Stephen Y. Lai, MD, PhD, FACS
Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Division of Surgery
About Dr. Stephen Y. Lai
Stephen Y. Lai, MD, PhD, is a tenured Professor in the Department of Head and Neck Surgery at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and a board-certified head and neck cancer surgeon. Dr. Lai also has joint appointments in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology and the Department of Radiation Oncology. Dr. Lai received his undergraduate degree from Stanford University and his medical and doctorate degrees from The University of California, San Francisco. He performed his residency at The University of Pennsylvania and completed his fellowship in oncologic head and neck/cranial base surgery at The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
His clinical expertise is in head and neck cancers with a special emphasis on oral cavity cancer, thyroid and parathyroid disease, salivary gland neoplasms, and conservation laryngeal surgery. Dr. Lai takes a multidisciplinary approach to the management of head and neck cancer patients with a committed engagement to cutting-edge treatment protocols. He is the principal investigator for the NRG Oncology international randomized prospective clinical trial of sentinel lymph node biopsy versus elective neck dissection for early-stage oral cavity cancer (NRG-HN006; NCT04333537) Dr. Lai has an active translational research program which has been supported by research awards from the National Institutes of Health, American College of Surgeons, American Head and Neck Society, American Academy of Otolaryngology, The Thyroid Head and Neck Cancer (THANC) Foundation and the Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas.
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Professor, Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Professor, Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Professor (Joint appointment), Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 1998 | University of California, San Francisco, California, US, MD |
| 1996 | University of California, San Francisco, California, US, Biomedical Sciences, Ph.D |
| 1991 | Stanford University, Stanford, California, US, Economics, BA |
| 1991 | Stanford University, Stanford, California, US, Biological Sciences, BS |
Postgraduate Training
| 2003-2005 | Clinical Fellowship, Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgical Oncology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| 1999-2003 | Clinical Residency, Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| 1998-1999 | Clinical Internship, Department of General Surgery & Otolaryngology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
Licenses & Certifications
| 2026 | Oklahoma State Board of Medical Licensure |
| 2023 | Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure |
| 2023 | Georgia Composite Medical Board |
| 2023 | Arizona Board of Medical Examiners |
| 2023 | Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners |
| 2023 | Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners |
| 2023 | Alabama Board of Medical Examiners |
| 2021 | Florida Board of Medicine |
| 2008 | Texas Medical Board |
| 2004 | American Board of Otolaryngology |
Experience & Service
Faculty Academic Appointments
Associate Professor, Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2010 - 2017
Associate Professor, Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2010 - 2017
Assistant Professor, Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2008 - 2010
Assistant Professor, Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2008 - 2010
Assistant Professor, Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 2005 - 2008
Instructor, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 2003 - 2005
Clinical Instructor, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 2001 - 2003
Assistant Clinical Instructor, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 1999 - 2001
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Director, ONCORE (Oncology Network for Career Opportunities and Research Empowerment) Youth Program - Head & Neck Oncology Research Scholar Program, Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 2026 - Present
Patient Safety Quality Officer, Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2009 - 2021
Faculty Senate Member, Faculty Senate, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2009 - 2015
Other Professional Positions
Chair, Research Division, American Head and Neck Society, American Head and Neck Society, 2023 - Present
Division of Surgery Representative, PRS Retirement Board Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2023 - Present
Alternate Examiner, American Board of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, American Board of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, 2022 - Present
Chair, Surgical Oncology Committee, NRG Oncology, NRG Oncology, 2022 - Present
Member, Head and Neck Core Committee, NRG Oncology, NRG Oncology, 2021 - Present
Member, GSBS, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center/UT Health Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, 2018 - Present
Graduate Faculty, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX, 2018 - Present
Co-Chair, NIH/NCI Head and Neck Steering Committee, Rare Tumor Task Force, NIH/NCI, 2017 - 2023
Medical Affairs Consultant, Cardinal Health, Dublin, OH, 2017 - Present
Member, American Head and Neck Society Awards Committee, Houston, 2016 - 2019
OneConnect Super User, (employees who receive early, intensive training on the new electronic health record system so they could help support their colleagues during training and activation), The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2015 - 2016
Medical Affairs Consultant, Navidea Biopharmaceuticals, Dublin, OH, 2014 - 2017
Director, Houston Chinese Community Health Fair, Head and Neck Cancer Screening, Houston, TX, 2009 - 2010
Staff Surgeon, UPMC St. Margaret's Hospital, Pittsburgh, PA, 2007 - 2008
Member, Protocol Review Committee, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, 2007 - 2008
Member, Molecular & Cellular Cancer Biology Program, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, 2005 - 2008
Member, Head and Neck Cancer Program, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, 2005 - 2008
Chairperson, The Yul Brenner Head and Neck Cancer Foundation, Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Screening (UPMC Otolaryngology Clinic), Pittsburgh, PA, 2005 - 2008
Staff Surgeon, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, 2003 - 2008
Staff Surgeon, UPMC Presbyterian, Pittsburgh, PA, 2003 - 2008
Staff Surgeon, UPMC Magee-Women's Hospital, Pittsburgh, PA, 2003 - 2008
Staff Surgeon, Western Pennsylvania Hospital, Pittsburgh, PA, 2003 - 2008
Intramural Institutional Committee Activities
Member, Thoracic Imaging Chair Advisory Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2025 - Present
At-Large Member, Executive Committee of the Medical Staff (ECMS), The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2023 - Present
Division of Surgery Representative, PRS Retirement Board Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2023 - Present
Member, Faculty Search Committee – Assistant Professor on tenure track in the Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Section of Speech Pathology and Audiology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2021 - 2022
Member, Professional Liability Committee (PLC), The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2020 - 2022
Member, PRS Leadership & Institutional Service Award (L.I.S.A) Nomination Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2019 - Present
Member, Image-Guided Cancer Therapy (IGCT) Research Program, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2019 - Present
Member, Head and Neck Surgery Physician-Scientist Search Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2019 - Present
Member, Endocrine Steering Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2017 - Present
Division of Surgery Representative, PRS Faculty Compensation and Benefit Advisory Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2017 - 2023
Committee Member, Chair Search Committee - Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2016 - 2018
Faculty Representative, Sustainability - Grant Process Improvement Team, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2015 - Present
Division of Surgery Representative, PRS Clinical Revenue Cycle Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2015 - 2017
Review Process Representative, 2015 Clinical Innovator Award Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2015
Department of Head and Neck Surgery Representative - Division of Surgery, ADVANCE (Assessment by Division for Advancement and Career Evolution Committee), formerly Promotion and Tenure Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2014 - Present
Department of Head and Neck Surgery Representative, PTAS Steering Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2014 - 2023
Department of Head and Neck Surgery Representative, Faculty Search Committee - Department of Dermatologic Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2013 - 2015
Representative, Small Animal Imaging Facility Advisory Board, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2012 - Present
Physician Ambassador to Billing & Reimbursement Compliance, Provider Executive Steering Committee (ICD-10), The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2012 - 2023
Department of Head and Neck Surgery Representative, Effort Reporting Compliance Workgroup, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2012 - 2023
Representative, Faculty Senate Faculty and Administration Salary Review Committee, Ad-hoc Head and Neck Surgery Department, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2012 - 2013
Judge, Trainee and Alumni Affairs Postdoctoral Fellowship Awards, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2012
Representative, Division of Surgery, Head and Neck Surgery Department, Continuous Quality Improvement Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2011 - 2023
Physician Ambassador, Billing & Reimbursement Compliance, Head and Neck Surgery Department, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2011 - 2023
Representative, Faculty Senate Ad-hoc Committee, Research Compliance Plan, Head and Neck Surgery Department, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2011 - 2015
Liaison, Critical Care/Intensive Care Unit, Head and Neck Surgery Department, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2010 - 2023
Head and Neck Surgery Representative, Faculty Search Committee - Department of Endocrine Neoplasia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2010 - 2012
Representative, Faculty Senate, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2009 - 2015
Clinical Reviewer, The University of Texas MD Anderson Clinical Research Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2009 - 2023
Representative, Division of Surgery Billing/Coding Committee, Head and Neck Surgery Department, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2009 - 2023
Reviewer, Astra-Zeneca/MDACC Strategic Alliance Competitive Grant Program Review Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2009 - 2021
Extramural Institutional Committee Activities
Member, NRG Oncology Head and Neck Cancer Core Committee, NRG Oncology, 2022 - Present
Reviewer, Knudson Doctoral Thesis Award Review Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2009 - 2011
Editorial Activities
Section Editor: Clinical Advances and Diagnostics, Journal of the American Head and Neck Society, 2026 - Present
Associate Editor, Head & Neck: Journal for the Sciences and Specialties of the Head and Neck, 2023 - 2025
Section Editor, Head & Neck, Book Reviews Section, 2018 - 2021
Associate Editor, Head & Neck: Journal for the Sciences and Specialties of the Head and Neck, 2011 - 2014
Member of Editorial Review Board, Head & Neck: Journal for the Sciences and Specialties of the Head and Neck, 2007 - 2011
Honors & Awards
| 2024 | MD Anderson's Celebration of Faculty Excellence - Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2022 | J. Floyd Kyser, M.D. Lectureship in Otolaryngology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences |
| 2022 | American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science |
| 2019 - 2020 | Distinguished Educator of the Year, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2017 - 2024 | Texas Super Doctors® |
| 2012 - 2024 | Super Doctors® Texas Rising Stars |
| 2012 | Robert M. Chamberlain Distinguished Mentor Award, Finalist |
| 2011 - 2024 | America's Top Doctor - Otolaryngology, Castle Connolly Medical LTD |
| 2011 - 2024 | US News & World Report Top Doctors |
| 2011 | Robert M. Chamberlain Distinguished Mentor Award, Finalist |
| 2010 | American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Honor Award |
| 2008 - 2024 | Marquis' Who's Who in America |
| 2007 - 2024 | America's Top Physicians |
| 2007 - 2024 | Best Doctors in America |
| 2007 | EORTC-NCI-ASCO Molecular Markers in Cancer Tutorial/Travel Award |
| 2006 | American Head and Neck Society/American College of Surgeons Faculty Career Development Award for Oncology of the Head and Neck |
| 2006 | Outstanding Contribution to Otolaryngology Resident Education |
| 2005 | NIH Head and Neck Cancer SPORE Career Development Award |
| 2005 | Thyroid Head and Neck Cancer Foundation Young Scientist Award |
| 2005 | Flight Attendant Medical Research Institute Young Clinical Scientist Award |
| 2004 | American Head and Neck Society Byers Award |
| 2004 | National Cancer Institute Head and Neck Cancer Workshop participant |
| 2003 - 2007 | NIH Loan Repayment Program |
| 2003 | American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Foundation Earleen Elkins Award |
| 2003 | American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Cherry Blossom Conference Travel Award |
| 2002 | First Prize, Triological Society, Eastern Section - Resident Research Award |
| 2002 | Triological Society, National Meeting Travel Award |
| 2001 | First Place, Clinical Research Award, Resident Research Day, University of Pennsylvania, Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery |
| 2001 | American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Foundation Resident Research Award |
| 2001 | First Prize, Clinical Science Research Award, Philadelphia Combined Otolaryngology Society Meeting |
| 2001 | Ortho-McNeil American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Travel Award Grant |
| 2000 | Stryker-Leibinger American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Travel Award Grant |
| 1998 | Alpha Omega Alpha |
| 1997 | Phi Beta Kappa Scholarship |
| 1996 - 1997 | Lloyd M. Kozloff Research Fellowship |
| 1995 - 1996 | Julius R. and Patricia A. Krevans Research Fellowship |
| 1995 | Henry B. Christian Award for Excellence in Research |
| 1994 | UCSF Excellence in Teaching Award |
| 1993 - 1998 | National Institute of Health (NIH) Medical Scientist Training Program |
| 1992 | Eugene Collins Memorial Scholarship |
| 1992 | President Chiang Fellowship for Medicine and Biomedical Science |
| 1992 | Ralston Neuroscience Research Fellowship |
| 1991 | Omicron Delta Epsilon |
| 1991 | Phi Beta Kappa |
| 1991 | UCSF School of Medicine Summer Research Fellowship |
| 1989 | Howard Hughes Medical Institute Grant for Undergraduate Research |
| 1988 | President's Award for Academic Excellence |
| 1987 | National Merit Scholar |
| 1987 | David Starr Jordan Scholar |
| 1986 | Cum Laude Society |
Professional Memberships
Selected Presentations & Talks
National Presentations
- 2026. Novel Imaging Approaches to Predict Tumor Behavior and Treatment Response. Invited. VA Research Week/Scientific Retreat - Precision Medicine: From Concept to Application in the Veterans Health Adminstration.
- 2025. Expert Lecture - Sentinel Node Biopsy for Oral Cavity Cancer: "Go or No Go". Invited. AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting. Indianapolis, IN, US.
- 2025. NRG-HN006 Clinical Trial Update. Invited. American Head and Neck Society Annual Meeting at COSM. New Orleans, LA, US.
- 2025. Oral Cavity SCC. Invited. 2025 AHNS Head & Neck Surgery Symposium for Residents & Fellows. New Orleans, LA, US.
- 2025. Future Directions: Using Advanced Imaging to Predict the Development of ORN. Invited. NASBS/WFSBS Joint Meeting. New Orleans, LA, US.
- 2024. Sentinel Node Biopsy for Oral Cancer: Establishing the Workflow. Invited. AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting. Miami, FL, US.
- 2024. NRG-HN006 Clinical Trail Update – Randomized Phase II/III Trial of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy Versus Elective Neck Dissection for Early-Stage Oral Cavity Cancer. Invited. American Head and Neck Society 2024 Meeting at COSM. Chicago, IL, US.
- 2023. Sentinel Node Biopsy for Oral Cavity Cancer: Establishing the Workflow. Invited. AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting. Nashville, TN, US.
- 2023. Oral Cavity SCC. Invited. AHNS/AAO-HNSF 2023 Resident Symposium. Nashville, TN, US.
- 2023. Education Session: Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy and Conservative Surgical Approaches. Invited. ASCO 2023 Annual Meeting, US.
