Dear AHNS members,

The American Head and Neck Society will sponsor eight research grants for 2022 which are available through American Academy of Otolaryngology CORE. We are also excited to announce that 3 new AHNS Presidential Award funding mechanisms that are now available focused on:

• Understanding Long-Term and Late Toxicities of Treatment in Head and Neck Cancer
• Understanding Treatment Resistance in Head and Neck Cancer
• AHNS Presidential Award: Head and Neck Cancer in Underserved Populations

The Letters of Intent (LOI) for the Grants are due by 11:59 EST on Friday, December 17, 2021.

1. AHNS.AAO-HNSF Young Investigator Combined Award – Open to fellows and assistant professors. Must be AHNS member (may be candidate member). To support research in neoplastic disease of the head and neck. Up to two years, $20,000 per year. One award available per year.
2. AHNS/AAO-HNSF Translational Innovator Award – Applicants must have completed residency or fellowship training in seven years or less prior to submitting application. Candidates need to have demonstrated the capacity or potential for a highly productive independent research career with an emphasis in head and neck surgical oncology. Two years, non-renewable, $80,000 maximum ($40,000 per year), one available annually.
3. AHNS Pilot Grant – Open to Medical Students, residents or M.D, faculty members at the rank of associate professor or below residing in the U.S. or Canada to support basic, translational, or clinical research projects in head and neck oncology. One year, $10,000.00. One award available this year.
4. AHNS Ballantyne Resident Research Pilot Grant – for best grant application by a resident, this award utilizes the same forms and guidelines as the pilot grant (above). One year, non-renewable, $10,000 maximum total costs. One award available per year. The top ranked pilot award will be honored as the Ballantyne Award.
5. AHNS Endocrine Surgery Section Stryker Research Grant – Open to medical students focusing in otolaryngology, otolaryngology residents, PhDs or faculty members in otolaryngology departments. Research topics must relate to endocrine surgery or disease. Preference will be given to early-stage investigators (10 years or less from a terminal degree or fellowship training) or more experienced researchers pursuing a new line of inquiry for which pilot data are needed. One year, $10,000.00. One award available this year.
6. AHNS Presidential Award: Understanding Long-Term and Late Toxicities of Treatment in Head and Neck Cancer – Candidates for this award should reside in the U.S. or Canada, be medical students, residents, PhDs or faculty members at the rank of associate professor or below and be an AHNS member in good standing. Previous AHNS or AAO-HNS Foundation research grant recipients are eligible to compete for this grant. Candidates who have applied for support of the same research from other funding sources, and who are notified of an award from both another agency and from AHNS must choose only one of the awards. Applications submitted by ineligible PIs will NOT be reviewed by the CORE Study Section. One year, $10,000. One award available.
7. AHNS Presidential Award: Understanding Treatment Resistance in Head and Neck Cancer – Candidates for this award should reside in the U.S. or Canada, be medical students, residents, PhDs or faculty members at the rank of associate professor or below and be an AHNS member in good standing. Previous AHNS or AAO-HNS Foundation research grant recipients are eligible to compete for this grant. Candidates who have applied for support of the same research from other funding sources, and who are notified of an award from both another agency and from AHNS must choose only one of the awards. Applications submitted by ineligible PIs will NOT be reviewed by the CORE Study Section. One year, $10,000. One award available.
8. AHNS Presidential Award: Head and Neck Cancer in Underserved Populations- Candidates for this award should reside in the U.S. or Canada, be medical students, residents, PhDs or faculty members at the rank of associate professor or below and be an AHNS member in good standing. Previous AHNS or AAO-HNS Foundation research grant recipients are eligible to compete for this grant. Candidates who have applied for support of the same research from other funding sources, and who are notified of an award from both another agency and from AHNS must choose only one of the awards. Applications submitted by ineligible PIs will NOT be reviewed by the CORE Study Section.

