Established in 2001, the Albert C. Muse Prize recognizes the world’s leaders in the fields of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology. Alternating between these two fields each year, this prestigious honor celebrates individuals who have made significant advancements in research and patient care within these two specialties. In 2018, a second honor, the Albert C. Muse Award, was established to recognize individuals who, through innovation and service, have made significant contributions to the Pittsburgh region. We are pleased to honor the 2025 Muse recipients, Mark L. Urken, MD, FACS, FACE and Carl H. Snyderman, MD, MBA.
This year’s Muse Prize Dinner and Ceremony will take place on Tuesday, December 9, 2025.
The 2025 Albert C. Muse Recipients for Excellence in Otolaryngology
The 2025 Albert C. Muse Prize for Excellence in Research and Advancement of Care in Otolaryngology Honoree:
Mark L. Urken, MD, FACS, FACE
Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Chief, Division of Head and Neck Surgical Oncology
Co-Director, Head and Neck Surgery Fellowship
Medical Director and Founder
THANC (Thyroid, Head and Neck Cancer) Foundation
Dr. Urken is the Founder and Medical Advisor of the THANC Foundation. He received his medical degree from the University of Virginia School of Medicine and then completed two years of general surgery training on the Tufts Surgical Service in Boston and three years of surgical specialty training in Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center.
He completed his fellowship at Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh, where he trained in microvascular reconstructive surgery of the head and neck. Following his training, Dr. Urken moved up the academic ranks to full professor and then served as the Chairman of the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the Mount Sinai Medical Center. In 2004, he was recruited to join the Continuum Cancer Centers of New York as the Director of Head and Neck Surgical Oncology of the Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery of Mount Sinai Downtown.
In addition to publishing 340 articles in peer-reviewed journals and over 32 chapters on a variety of topics in head and neck and thyroid surgery, Dr. Urken’s 3 textbooks and his video series on head and neck reconstruction are definitive resources on this subject.
Dr. Urken holds 2 patents, along with coinvestigators, related to the development of a novel communication and documentation software program using 3D optical scanning of surgical specimens and defects. The software program, known as Margin View 3D, holds the promise to revolutionize frozen section analysis and permanent pathology reporting.
The 2025 Albert C. Muse Award for Excellence in Innovation and Service in Otolaryngology Honoree:
Carl H. Snyderman, MD, MBA
Vice Chair, Quality & Patient Safety
Professor, Departments of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Neurological Surgery, and Bioengineering
Co-Director, UPMC Center for Cranial Base Surgery
Co-Director, CREATES
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Dr. Snyderman and his neurosurgery colleagues are pioneers in the development of minimally invasive endoscopic surgical techniques for the treatment of skull base and sinus tumors. The UPMC Center for Cranial Base Surgery is considered a world leader in this type of surgery and attracts patients nationwide and internationally. Areas of clinical interest include tumors and other conditions of the skull base, orbital tumors, sinonasal tumors, and inflammatory disease of the sinonasal region. Dr. Snyderman is a Past-President of the North American Skull Base Society and continues to develop new surgical approaches and technology for skull base surgery.
Dr. Snyderman has been a pioneer in the education and training of skull base surgeons over the last 25 years. He is the editor of multiple textbooks and founded a free educational website (www.skullbasecongress.com), which provides a global community for skull base surgery. He is recognized by the American College of Surgeons Academy of Master Surgeon Educators and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine’s Academy of Distinguished Medical Educators. In collaboration with vision scientists from the Department of Ophthalmology, Dr. Snyderman is currently studying visual cognition to improve pattern recognition during endoscopic surgery.
Dr. Snyderman is a founding and advisory board member of Pittsburgh CREATES, a pipeline for surgical innovation. He has a secondary appointment in Bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering and has multiple patents related to surgical innovation. Dr. Snyderman is the founder and Chief Technology Officer of Respair, Inc., a Pittsburgh-based medical device manufacturing company that develops and builds airway devices to optimize clinical workflows and improve patient outcomes across critical care, starting with airway management.