- 2023. NRG HN006 – Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy Versus Elective Neck Dissection for Early-Stage Oral Cavity Cancer. Invited. NRG Oncology Winter Meeting. Orlando, FL, US.
- 2022. Sentinel Node Biopsy for Oral Cavity Cancer: Establishing the Workflow in Practice. Invited. AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting. Philadelphia, PA, US.
- 2022. Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Invited. Resident & Fellow H&N Surgery Symposium 2022, AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting. Chicago, IL, US.
- 2022. Instructional Course: Sentinel Node Biopsy: How I Do It. Invited. 8th World Congress of the International Academy of Oral Oncology. Chicago, IL, US.
- 2022. Sentinel Node Dissection vs Elective Neck Dissection, Evaluating Surgical Management of the N0 Neck for Early-Stage Oral Cavity Cancer. Invited. 8th World Congress of the International Academy of Oral Oncology. Chicago, IL, US.
- 2022. Sentinel Node and Neck Dissection. Invited. 2022 Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancers Symposium, Extraordinary Care: Collaborative, Targeted, Diverse, Patient Centered. Phoenix, AZ, US.
- 2022. NRG HN006 – Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy Versus Elective Neck Dissection for Early-Stage Oral Cavity Cancer. Invited. Update Session for Surgeons at the American Head & Neck Society Meeting, NRG Oncology Virtual Winter Meeting, US.
International Presentations
- 2026. NRG - HN006 trial - Prospective RCT for SNB versus END in oral cancer. Invited. British Association of Head & Neck Oncologists (BAHNO) Meeting. London, GB.
- 2025. Hyperpolarized MRI for next generation imaging of head and neck cancers. Invited. Head & Neck Academic Centre, US.
- 2025. Updates in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Mandibular Osteoradionecrosis. Invited. International Conference of the Taiwan Society of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. Tainan City, TW.
- 2025. Establishing the Workflow: Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Oral Cavity Cancer. Invited. Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital. Kaohsiung, TW.
- 2025. Precise Application of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Oral Cavity Cancer (Virtual). Invited. Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital 35th Anniversary Conference, US.
- 2025. Sentinel lymph node biopsy versus Elective neck dissection for early-stage oral cavity cancer. Invited. 30th Brazilian Congress of Head and Neck Surgery. Balneário Camboriú, BR.
- 2025. Big Debate - Best options in neck management in oral and oropharynx cancer. Invited. 30th Brazilian Congress of Head and Neck Surgery. Balneário Camboriú, BR.
- 2025. State of Play - Clinical Trials in Oral Cavity: Surgery. Invited. 10th World Congress of the International Academy of Oral Oncology. Liverpool, GB.
- 2025. Osteoradionecrosis - Prediction, Prevention and State of the Art Management: MRI-Based Imaging Biomarkers for ORN. Invited. 10th World Congress of the International Academy of Oral Oncology. Liverpool, GB.
- 2025. Clinical Trials Evidence in Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy. Invited. 10th World Congress of the International Academy of Oral Oncology. Liverpool, GB.
- 2025. Randomized Clinical Trial (Phase II/III) Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy vs Elective Neck Dissection (NRG-HN006) - Update. Invited. Pre Congress - 9th International Symposium for Sentinel Node Biopsy in Head and Neck Cancer. Liverpool, GB.
- 2024. Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer (ATC) - Current Therapies and Development of a Clinical Program & Translational Research Platform (Virtual). Invited. 60th ENT Congress for the South African Society of ORL-OHNS. Pretoria, ZA.
- 2024. New directions in treatment of osteoradionecrosis. Invited. 9th International Congress on Innovative Approaches in Head and Neck Oncology (ICHNO 2024). Barcelona, ES.
- 2023. Advancing the Standard of Care: Management of the Neck in Early-Stage Oral Cavity Cancer. Invited. Annual Congress of Taiwan Society of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. Taichung City, TW.
- 2023. Lessons Learned: Developing and Leading a Cooperative Group Head and Neck Surgery Trial in North America. Invited. AHNS 11th International Conference on Head and Neck Cancer. Montreal, CA.
- 2023. Developing Cooperative Group Trials: Concept to Activation. Invited. AHNS 11th International Conference on Head and Neck Cancer. Montreal, CA.
- 2023. Symposium: N0 oral cavity cancer: Neck dissection vs sentinel node mapping. Invited. 7th World Congress of the International Federation of Head and Neck Oncologic Societies (IFHNOS). Rome, IT.
- 2023. Instructional Course: Treatment of osteoradionecrosis in Head and Neck. Invited. 7th World Congress of the International Federation of Head and Neck Oncologic Societies (IFHNOS). Rome, IT.
- 2023. Integrated Research and Clinical Approaches to Advance the Treatment of Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer. Invited. BioTReC 2023 Antibody Therapeutic Conference. Taipei, TW.
- 2023. Clinical Translation of Imaging-Based Quantitative Biomarkers to Assess Treatment Effects and Toxicity. Invited. BioTReC 2023 Antibody Therapeutic Conference. Taipei, TW.
Grant & Contract Support
| Date: | 2025 - 2030 |
| Title: | InHANCE: Imaging Innovation for Head and Neck Cancer Evaluation & Treatment Delivery |
| Funding Source: | NIH/HCI |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | P01CA278716-01A1 |
| Date: | 2025 - 2030 |
| Title: | Harvard MD Anderson Collaborative to Reduce LyMphatic MOrbidity in Head and Neck Cancer with Artificial Intelligence (HARMONiC-AI) |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-I |
| ID: | 1R01DE034780-01 |
| Date: | 2024 - 2029 |
| Title: | OPC SURVIVOR: Optimizing OroPharyngeal Cancer SURVIVORship |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | 5P01CA285249-02 |
| Date: | 2023 - 2028 |
| Title: | Development of miR-27a* for the Treatment of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NIDCR |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | 5R01DE032521-03 |
| Date: | 2023 - 2028 |
| Title: | Quantitative Imaging Biomarker Prospective Validation of Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI as a Metric of Orodental Injury After Radiotherapy (QI-ProVE-MRI) |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NIDCR |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | 5U01DE032168-03 |
| Date: | 2022 - 2027 |
| Title: | The Houston Center for Acquired Resistance Research (H-CARR) – Project 3: Quantification of cisplatin sensitivity and resistance using metabolic imaging and circulating tumor cell (CTC) biomarkers |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Project Leader |
| ID: | 5U54CA274321-04 |
| Date: | 2022 - 2028 |
| Title: | Leveraging Hyperpolarized MRI for Precision Oncology Approaches in Head and Neck Cancer |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | 5R01CA280980-04 |
| Date: | 2022 - 2026 |
| Title: | NRG Oncology Network Group Operations Center |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI (sub thru NRG Oncology Foundation, Inc) |
| Role: | Co-I |
| ID: | 5U10CA180868-11S |
| Date: | 2022 - 2027 |
| Title: | Image Guided Cancer Therapy Training Program |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | 5T32CA261856-04 |
| Date: | 2021 - 2026 |
| Title: | Longitudinal Spatial-Nonspatial decision support for competing outcomes in Head and Neck Cancer Therapy |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-I |
| ID: | 5R01CA258827-05 |
| Date: | 2020 - 2026 |
| Title: | Randomized Phase II/III Trial of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy Versus Elective Neck Dissection for Early-Stage Oral Cavity Cancer |
| Funding Source: | RTOG/NRG Oncology |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | 2020-0277 |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Bankson, JA, Niedzielski, JS, Harlan, CJ, Chen, Y, Walker, CM, Lorenzi, PL, Tan, L, Kundra, V, Merrit, ME, Ragavan, M, Schellingerhout, D, He, R, Ding, Y, Datar, S, Wang, Q, Peterson, CB, Fuller, C, Sandulache, VC, Lai, SY. Quantitative Imaging of Pyruvate Metabolism in a Patient With Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer. Magn Reson Med 96(2):826-838, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 41876436.
