What Do We Support?

The Alando J. Ballantyne Resident Research Pilot Grant memorializes Alando J. Ballantyne, M.D., a giving teacher, dedicated surgeon, and a devoted husband and father. 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, non-renewable, $20,000 maximum total costs. One award available per year unless otherwise noted.

2024 Ballantyne Resident Research Grant Award Winners: Lauran Kazuko Evans, MD, MPH and Tolani Olonisakin, MD, PhD

Learn more about Dr. Alando J. Ballantyne and past award winners.

Learn more about the Alando J. Ballantyne Resident Research Pilot Grant.

A founding member of AHNS and the visionary behind the Sydney Head and Neck Cancer Institute, Dr. O’Brien left an indelible mark on the specialty. Following his courageous battle with brain cancer, he passed away in 2009.

The Chris O’Brien Award, honoring the memory of Dr. O’Brien, funds a prestigious lecture at the International Conference on Head and Neck Cancer every three years, celebrating his contributions to the field. It also supports the Chris O’Brien Traveling Scholar Award, enabling a young head and neck surgeon to advance their education in the U.S. or Australia/New Zealand.

Learn more about Dr. Chris O’Brien, the grant, and past award winners.

The Investigator Award, presented by the American Head and Neck Society (AHNS) in collaboration with the American Academy of Otolaryngology, supports early-career researchers dedicated to advancing the understanding and treatment of neoplastic diseases of the head and neck.

This prestigious award honors the legacy of Dr. Duane Sewell, a renowned surgeon-scientist and immunologist whose passion for research and patient care left a lasting impact on the field. This award is open to AHNS fellows and assistant professors (must be an AHNS member), to support research in neoplastic disease of the head and neck. $50,000 maximum ($20,000 year 1, $30,000 year 2 – AHNS). One award available per year.

2023 Young Investigator Award Winners: Katherine Wai, MD and Michael Topf, MD

Learn more about Dr. Duane Sewell and past award winners.

Learn more about the Young Investigator Research Development Award.

The Robert Maxwell Byers Award, in the amount of $1000, is for the best clinical or basic science research paper submitted for presentation at the annual meeting of the American Head and Neck Society.

2024 Robert Maxwell Byers Award Winners: Camaren M. Cuenca and David J. Fei-Zhang

2018: Caitlin P. McMullen, MD
2017: Kendall K Tasche, MD
2015: Brian Nussenbaum, MD
2014: Ardalan Ebrahimi, MPH, MD

In honor of the late Dr. Eduardo “Eddie” Méndez, prominent physician-scientist, this award award is intended to expose an under-represented minority medical student to the field of Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery. Students with an interest in exposure to head and neck oncologic research are encouraged to apply. 

The Dr. Eddie Mendez Fellowship awardee will receive $10,000. The recipient is expected to work with their research mentor to create a budget related to their proposed research. It is expected that a portion of the budget be used for travel expenses to the AHNS annual meeting. The remaining funds may be used at the discretion of the recipient and mentor.

Learn more about Dr. Eddie Méndez and the past award winners.

Learn more about the Dr. Eddie Mendez Fellowship Award.

The purpose of this award is to support contemporary basic or clinical research focused on neoplastic disease by full time academic head and neck surgeons; to promote novel translational research preferably with biomarker ideas. Awardees will receive up to $100,000 over 24 months in support of the awardees research.

Learn more about the Translational Innovator Award.

Previous Award Winners

2018: Travis P. Schrank, MD, PhD
2016: Matthew Spector, MD
2015: Jose Zavallos, MD
2014: Seungwon Kim, MD
2013: Luc Morris, MD

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, $20,000.00.

2024 Pilot Research Grant Winner: Radhika Duggal, MD

Learn more about the AHNS Pilot Grant.

The Diversity Summer Fellowship was founded by generous contributions from Drs. Eugene and Jeffrey Myers whose commitment to increasing diversity in the ranks of head and neck cancer surgeons is made manifest by this fellowship.

The Fellowship offers trainees from traditionally under-represented minority backgrounds the chance to work in a Department of Academic Excellence in Head and Neck Surgical Oncology that has an approved Fellowship Training Program from the Advanced Training Council of the AHNS. Awardees will be assigned to a clinical faculty mentor and will rotate on his or her clinical service. Summer fellows will also have the opportunity to perform basic, translational, clinical, or population based research under the guidance of a chosen/assigned research mentor.

Current Myers Family Summer Diversity Fellowship Award Winners:

The Randal Weber Best award recognizes the best manuscript submission each year that advances value, quality, and safety in head and neck oncology. This is a $1,000 award (maximum total costs) for one year, and it is non-renewable. One award is available per year.

2024 Randal Weber Best Paper Award Winner: Elif Baran

Past Award Winners:

2023: Shannon Wu, MD and Eric Lamarre, MD
2022: Nathan Farrokhian
2019: Shaum Sridharan, MD

Open to surgeons beginning a clinician-scientist career track to support research in the pathogenesis, pathophysiology, diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of head and neck neoplastic disease. This is a $70,000 award (maximum total costs) for two years, payable as $35,000 per year. One award is available per year.

Award Winners:

2009:  Neil Gross, MD
2007: Maie St. John, MD, PhD
2005: Jeffrey Moyer, MD