You may find general information about the AHNS grants by visiting the website: https://www.ahns.info/research/grants/

Applicants interested in applying for the AHNS grants must submit their applications through the Academy CORE (combined otolaryngologic research evaluation) process. Letters of intent and applications are paperless and submitted through proposal Central. https://proposalcentral.com/GrantOpportunities.asp?GMID=13

Reminder: You must complete the Letter of Intent before submitting the full grant. You will not be penalized if you submit an LOI and decide not to complete a full grant.

Margaret F. Butler Outstanding Mentor of Women in Head and Neck Surgery Award

The American Head and Neck Society and the Women in Head and Neck Surgery Service are soliciting nominations for the Margaret F. Butler Outstanding Mentor of Women in Head and Neck Surgery Award.

Dr. Margaret Butler was the first female otolaryngology chair in the United States. In 1906, she was appointed Chair of Ear, Nose and Throat at Women’s Medical College of Pennsylvania. As a respected otolaryngologist and an ambassador of the specialty, Dr. Butler provided a blueprint for generations of future female otolaryngologists. The purpose of this Award is to recognize individuals who have demonstrated leadership in promoting gender diversity in the field of Head and Neck Surgery and its related endeavors. A secondary goal is to encourage the training and mentorship of future women leaders in our specialty.

Individuals nominated for this award will have the following qualities:

1. Has demonstrated leadership and a consistent track record of promoting gender diversity and equity in head and neck surgery, and its related fields.

2. Has consistently supported and promoted women in head and neck surgery and its related endeavors, as well as mentoring individuals through merit-based career advancements and promotions.

3. Has measurable impact in the promotion of women in head and neck surgery and its related fields, i.e. career advancement of mentees, mentorship in publications and research, etc.

4. Present or past member of the AHNS is preferred but not required.

Submission requires a nomination letter with a second supporting letter from an AHNS member and the nominee’s CV/Resume, to be uploaded with the application.

Nominations will be accepted until December 10, 2021 at 5:00PM EST. Only one application will be accepted per nominee.

Submit A Nominee

The Winner will be honored at the Women in Head and Neck Surgery Reception at the AHNS Annual Meeting at COSM, April 27-28, 2022, and receive $1,500 towards conference registration and travel.

Previous Award Winners
2019 – Marion Couch, MD, PhD, MBA
2020 – Cherie-Ann Nathan, MD, FACS
2021 – Lisa Orloff, MD, FACS

Thank you for your submissions!

Amy Anne Lassig, MD, MS and Karen Y. Choi, MD

Co-Chairs, Margaret F. Butler Outstanding Mentor of Women in Head and Neck Surgery Award

AHNS Virtual Tumor Board

Presented by the Curriculum Maintenance & Development Service

Thyroid: Good, Bad, Ugly

Wednesday, November 3, 2021
7:00pm Eastern / 6:00pm Central / 5:00pm Mountain / 4:00pm Pacific

Faculty/Cases:
Elizabeth Cottrill, MD – Thomas Jefferson University
– “Manageable” papillary thyroid carcinoma

Jennifer Brooks Fontanarosa, MD – University of Rochester Med Center
– Adult with medullary thyroid carcinoma

Tanya Fancy, MD – West Virginia University
– Anaplastic/poorly differentiated carcinoma

Discussants:
David Terris, MD – Augusta University
Mark Zafereo, MD – MD Anderson Cancer Center

Registration Now Open

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with details for joining the meeting on the 3rd.

Presented by the AHNS Curriculum Development & Maintenance Service (CDMS), this series of Virtual Tumor Boards was initially created for AHNS-Accredited Fellowship programs as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, to maintain the level of education which the AHNS Fellows routinely receive during their training.

CDMS Chair: Babak Givi, MD / Co-Chair: Michael Moore, MD / Secretary: Arnaud Bewley, MD

Access Archived Virtual Tumor Boards  by clicking here –  American Head & Neck Society (ahns.info)