- Sehl OC, Fernando N, Kim P, Mohtasebzadeh AR, Sanders T, Guo K, Fellows B, Alvarado MD, Thierry B, Weyhmiller M, Greve JM, Lai SY, Goodwill PW, Foster PJ. Magnetic particle imaging tracers for human applications: preclinical in vivo evaluation of Magtrace, Resotran, and FerroTrace. NPJ Imaging 4(1), 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 42481622.
- Boyce, RT, Harlan, CJ, Wang, Q, Walker, CM, Lai, SY, Merrit, ME, Bankson, JA. Physiological Interpretation of the Lactate to Pyruvate AUC Ratio for Hyperpolarized [1-13C]-Pyruvate Studies. Magn Reson Med 96(1):247-258, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 41761412.
- Humbert-Vidan L, Hansen CR, Petit S, Munoz-Montplet C, Hueniken K, Mohamed ASR, Saunders DP, Patel V, Verduijn GM, Heemsbergen WD, van der Schaaf A, Witjes M, de Vette SPM, Moharrami M, Khan AA, Marruecos Querol J, Cancio IO, Oliver M, Reich P, Santi SA, Pearce AG, Lai SY, King AP, Hosni A, Hope AJ, Watson EE, Langendijk JA, Johansen J, Moreno AC, Fuller CD, van Dijk LV, Guerrero Urbano T. Multi-institutional Normal Tissue Complication Probability (NTCP) Prediction Model for Mandibular Osteoradionecrosis: Results from the PREDMORN Study. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 125(3):892-905, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 41642169.
- Li S, Wu CC, Marczyk VR, Loberg MA, Thennavan A, Tarabichi M, Xu L, Henderson YC, Martin ME, Tran TM, Duose DY, Sanchez-Espitia A, Luthra R, Sheng Q, Xu GJ, Huang EC, Hofmann MC, Zhao X, Lai SY, Hosseini SM, Williams MD, Wang W, Hamidi S, Zafereo ME, Cabanillas ME, Navin NE, Weiss VL, Wang JR. PRECISE: A Prognostic Thyrocyte-Derived Gene Signature for Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma. Clin Cancer Res 32(13):2667-2680, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 42008746.
- Belal ZAS, Peterson CB, Barbon CE, McMillan H, Buoy SN, Garcia JA, Anderson NC, Fuller CD, Woodman K, Lai SY, Hutcheson KA. Stop LCNP: High dose corticosteroid therapy for late radiation-associated lower cranial neuropathy: A report of the phase I dose finding trial and parallel prospective data registry. medRxiv, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 42428053.
- Song, W, Peterson, CB, Sahli, A, Sun, X, Barbon, CE, Moreno, AC, Anderson, N, McMillan, H, Lee, J, Frank, SJ, Fuller, C, Lai, SY, Hutcheson, KA. MDASI-HN Symptom Profiling for Early-Risk Stratification of Hypoglossal Neuropathy in Survivors of Oropharyngeal Cancer. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 152(6):586-594, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 42024413.
- van Dijk, L, Ventura, J, Wahid, K, Zhu, LL, McDonald, B, Ahmed, S, Sanders, KL, Stieb, S, McCoy, L, Sharafi, CS, Preston, KE, West, NA, Mirbahaeddin, S, El-Habashy, D, Salzillo, TC, Mulder, SL, Fahim, J, DeArmas, A, Arbab, M, Ding, Y, Wang, J, Rigaud, B, Sen, A, Chambers, MS, Hutcheson, KA, Brock, K, Mohamed, AS, Lai, SY, Fuller, C. Black bone MRI morphometry for mandibular cortical bone measurement in head and neck cancer patients. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol 141(5):690-700, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 41702795.
- Houl, J, Yarmand, R, Kunnimalaiyaan, M, Miranda Mendez, P, Kidd, JL, Dadbin, A, Ruiz-Jurado, A, Parekh, PA, Henderson, Y, Chari, N, Thennavan, A, Powell, RT, Stephan, C, Zhao, X, Maniakas, A, Nurieva, R, Busaidy, NL, Cabanillas, ME, Dadu, R, Zafereo, M, Wang, RJ, Lai, SY, Hofmann, M. Role of the ETV5/p38 Signaling Axis in Aggressive Thyroid Cancer Cells. Mol Cancer Ther 25(5):844-859, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 41544239.
- Townes TG, Martinez J, Gross ND, Li G, Goepfert R, Myers J, Sikora AG, Choi K, Hutcheson KA, Song W, Lee A, Moran A, Lewis CM, Akhave N, Johnson F, De Sousa LG, Maniakas A, Wang JR, Su SY, Lai SY, Hanna E, Zhao X, Lango MN. A Standardized Algorithm's Impact on Primary Detection in Head and Neck Carcinoma of Unknown Primary. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 42059064.
- Manduchi B, Warneke CL, Barrow MP, Felix-Lusterman C, Eapen GA, Plowman EK, Fuller CD, Lai SY, Hutcheson KA. Expiratory Muscle Strength Training in Head and Neck Cancer Survivors With Radiation-Associated Dysphagia: Results of a Pilot Prospective Trial. Head Neck, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 41964362.
- Hansen, NJ, Woodman, K, Peterson, CB, Buoy, S, Tang, X, Mao, S, Moreno, AC, Lai, SY, Fuller, C, Barbon, CE, McMillan, H, Anderson, NC, Hutcheson, KA, Sanchez, B, Mohamed, AS, Amit, M, Hill, RL, Swanson, DM, Johnson, FM, Lee, J, Ma, J, Liss, J, Brock, K, Wang, L, Chambers, MS, Williams, MD, Naser, M, Anderson, N, He, R, Shete, S, Frank, SJ, Berisha, V. A cross-sectional protocol for experimental tongue high-density surface electromyography to detect and classify radiation-associated hypoglossal neuropathy. PLoS One 21(4 April), 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 42054414.
- Mason EE, Sehl OC, Weyhmiller MG, Davison B, Mattingly E, Konkle JJ, Sanders T, Mohtasebzadeh AR, Barcikowski E, Fields K, Raanes CA, Fernando N, Rinaldi-Ramos CM, Mawlawi O, Foster PJ, Loening AM, Padua EM, Lai SY, Wintermark M, Goodwill PW. Magnetic Particle Imaging in Human Subjects. Res Sq, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 41890846.
