Uttam Sinha MD

Dr. Uttam Sinha graduated with distinction from Calcutta University, India in 1985. He was invited by the House Ear Institute and University of Southern California where he started his research career in molecular biology of neuroscience and cancer. He then finished his residency in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at USC. He continued to pursue an academic career and completed a clinical fellowship in Microvascular and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Mount Sinai Hospital, New York. He then went to Leon, France to complete a clinical fellowship in laryngology. Subsequently, he joined the faculty of the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at USC. Because of his academic achievements, leadership, teaching, and research, he became the Chief and Residency Program Director for the department.

His major areas of research are head and neck cancer, thyroid cancer, plastic and reconstructive surgery, trauma, and speech and swallowing. By using nanotechnology, Dr. Sinha and his team are able to detect cancer cells in the saliva and serum. He is also studying the mechanism of metastasis. Dysphagia (difficulty in swallowing) is a common symptom following head and neck cancer therapy.

Dr. Sinha and his team introduced a novel treatment called neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) for the rehabilitation of swallowing using a new “platform” technology called BION. He received multiple federal and foundation grants. His dedication to patient care and research made him a world authority in head and neck diseases. To further the research endeavors, Dr. Sinha has established collaboration with multiple national and international institutes from England, France, India, China, and Mexico.