# Dr. Uppaluri Named Professor of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery July 01, 2025 ![Headshot of Dr. Uppaluri](/sites/g/files/omnuum8391/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/2025-07/Dr.%20Uppaluri%20Headshot%20BWH.jpg?itok=Qp6zL6m-) [Ravindra Uppaluri, MD, PhD,](https://physiciandirectory.brighamandwomens.org/details/13063/ravindra-uppaluri-otolaryngology_ears_nose_and_throat-boston) formerly Division Chief, Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery at Brigham and Women's Hospital, has been promoted to Professor of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Uppaluri is an accomplished surgeon-scientist and leader in the field of head and neck surgical oncology. He completed his MD and PhD degrees at the University of Minnesota School of Medicine in 1995, with his doctoral research focused on genetics under the mentorship of Howard C. Towle, PhD. He then matriculated into the prestigious Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery residency program at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, where he later joined the faculty and earned tenure as an Associate Professor. Dr. Uppaluri was recruited to Brigham and Women’s Hospital in 2016 and served as the chief of the Division of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery until October 2025 when the new Mass General Brigham Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery was established. He also directs the Head and Neck Surgical Oncology Group at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Throughout his career, Dr. Uppaluri has earned a national reputation for providing high-quality, compassionate care to patients with complex head and neck cancers. A dedicated clinician and innovator, Dr. Uppaluri has been at the forefront of incorporating immunotherapy into the surgical management of head and neck cancer. In 2014, he launched the first investigator initiated Phase 2 trial of perioperative immunotherapy using pembrolizumab in resectable locally advanced head and neck cancer patients. He has since co-led additional perioperative immunotherapy trials investigating additional immune checkpoint inhibitors in both newly diagnosed and salvage surgery head and neck cancer settings. His early-phase research laid the foundation for KEYNOTE-689—an international phase 3 trial of neoadjuvant and adjuvant pembrolizumab in surgically managed head and neck cancers. The positive findings from this trial were published in *The New England Journal of Medicine* and led to US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of the use of perioperative pembrolizumab in resectable locally advanced head and neck cancer patients. This is the first change in the standard of care in this setting in over two decades. Dr. Uppaluri leads a National Institutes of Health funded research program that has included an R01 focused on neoantigen-driven immunotherapeutic responses and a U01 grant exploring resistance mechanisms to immunotherapy. His scholarly contributions include more than 90 peer-reviewed research articles in high-impact publications, and his work is frequently cited in both academic and clinical contexts. A valued mentor and educator, Dr. Uppaluri has trained more than 30 mentees across various stages of their careers, including residents, postdoctoral fellows and junior faculty. He is also a committed surgical educator, having won multiple teaching awards and regularly guiding trainees in the operating room at Brigham and Women’s and Dana-Farber. In addition to his clinical and research responsibilities, Dr. Uppaluri is deeply engaged in institutional service. He has led multiple faculty searches, contributed to interdepartmental recruitment efforts and served in national leadership roles, including advisory boards for major cancer centers and the National Cancer Institute Head and Neck Steering Committee. “Dr. Uppaluri’s unwavering commitment to innovation, mentorship, and scientific discovery continues to shape the future of head and neck cancer care,” said Mark A. Varvares, MD, FACS, Chair of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery at Mass Eye and Ear and Harvard Medical School. “His promotion to Professor at Harvard Medical School is a well-deserved recognition of his exceptional contributions, and we are proud to celebrate this milestone in his career.” Share on:- [ Facebook ](#) - [ Twitter ](#) - [ Linkedin ](#)