- Michel KA, Harlan CJ, Walker CM, Merritt ME, Chen Y, Lai SY, Bankson JA. Pharmacokinetic modeling strategies for dynamic hyperpolarized urea imaging. Magn Reson Med 95(3):1671-1683, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 41077903.
- McMillan, H, Okoro, C, Buoy, S, Woodman, K, Anderson, N, Fuller, C, Lai, SY, Hutcheson, KA. Hypoglossal Neuropathy in the Pathogenesis of Fibrosis-Related Late-Radiation Associated Dysphagia. Head and Neck 48(2):438-448, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 40927950.
- Chari, N, Chen, C, Ramasamy, T, Chen, X, Wadhwa, G, Paranjape, AN, Lai, SY, Villanueva, FS. Local Delivery of miR-27a* Using Ultrasound-Targeted Microbubble Cavitation Inhibits Squamous Cell Carcinoma Growth. Ultrasound Med Biol 52(2):462-469, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 41274844.
- Frank, SJ, Busse, PM, Lee, JJ, Rosenthal, D, Hernandez, M, Swanson, DM, Garden, AS, Gunn, GB, Patel, SH, Snider, JW, Ma, DJ, Molitoris, JK, Lee, N, Parvathaneni, U, McDonald, MW, Kalman, NS, Lin, A, Mohammed, N, Henson, CE, Hyde, C, Bajaj, GK, Katz, SR, Dagan, R, Morrison, WH, Reddy, JP, Fuller, C, Shah, SJ, Phan, J, Chronowski, G, Mayo, LL, Sturgis, EM, Ferrarotto, R, Zhu, XR, Zhang, X, Wang, L, Hutcheson, KA, El-Naggar, AK, Moreno, AC, Lee, A, Spiotto, MT, Gross, N, Lai, SY, Liao, JJ, Paly, JJ, Liao, Z, Foote, RL, Bates, JE, Chambers, MS, Chun, SG, Kaiser, A, Lester, SC, Lukens, JN, McGee, LA, Neben-Wittich, MA, Nguyen, Q, Routman, DM, Schlembach, PJ, Skinner, H, Soike, MH, Rwigema, JM, Wiederhold, LR, Blanchard, P, Choi, I, Koong, A, Langendijk, H, Mohan, R, Carlson, BJ, Mapps, A, Sarmiento, JG, Teferra, MY, Bosch, WR, Followill, DS, Taylor, PA, Fuentes, SY, Ning, M, Toumazis, I, Wogan, CF, De Gracia, B, Fink, K, Grippin, A, Ma, J, Pettersen, EA, Sareyeldin, RM, Cronin, C, Muise, S, Johnson, M, Pyfferoen, K, Tranby, BN, Leonard, J, Watkin, S, Eggleston, C, Barrow, B, Wolcott, J, Antonio, J, Brand, J, Cleverdon, A, Drake, M, Peters, E, Small, C, Clark, K, Holder, R. Proton versus photon radiotherapy for patients with oropharyngeal cancer in the USA. Lancet 407(10524):174-184, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 41391462.
- West NA, Kamel S, Wentzel A, Kaffey Z, Abdelaal M, Elisabeta Marai G, Canahuate G, Zhang X, Chen MM, Wahid KA, Rigert J, Brock KK, Chambers M, Otun AO, Aponte-Wesson R, He R, Naser MA, Hutcheson KA, Mohamed ASR, van Dijk LV, Moreno AC, Lai SY, Fuller CD, Humbert-Vidan L. Clinical and dosimetric dataset of time-to-event normal tissue complication probability for osteoradionecrosis. Sci Data 13(1):16, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 41513675.
- McDonald BA, El-Habashy D, He R, Mulder S, Mirbahaeddin S, Mohamed ASR, Ahmed S, Ding Y, Wang J, Lai SY, Dresner A, Christodouleas J, Fuller CD. Test-Retest Apparent Diffusion Coefficient Reproducibility in Head and Neck Cancer Using a 1.5-T MR-Linac. Radiol Imaging Cancer 8(1):e250143, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 41543375.
- Yadollahi, P, McCord, KA, Li, Y, Dayoub, H, Saab, K, Essien, FN, Hyslop, ST, Kan, E, Ahmed, KM, Kirby, PR, Putluri, V, Ambati, CR, Kami Reddy, KR, Castro, PD, Skinner, H, Coarfa, C, Decker, WK, Osman, AA, Patel, R, Myers, JN, Lai, SY, Putluri, N, Johnson, FM, Frederick, MJ, Hudson, WH, Sandulache, VC. Bypassing cisplatin resistance in Nrf2 hyperactivated head and neck cancer through effective PI3Kinase targeting. Br J Cancer 133(12):1802-1814, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 41053162.
- Lee CC, Su YJ, Panda SS, Chiu CY, Wu CH, Lu TM, Li PC, Huang YL, Hong RL, Hung SH, Yee C, Lai SY, Wu HC. EpCAM activates the ERK-EGR1 signaling axis and promotes TNF-alpha-induced the progression of anaplastic thyroid cancer. J Transl Med 24(1):214, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 41430314.
- Li, Y, Yadollahi, P, Essien, FN, Putluri, V, Ambati, CR, Kami Reddy, KR, Kamal, AM, Putluri, N, Abdurrahman, L, Ruiz Echartea, ME, Ernste, KJ, Trivedi, AJ, Vazquez-Perez, J, Hudson, WH, Decker, WK, Patel, R, Osman, AA, Kheradmand, F, Lai, SY, Myers, JN, Skinner, H, Coarfa, C, Lee, K, Jain, A, Malovannaya, A, Frederick, MJ, Sandulache, VC. Tobacco smoke exposure is a driver of altered oxidative stress response and immunity in head and neck cancer. J Transl Med 23(1), 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40188338.
- Moreno, AC, Sahli, A, Johnson, FM, Sun, X, Barbon, CE, Rinsurongkawong, W, Song, W, Luciani, FM, Liang, H, Li, J, Liu, W, Lee, JJ, Frank, SJ, Lai, SY, Fuller, C, Hutcheson, KA, Fuller, C, Lee, J, Frank, S, Mohamed, AS, Peterson, CB, McMillan, H, Ma, J, Brock, K, Wang, L, Chambers, MS, Williams, MD, Naser, M, He, R, Shete, S, Zhang, X, Whinsenant, M. Stiefel MD Anderson OroPharynx cancer (MDA-OPC) cohort. BMJ Open 15(11), 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 41290309.
- Reber, B, He, R, Abdelaal, MR, Mohamed, AS, Mulder, SL, Humbert-Vidan, L, Fuller, C, Lai, SY, Brock, K. Post-RT Head and Neck DCE-MRI. Cancers 17(19), 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 41097750.
- Brewer Savannah KJ, Lai SY, Fuller CD, Brock KK. From Imaging to Impact: A Multi-Disciplinary T32 Program Framework and Initial Insights for Training in Image-Guided Cancer Therapy. Adv Cancer Educ Qual Improv 1(2), 2025. e-Pub 2025.
