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Head and Neck Oncology Faculty & Fellow

Our people are the heart of our program. From the reception desk to the exam room, from administration office to faculty office you will find our people eager to help you become the best otolaryngologist you can be.

At Iowa, you will be exposed to some of the best clinicians, researchers and teachers in our profession. We provide high-powered opportunities for you to learn career-long lessons from these dedicated professionals.

 

 

Rodrigo Bayon, portrait
Rodrigo Bayon, MD

Associate Professor
Head & Neck Oncology

Rodrigo Bayon, MD earned his medical degree from the University of South Florida. He completed his residency in Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery at Northwestern University andsubsequently completed a fellowship in Head & Neck Oncology & Reconstructive Surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona. He is developing a trans-oral robotic surgical program (TORS). Dr. Bayon joined the faculty at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in July of 2011.


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Marisa Buchakjian, portrait
Marisa Buchakjian, MD, PhD

Assistant Professor
Head & Neck Oncology


The newest member of the Oncology team, Dr. Buchakjian, earned her medical degree from Duke University, school of Medicine and completed a Ph.D. in Molecular Cancer Biology during her training. She went on to complete the T32 residency at the University of Iowa with research focusing on mouse models of cancer and subsequently trained at the University of Michigan in Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery. She joined the UIHC Otolaryngology faculty in 2019 as a surgeon-scientist, with interests in free flap reconstruction, robotics, and head and neck cancer metabolism.

 Dr. Buchakjian leads a basic science lab, as part of the UI's Metastasis Research Group, looking at cancer metabolism. She is also involved in two clinical trials: she sequences DNA and RNA from tumor samples to better understand the genetic pathways of oral cavity cancer and works with colleagues to measure micro-RNA levels from saliva andbone samples in patients and correlates them to surgical healing and cancer outcomes.

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Kristi Chang MD
Associate Professor
Head & Neck Oncology
Co-Director Residency Program


Kristi Chang, MD earned her medical degree from the University of Southern California. She remained there to complete her residency in Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery at the Keck School of Medicine, USC. Dr. Chang then moved to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics during the summer of 2002 to begin her fellowship in Head and Neck Oncology and Reconstructive Surgery, after which she was offered a faculty appointment.

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Nitin A. Pagedar, portrait
Nitin Pagedar MD, MPH

Associate Professor
Head & Neck Oncology

Nitin Pagedar, MD received his medical training from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. He completed an internship and residency at Case Western and then completed a fellowship in Head & Neck Oncologic and Reconstructive Surgery at the University of Toronto from in 2007-2008. Dr. Pagedar’s research interests include: outcomes of head and neck reconstructive surgery, utility of PET/ CT scanning for staging of head and neck cancer, voice alteration after thyroidectomy, maxillary reconstruction  and education in microvascular reconstructive surgery.

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Current Head and Neck Oncology Fellow


Rahul Gulati, MD


Education
Medical School: Rutgers New Jersey Medical School 

Hometown
Woodbridge, New Jersey 

Medical School
Rutgers New Jersey Medical School 


Why Iowa
 
Robust operative experience, excellent faculty with diverse training, variety of research opportunities. 

Hobbies
Golf, tennis, guitar, snowboarding