in Houston, Texas. He attended medical school at McGovern Medical School at University of Texas Health in Houston, Texas.
Dr. Eguia has joined the faculty at UT Health in San Antonio.
Eric Wu, MD – Head and Neck Cancer
Dr. Wu completed a fellowship in Advanced Head and Neck Oncologic and Microvascular Reconstructive Surgery. He completed his Otolaryngology residency at Medstar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C. He attended medical school at Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Dr. Wu has joined Orlando Health.
Alumni Spotlight
Education
I completed my Fellowship in Advanced Head and Neck and Skull base Surgery in June of 1994.
Hometown/current town
I currently live in Louisville, KY.
Career
I’ve been practicing for 30+ years. I’m currently the Dean of the School of Medicine and Executive Vice President for Health Affairs at the University of Louisville School of Medicine.
Family
My wife Anne and I have three daughters; Erin, Molly, and Claire!
Hobbies, fun facts, talents, etc…
In my spare time I enjoy fly-fishing and traveling.
Most important thing to you about having attended Pitt for Otolaryngology?
Embedding a strong sense of excellence, duty to patients and an obligation to advance and improve Otolaryngology-HNS for the sake of our patients.
How has the campus/department changed since you were in school?
It has grown in size and scope, but has remained true to its strong academic and patient care values.
Why have you gotten involved with and supported the Eye & Ear Foundation and why do you think it’s important to support?
I believe that this Foundation and the UPMC OtolaryngologyHNS Department has fostered development of leaders in the specialty and medicine that has a profound and enduring impact.
What are you most excited about in the future of the department the Foundation?
I am excited to see the growth of science and exceptional clinical care under Dr. Jose Zevallos’ leadership.
Any funny/interesting stories from your years working or in school?
Too many great friends and great times. Enduring relationships!
Jeffrey Bumpous, MD
Save the Date
Siciliano Lecture
October 29, 2024
Three Rivers OTO Update/ Alumni Reunion
March 27-29, 2025
BJ Ferguson Lecture April 2025
If you have any questions about upcoming events please contact Nicole Coddington at coddingtonnj3@upmc.edu
Want to keep up to date on all the exciting research happening in the Departments of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh? Follow our social media accounts below to see pictures, articles, awards, and more highlighting all the great work takin g place at your alma mater. Just click the logos to find our page!
We Want to Hear From You!
s part of our alumni newsletter, MomENTs in Otolaryngology, we want to keep in touch with our alumni. Please share exciting personal or professional news with fellow alumni in future editions of our newsletter. Have you recently changed jobs? Got married? Published some exciting research? Welcomed a new member into your family? We want to know about it!
To update your contact information or to share personal and professional news, please visit http://www.otolaryngology. pitt.edu/alumni-class-photos/alumniupdates
Webinar Information
he Eye & Ear Foundation, in conjunction with the Departments of Otolaryngology and Ophthalmology at the University of Pittsburgh, hosts a bi-weekly webinar series entitled “Sights and Soundbites.” The webinars are presented by department faculty members and highlight their current research initiatives and treatment strategies. These webinars have proven to be an accessible and interactive way to stay connected with patients, donors, faculty, and alumni. If you would like to register to receive webinar invites, please visit www.eyeandear.org/webinars. To view recent webinar videos, please click on the links below:
Ophthalmology
• Glaucoma and the Role of a Patient Navigator in Vision Care
• Childhood Vision & UPMC/WPSBC Garden Collaboration
• Seeing the Future of Gene Therapy
• Leveraging the Microbiome to Alleviate Ocular Surface Disease
• Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Geographic Atrophy: Advancements in Research and Care
• Introducing Pittsburgh’s StreetLab: Improving Functional Outcomes in Low Vision Rehabilitation
• Everything You Want to Know About Keratoconus
• Cerebral Visual Impairment
• Advancements in Glaucoma Treatment and Research
• Update on Optic Nerve Regeneration Progress
Please consider a donation to the Eye & Ear Foundation to fund our research
OtolaryngologyHead & Neck Surgery
• Restoring Hearing and Regenerating Hair Cells
• Bridging the Gap Between Voice and Swallow
• The Who and Where of Head and Neck Cancer
• Decreased Sound Tolerance: Managing Reactions to Bothersome Sounds
• Salivary Gland-Sparing Surgery and the Role of Sialendoscopy
• From Evaluation and Surgery to Life with a Cochlear Implant
• Mandibular and Maxillary 3D Modeling in Head and Neck Reconstruction
• Advancing Survivorship Care Through Research
• Protecting and Preserving Your Voice
• Hearing Loss and Cognitive Decline
If you no longer wish to receive our newsletter, please submit requests to our mailing address, or email optout@eyeandear.org
The official registration and financial information of the Eye & Ear Foundation may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll free, within Pennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement. eyeandear.org