- Kamel, S, Humbert-Vidan, L, Kaffey, Z, Mirbahaeddin, S, Abusaif, A, Fuentes, DA, Wahid, K, Dede, C, Naser, M, He, R, Moawad, AW, Elsayes, KM, Chen, MM, Otun, AO, Rigert, J, Chambers, MS, Hope, A, Watson, E, Brock, K, Hutcheson, KA, van Dijk, L, Moreno, AC, Lai, SY, Fuller, C, Mohamed, AS. Computed tomography radiomics-based cross-sectional detection of mandibular osteoradionecrosis in head and neck cancer survivors. Oral Oncol 167, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40516152.
- Belal Z, Wahid KA, Stieb S, Drummey R, Sharafi CS, Hutcheson KA, Lai SY, Fuller CD, McDonald B. Optimizing Atlas Counts for MRI-Guided Atlas-Based Autosegmentation of Swallowing Muscles in Head and Neck Radiotherapy. medRxiv, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40766135.
- Kaffey, Z, Mirbahaeddin, S, Wahid, K, Kamel, S, Vouffo, M, Otun, AO, Belal, Z, Aponte Wesson, R, Carriere, P, Dede, C, Maniakas, A, Goepfert, RP, Garden, AS, Lee, A, Choi, KY, Christensen, JM, Lincoln, C, Manzar, G, Dudzinski, SO, Thomas, R, Mehrens, H, Cardoso, R, Schellingerhout, D, Watson, E, Chen, MM, Lai, SY, Fuller, C, Moreno, AC, Humbert-Vidan, L. Radiographic classification of mandibular osteoradionecrosis. Radiother Oncol 208, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40320174.
- Humbert-Vidan, L, Castelo, A, He, R, van Dijk, L, Rhee, DJ, Wang, C, Wang, H, Wahid, K, Joshi, S, Gerafian, P, West, NA, Kaffey, Z, Mirbahaeddin, S, Curiel, J, Acharya, S, Shekha, A, Oderinde, P, Ali, AS, Hope, A, Watson, E, Wesson-Aponte, R, Frank, SJ, Barbon, CE, Brock, K, Chambers, MS, Walji, M, Hutcheson, KA, Lai, SY, Fuller, C, Naser, M, Moreno, AC. Image-based mandibular and maxillary parcellation and annotation using computed tomography (IMPACT). Phys Imaging Radiat Oncol 35, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40894269.
- Humbert-Vidan, L, Kamel, S, Wentzel, A, Kaffey, Z, Abdelaal, MA, Spier, KB, West, NA, Marai, EG, Canahuate, GM, Zhang, X, Chen, MM, Wahid, K, Rigert, J, Hosseinian, S, Schaefer, AJ, Brock, K, Chambers, MS, Otun, AO, Aponte Wesson, R, Patel, V, Hope, A, Phan, J, Garden, AS, Frank, SJ, Morrison, WH, Spiotto, MT, Rosenthal, D, Lee, A, He, R, Naser, M, Watson, E, Hutcheson, KA, Mohamed, AS, Sandulache, VC, van Dijk, L, Moreno, AC, Guerrero Urbano, T, Fuller, C, Lai, SY. Externally validated digital decision support tool for time-to-osteoradionecrosis risk-stratification using right-censored multi-institutional observational cohorts. Radiother Oncol 207, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40222595.
- West, NA, Attia, S, Kaffey, Z, Dede, C, Mulder, SL, El-Habashy, D, Neuberger, R, Naser, M, Frank, SJ, Mao, S, McMillan, H, Smith, BG, Rosenthal, D, Lai, SY, Hutcheson, KA, Moreno, AC, Fuller, C. Evaluating observer reliability and diagnostic accuracy of CT-LEFAT criteria for post-treatment head and neck lymphedema. Oral Oncol 164, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40174310.
- Mao, S, Wang, J, McMillan, H, Mohamed, AS, Buoy, S, Ahmed, S, Mulder, SL, Naser, M, He, R, Wahid, K, Chen, MM, Ding, Y, Moreno, AC, Lai, SY, Fuller, C, Hutcheson, KA. Exploring Quantitative MRI Biomarkers of Head and Neck Post-Radiation Lymphedema and Fibrosis. Head Neck 47(5):1487-1496, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 39794912.
- McMillan, H, Warneke, C, Buoy, S, Porsche, C, Savage, K, Lai, SY, Fuller, C, Hutcheson, KA. Manual Therapy for Fibrosis-Related Late Effect Dysphagia in Head and Neck Cancer Survivors. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 151(4):319-327, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 39913160.
- Sahin O, Kamel S, Wahid KA, Dede C, Taku N, He R, Naser MA, Sharafi CS, Makitie A, Kann BH, Kaski K, Sahlsten J, Jaskari J, Amit M, Chronowski GM, Diaz EM Jr, Garden AS, Goepfert RP, Guenette JP, Gunn GB, Hirvonen J, Hoebers F, Hutcheson KA, Guha-Thakurta N, Johnson J, Kaya D, Khanpara SD, Nyman K, Lai SY, Lango M, Learned KO, Lee A, Lewis CM, Maniakas A, Moreno AC, Myers JN, Phan J, Pytynia KB, Rosenthal DI, Sandulache VC, Schellingerhout D, Shah SJ, Sikora AG, Mohamed ASR, Chen MM, Fuller CD. International multispecialty expert physician preoperative identification of extranodal extension in patients with oropharyngeal cancer using computed tomography: Prospective blinded human inter-observer performance evaluation. Cancer 131(7):e35815, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40159431.
- Hosseinian, S, Suarez-Aguirre, D, Dede, C, Garcia, R, McCullum, L, Hemmati, M, Karagoz, A, Mohamed, AS, Lai, SY, Hutcheson, KA, Moreno, AC, Brock, K, Nosrat, F, Fuller, C, Schaefer, AJ. Cost-effectiveness of personalized policies for implementing organ-at-risk sparing adaptive radiation therapy in head and neck cancer. Phys Imaging Radiat Oncol 34, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40584456.
- Moreno AC, Watson EE, Humbert-Vidan L, Peterson DE, van Dijk LV, Urbano TG, Bosch LVD, Hope AJ, Katz MS, Hoebers FJP, Wesson RAA, Bates JE, Bossi P, Dayo AF, Dore M, Fregnani ER, Galloway TJ, Gelblum DY, Hanna IA, Henson CE, Kiat-Amnuay S, Korfage A, Lee NY, Lewis CM, Lynggaard CD, Makitie AA, Magalhaes M, Mowery YM, Munoz-Montplet C, Myers JN, Orlandi E, Patel J, Rigert JM, Saunders D, Schoenfeld JD, Selek U, Somay E, Takiar V, Thariat J, Verduijn GM, Villa A, West NS, Witjes MJH, Won AM, Wong ME, Yao CMKL, Young SW, Al-Eryani K, Barbon CEA, Buurman DJM, Dieleman FJ, Hofstede TM, Khan AA, Otun AO, Robinson JC, Hum L, Johansen J, Lalla R, Lin A, Patel V, Shaw RJ, Chambers MS, Ma D, Singh M, Yarom N, Mohamed ASR, Hutcheson KA, Lai SY, Fuller CD. International Expert-Based Consensus Definition, Classification Criteria, and Minimum Data Elements for Osteoradionecrosis of the Jaw: An Interdisciplinary Modified Delphi Study. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 39826846.
