Dear Friends and Colleagues,
August was a strong month for our Department, and this issue of Otovation captures work that spans discovery, clinical care, and the communities we serve.
On the science side, our teams continue to push toward restoring natural hearing. The “From ear to ear” feature highlights precision gene therapy aimed at repairing malfunctioning cells in the inner ear. Early results in deaf models are encouraging for genetic hearing loss and point toward broader applications ahead. We also feature a major publication this month: a global consensus on the management of primary localized chordoma, work that reflects the depth of our cranial base and head and neck programs.
We are growing in the right places. We continue to welcome new faculty who strengthen our clinical and research enterprise, including colleagues who bridge neurotology and emerging tools in AI. On the training side, we greet a new class of residents and fellows. The profiles in this issue are a good window into why outstanding trainees continue to choose UPMC: rigorous surgical exposure across subspecialties, real research opportunity, and supervised autonomy.
Outreach remains central to our mission. The Pittsburgh Hearing Institute has received a $1.5 million grant from the Edith L. Trees Charitable Trust ($500,000 per year for three years) to advance hearing health care for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. That investment will help close a gap many of our patients and families know too well.
Finally, Pitt’s place again among the top 2% of universities worldwide is a reminder of the environment in which this work happens. I am grateful to every faculty member, trainee, scientist, and staff colleague who makes that possible.
I hope you find this issue interesting. As always, thank you for what you bring to our patients and to each other.
José P. Zevallos, MD, MPH, FACS
The Eugene N. Myers, MD Professor and Chair
Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery
Deputy Director, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine