Highlights

Welcome to our newly announced 2025 Clinical Instructors and Fellows!

Christophe Abi Zeid Daou, MD
Fellow
Pediatric Otolaryngology

Abdullah AlDaihani, MD, B. Med. SC
Clinical Instructor
Laryngology

Jacquelyn Callander, MD
Clinical Instructor
Rhinology

Catherine (Po Ling) Chan, MBChB
Clinical Instructor
Head & Neck Surgery

Tatiana Correa, MD, MPH
Clinical Instructor
Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery

Perla Villamor, MD
Clinical Instructor
Pediatric Otolaryngology

Thomas Young, MBBS, DDS,
Clinical Instructor

Sleep Surgery

Emily Zhang, MD
Clinical Instructor
Head & Neck Surgery

2025 Clinical Instructors and Fellow Bios

Christophe Abi Zeid Daou, MD

Dr. Christophe Abi Zeid Daou is a Fellow in Pediatric Otolaryngology. He completed his residency in Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at the American University of Beirut and is interested in pediatric surgery and reconstructive procedures. Dr. Daou is passionate about research and has numerous publications spanning surgical outcomes, evidence-based practice, and emerging technologies in ENT.

Abdullah AlDaihani, MD, B.Med. SC

Dr. AlDaihani is a Clinical Instructor in Laryngology. He is a Royal College of Surgeons of Canada-certified otolaryngologist who obtained his medical degree from Kuwait University, did his residency at Dalhousie University, and completed a research fellowship at the University of Toronto. Passionate about voice, airway, and swallowing disorders, Dr. AlDaihani is committed to advancing laryngology through research and global collaboration. Outside of medicine, he is an avid filmmaker who loves telling stories that explore human connections and culture.

Jacquelyn Callander, MD

Dr. Callander is a Clinical Instructor in Rhinology. Originally from Toms River, New Jersey, she completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania, and medical school and residency at the University of California San Francisco. She’s passionate about research exploring biomarkers of type 2 inflammation in chronic rhinosinusitis, the genomic landscape of inverted papilloma, skull base surgery outcomes, and gender disparities in academic medicine. Outside of the hospital, she loves running and road racing, skiing, and podcast-listening. She especially enjoys spending time with her husband and dog, exploring trails, or relaxing at home.

Catherine (Po Ling) Chan, MBChB

Dr. Chan is a Clinical Instructor in Head & Neck Surgery. Born and raised in Hong Kong, she obtained her undergraduate medical degree from The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and completed her residency in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery at Prince of Wales Hospital, a teaching hospital affiliated with CUHK. Always intrigued by the field of engineering, she completed her Master of Research on Medical Robotics and Image-Guided Intervention with first honors at Imperial College London. Outside of work, Dr. Chan enjoys hiking and playing basketball, volleyball, and handball. 

Tatiana Correa, MD, MPH

Dr. Correa is a Clinical Instructor in Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. She completed her residency at the University of Iowa and has clinical and research interests in facial reconstruction, cosmetic surgery, and peripheral nerve regeneration. Dr. Correa is especially passionate about innovation and bringing new ideas from the clinic to the lab. Outside of work, she loves spending time with her husband, their two boys, and giant dog Oso—usually outside or working on a DIY project.

Perla Villamor, MD

Dr. Villamor is a Clinical Instructor in Pediatric Otolaryngology. She completed her medical and specialty training in Colombia, followed by a two-year fellowship in Pediatric ENT in Mexico. She is an active member of various organizations, including the American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology, the European Society of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology, and the Interamerican Association of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology. With a strong background in leadership and coordination of medical-surgical missions and academic events, Dr. Villamor is committed to interdisciplinary collaboration to enhance pediatric care. Her work is driven by compassion, empathy, and a deep commitment to the well-being of children and their families.

Thomas Young, MBBS, DDS

Dr. Young is a Clinical Instructor in Sleep Surgery. Originally from Brisbane, Australia, he is an oral and maxillofacial surgeon. Dr. Young obtained his medical degree at Monash University and his dental degree at the University of Melbourne. He has a keen clinical interest in facial trauma, orthognathic surgery, and the surgical management of obstructive sleep apnea. He is thrilled to be joining the Division of Sleep Surgery and looks forward to furthering his expertise and contributing to advancements in patient care in this specialized field.