- Vargas, L, Langlie, J, McGee, C, Ma, R, Perdigon, O, Lai, SY, Chepeha, DB, Civantos, F. Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Translation of the Neck Dissection Impairment Index (NDII) into Spanish. J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 54:19160216251321457, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40071635.
- El-Habashy, D, Wahid, K, He, R, McDonald, B, Mulder, SL, Ding, Y, Salzillo, TC, Lai, SY, Christodouleas, JP, Dresner, A, Wang, J, Naser, M, Fuller, C, Mohamed, AS. Dataset of weekly intra-treatment diffusion weighted imaging in head and neck cancer patients treated with MR-Linac. Scientific Data 11(1), 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38734679.
- Stricker, E, Peckham-Gregory, EC, Lai, SY, Sandulache, VC, Scheurer, ME. Targeted Variant Assessments of Human Endogenous Retroviral Regions in Whole Genome Sequencing Data Reveal Retroviral Variants Associated with Papillary Thyroid Cancer. Microorganisms 12(12), 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 39770638.
- Hamidi S, Dadu R, Zafereo ME, Ferrarotto R, Wang JR, Maniakas A, Gunn GB, Lee A, Spiotto MT, Iyer PC, Sousa LG, Akhave NS, Ahmed S, Learned KO, Lu C, Lai SY, Williams M, Hosseini SM, Busaidy NL, Cabanillas ME. Initial Management of BRAF V600E-Variant Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer: The FAST Multidisciplinary Group Consensus Statement. JAMA Oncol 10(9):1264-1271, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38990526.
- Sehl OC, Guo K, Mohtasebzadeh AR, Kim P, Fellows B, Weyhmiller M, Goodwill PW, Wintermark M, Lai SY, Foster PJ, Greve JM. Magnetic particle imaging enables nonradioactive quantitative sentinel lymph node identification: feasibility proof in murine models. Radiol Adv 1(3):umae024, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 39574515.
- Wang JR, Zafereo ME, Cabanillas ME, Wu CC, Xu L, Dai Y, Wang W, Lai SY, Henderson Y, Erasmus L, Williams MD, Joshu C, Ray D. The association between thyroid differentiation score and survival outcomes in papillary thyroid carcinoma. J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 39087944.
- Hosseinian S, Hemmati M, Dede C, Salzillo TC, van Dijk LV, Mohamed ASR, Lai SY, Schaefer AJ, Fuller CD. Cluster-Based Toxicity Estimation of Osteoradionecrosis Via Unsupervised Machine Learning: Moving Beyond Single Dose-Parameter Normal Tissue Complication Probability by Using Whole Dose-Volume Histograms for Cohort Risk Stratification. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 119(5):1569-1578, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38462018.
- Lai, SY, Sandulache, VC, Schellingerhout, D, Fuller, C, Chen, Y, Walker, CM, Bankson, JA. First-in-Human Hyperpolarized MRI for Tumor Metabolism in HNSCC. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 150(7):628-630, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38780963.
- Anderson BJ, Moreno AC, Qing Y, Lee JJ, Johnson FM, Lango MN, Barbon CEA, Tripuraneni L, Sahli A, Piper V, Gross N, Fuller CD, Lai SY, Myers JN, Hutcheson KA. Revisiting Feeding Tube Utilization in Oropharynx Cancer: 6-Year Prospective Registry Analysis. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 170(5):1319-1330, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38353360.
- Zeng PYF, Prokopec SD, Lai SY, Pinto N, Chan-Seng-Yue MA, Clifton-Bligh R, Williams MD, Howlett CJ, Plantinga P, Cecchini MJ, Lam AK, Siddiqui I, Wang J, Sun RX, Watson JD, Korah R, Carling T, Agrawal N, Cipriani N, Ball D, Nelkin B, Rooper LM, Bishop JA, Garnis C, Berean K, Nicolson NG, Weinberger P, Henderson YC, Lalansingh CM, Tian M, Yamaguchi TN, Livingstone J, Salcedo A, Patel K, Vizeacoumar F, Datti A, Xi L, Nikiforov YE, Smallridge R, Copland JA, Marlow LA, Hyrcza MD, Delbridge L, Sidhu S, Sywak M, Robinson B, Fung K, Ghasemi F, Kwan K, MacNeil SD, Mendez A, Palma DA, Khan MI, Shaikh M, Ruicci KM, Wehrli B, Winquist E, Yoo J, Mymryk JS, Rocco JW, Wheeler D, Scherer S, Giordano TJ, Barrett JW, Faquin WC, Gill AJ, Clayman G, Boutros PC, Nichols AC. The genomic and evolutionary landscapes of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. Cell Rep 43(3):113826, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38412093.
- Hansen NJ, Woodman K, Buoy S, Mao S, Barbon CEA, Lai SY, Fuller CD, Hutcheson KA, Sanchez B. Tongue electrical impedance myography correlates with functional, neurophysiologic, and clinical outcome measures in long-term oropharyngeal cancer survivors with and without hypoglossal neuropathy: An exploratory study. Head Neck 46(3):581-591, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38133080.
- Khoury, M, Guertin, W, Hao, C, Saltychev, M, Ayad, T, Bissada, E, Christopoulos, A, Moubayed, SP, Olivier, MJ, Chepeha, DB, Lai, SY, Maniakas, A. Canadian French Translation and Validation of the Neck Dissection Impairment Index. J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 53, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38899627.
- Sandulache VC, Kirby RP, Lai SY. Moving from conventional to adaptive risk stratification for oropharyngeal cancer. Front Oncol 14:1287010, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38549938.
- Turner N, Hamidi S, Ouni R, Rico R, Henderson YC, Puche M, Alekseev S, Colunga-Minutti JG, Zafereo ME, Lai SY, Kim ST, Cabanillas ME, Nurieva R. Emerging therapeutic options for follicular-derived thyroid cancer in the era of immunotherapy. Front Immunol 15:1369780, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38868771.
- Choi KY, Hao Q, Carlisle K, Hollenbeak CS, Lai SY. Cost-Effectiveness of [99mTc]Tilmanocept Relative to [99mTc]Sulfur Colloid for Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Early Stage Oral Cavity Cancer. Ann Surg Oncol 30(12):7689-7698, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37556007.
- Tanco K, Olson A, Fellman B, Jankowski M, Lai SY, Shete S, Harbison K, Scheid J, Bruera E. Analysis of Dispensing and Utilization Patterns of Medical Cannabis Products in State Licensed Cannabis Dispensaries. J Palliat Med 26(11):1482-1487, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37285183.
- Joint Head and Neck Radiation Therapy-MRI Development Cooperative, MR-Linac Consortium Head and Neck Tumor Site Group, El-Habashy DM, Wahid KA, He R, McDonald B, Rigert J, Mulder SJ, Lim TY, Wang X, Yang J, Ding Y, Naser MA, Ng SP, Bahig H, Salzillo TC, Preston KE, Abobakr M, Shehata MA, Elkhouly EA, Alagizy HA, Hegazy AH, Mohammadseid M, Terhaard C, Philippens M, Rosenthal DI, Wang J, Lai SY, Dresner A, Christodouleas JC, Radwan Mohamed AS, Fuller CD. Longitudinal diffusion and volumetric kinetics of head and neck cancer magnetic resonance on a 1.5 T MR-linear accelerator hybrid system: A prospective R-IDEAL stage 2a imaging biomarker characterization/pre-qualification study. Clin Transl Radiat Oncol 42:100666, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37583808.
- Reber B, Van Dijk L, Anderson B, Mohamed ASR, Fuller C, Lai S, Brock K. Comparison of Machine-Learning and Deep-Learning Methods for the Prediction of Osteoradionecrosis Resulting From Head and Neck Cancer Radiation Therapy. Adv Radiat Oncol 8(4):101163, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36798732.
- Lu L, Wang JR, Henderson YC, Bai S, Yang J, Hu M, Shiau CK, Pan T, Yan Y, Tran TM, Li J, Kieser R, Zhao X, Wang J, Nurieva R, Williams MD, Cabanillas ME, Dadu R, Busaidy NL, Zafereo M, Navin N, Lai SY, Gao R. Anaplastic transformation in thyroid cancer revealed by single-cell transcriptomics. J Clin Invest 133(11), 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37053016.
- Mohamed ASR, Abusaif A, He R, Wahid KA, Salama V, Youssef S, McDonald BA, Naser M, Ding Y, Salzillo TC, AboBakr MA, Wang J, Lai SY, Fuller CD. Prospective validation of diffusion-weighted MRI as a biomarker of tumor response and oncologic outcomes in head and neck cancer: Results from an observational biomarker pre-qualification study. Radiother Oncol 183:109641, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36990394.
- Yu W, Chen Y, Putluri N, Osman A, Coarfa C, Putluri V, Kamal AHM, Asmussen JK, Katsonis P, Myers JN, Lai SY, Lu W, Stephan CC, Powell RT, Johnson FM, Skinner HD, Kazi J, Ahmed KM, Hu L, Threet A, Meyer MD, Bankson JA, Wang T, Davis J, Parker KR, Harris MA, Baek ML, Echeverria GV, Qi X, Wang J, Frederick AI, Walsh AJ, Lichtarge O, Frederick MJ, Sandulache VC. Evolution of cisplatin resistance through coordinated metabolic reprogramming of the cellular reductive state. Br J Cancer 128(11):2013-2024, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37012319.
- Yao CMK, Jozaghi Y, Danker S, Karami R, Asaad M, Lai SY, Hanna EY, Esmaeli B, Gidley PW, Chang EI. The combined profunda artery perforator-gracilis flap for immediate facial reanimation and resurfacing of the radical parotidectomy defect. Microsurgery 43(4):309-315, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36541252.
- Naser MA, Wahid KA, Ahmed S, Salama V, Dede C, Edwards BW, Lin R, McDonald B, Salzillo TC, He R, Ding Y, Abdelaal MA, Thill D, O'Connell N, Willcut V, Christodouleas JP, Lai SY, Fuller CD, Mohamed ASR. Quality assurance assessment of intra-acquisition diffusion-weighted and T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging registration and contour propagation for head and neck cancer radiotherapy. Med Phys 50(4):2089-2099, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36519973.
- Donohoe KJ, Carroll BJ, Chung DKV, Dibble EH, Diego E, Giammarile F, Grant FD, Lai SY, Linden H, Miller ME, Pandit-Taskar N, Tawa NE, Vidal-Sicart S. Summary: Appropriate Use Criteria for Lymphoscintigraphy in Sentinel Node Mapping and Lymphedema/Lipedema. J Nucl Med 64(4):525-528, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36958856.
- Zhao X, Wang JR, Dadu R, Busaidy NL, Xu L, Learned KO, Chasen NN, Vu T, Maniakas A, Eguia AA, Diersing J, Gross ND, Goepfert R, Lai SY, Hofmann MC, Ferrarotto R, Lu C, Gunn GB, Spiotto MT, Subbiah V, Williams MD, Cabanillas ME, Zafereo ME. Surgery After BRAF-Directed Therapy Is Associated with Improved Survival in BRAFV600E Mutant Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer: A Single-Center Retrospective Cohort Study. Thyroid 33(4):484-491, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36762947.
- Chen YH, Cabanillas M, Sperling J, Xu L, Goswami M, Maniakas A, Williams MD, Lai SY, Busaidy N, Dadu R, Zafereo ME, Wang JR. Prior Thyroid and Nonthyroid Cancer History Do Not Significantly Alter Overall Survival in Patients Diagnosed with Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer. Thyroid 33(3):321-329, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36511380.
- Wilde DC, Kansara S, Banner L, Morlen R, Hernandez D, Huang AT, Mai W, Fuller CD, Lai S, Sandulache VC. Early detection of mandible osteoradionecrosis risk in a high comorbidity veteran population. Am J Otolaryngol 44(2):103781, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36640532.
- Hemmati M, Barbon C, Mohamed ASR, van Dijk LV, Moreno AC, Gross ND, Goepfert RP, Lai SY, Hutcheson KA, Schaefer AJ, Fuller CD. Optimized decision support for selection of transoral robotic surgery or (chemo)radiation therapy based on posttreatment swallowing toxicity. Cancer Med 12(4):5088-5098, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36229990.
Invited Articles
- Cabanillas, ME, Akhave, NS, Banuchi, VE, Busaidy, NL, Dadu, R, Ferrarotto, R, Gunn, GB, Hamidi, S, Hofmann, M, Hosseini, SM, Iyer, PC, Lai, SY, Lee, A, Maniakas, A, Ning, M, Spiotto, MT, Wang, RJ, Williams, MD, Zafereo, M. Reimagining the Therapeutic Approach for Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer. Thyroid 35(5):462-470, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40388579.
- Mohamad I, Glaun MDE, Prabhash K, Busheri A, Lai SY, Noronha V, Hosni A. Current Treatment Strategies and Risk Stratification for Oral Carcinoma. Am Soc Clin Oncol Educ Book 43:e389810, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37200591.
Abstracts
- Choi, KY, Hao, Q, Carlisle, K, Hollenbeak, CS, Lai, SY. ASO Visual Abstract. Ann Surg Oncol 30(12):7699, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37592087.
Letters to the Editor
- Lai SY, Fuller CD, Frank SJ. Analyzing the Risk of Osteoradionecrosis For Intensity-Modulated Photon vs Proton Therapy in Oropharyngeal Carcinoma. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 152: 542-543, 2026.
- Lai SY, Fuller CD, Frank SJ. Analyzing the Risk of Osteoradionecrosis For Intensity-Modulated Photon vs Proton Therapy in Oropharyngeal Carcinoma. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 152: 542-543, 2026.
- Fuller, C, Brock, K, Hutcheson, KA, Lai, SY. In Regard to Hanna et al. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 124: 229-230, 2026.
- Schilling, C, Sahovaler, A, Lai, SY. Sentinel Node Biopsy in Oral Cancer-Indications, Analysis, and Outcomes. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 150: 634, 2024.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified September 09, 2026