Emily Zhang, MD

Dr. Zhang is a Clinical Instructor in Head & Neck Surgery. She is a recent graduate of the Otolaryngology — Head & Neck Surgery residency program at the Cleveland Clinic. Originally from Terre Haute, Indiana, she earned her medical degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. Outside of medicine, she enjoys cooking, hiking, weightlifting, and creating art through calligraphy and painting. She's also an avid board game enthusiast and loves sharing game nights with friends and family.

Our LPCH team, led by Stanford Children’s Surgeon-in-Chief Karthik Balakrishnan, MD, MPH, Professor of Otolaryngology — Head & Neck Surgery, has received FDA approval to conduct a major study to advance robotic surgical care in children.

The team has developed a novel robotic tracheal reconstruction technique and features several other department faculty in key roles, including Chris Holsinger, MD, Doug Sidell, MD, Kara Meister, MD, and Alyssa Smith, MD. The group, along with surgeons from multiple other specialties, will be investigating the safety of robotic procedures for nine different pediatric and adolescent indications in the first phase of the study. We expect this landmark study to dramatically broaden the scope of robotic surgery in children and teens, with future phases of the work to include development of new robotic operations and new indications.

Robert Jackler, MD has received the 2025 American Otological Society (AOS) Award of Merit.

The American Otological Society established the Award of Merit in 1948 to recognize outstanding accomplishments and distinguished service in the field of otology. Created amid concerns that otology was becoming a “dying specialty” due to medical advances like antibiotics, the award celebrated those driving innovation in surgery, research, and education. Early recipients, including Nobel laureate Georg von Békésy, made groundbreaking contributions to auditory physiology and temporal bone pathology. Over the decades, the Award has remained the Society’s highest honor, recognizing leaders who have shaped the field.

Chris Holsinger, MD has been selected as the Surgery Chair of the NRG Oncology’s Head and Neck Cancer Committee.

The NRG Oncology Head and Neck Cancer Committee’s purpose is to improve the lives of head and neck cancer patients by designing and conducting practice-changing multi-institutional clinical trials and translational research. The Committee supervises numerous Working Groups which act to identify novel scientific advances that are incorporated into our trials, support conduct and completion of our clinical trials and other research activities, and promote further learning and dissemination from our research findings.

We recently launched the Stanford Initiative to Cure Smell and Taste Loss.

For the past 15 years, Zara M. Patel, MD has been investigating the underlying causes of smell loss and treating patients experiencing this condition. Recent evidence shows that smell loss may be the first sign of diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s – and that degeneration may begin in the olfactory cortex—making research in this area even more important and urgent! Visit our website to to learn more!

Kristen Steenerson, MD has been selected to participate in an exclusive session titled “Game Changers” at the AAO-HNSF 2025 Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO.

This inaugural session celebrates landmark articles that have significantly transformed otolaryngology practice. Dr. Steenerson's article, "Clinical Practice Guideline: Age-Related Hearing Loss," published in Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, was personally chosen by Editor-in-Chief Cecelia E. Schmalbach, MD, MSc, for its profound impact on the field. During the session, Dr. Steenerson will present her findings and discuss the transformative effects of her research on patient care. This opportunity highlights the importance of innovative research in advancing otolaryngology and recognizes the contributions that have reshaped clinical practice.

Andrey Finegersh, MD, PhD has received an R03 grant from NIH.

Dr. Andrey Finegersh has received an R03 grant from NIH for his project "ACTL6a ties metabolic reprogramming to cancer stem cell maintenance in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma."

Head and neck cancer is the sixth most common cancer worldwide and outcomes remain poor for many patients, with limited treatment gains over the last several decades. Changes in cancer metabolism are common in head and neck cancer but are not exploited for treatment benefit. This proposal studies a gene called ACTL6A to show how it regulates metabolism of head and neck cancers with the goal of developing new treatments.

Fred Baik, MD has received funding for a clinical trial from VLP Therapeutics LLC.

Dr. Fred Baik has received funding from VLP Therapeutics LLC for his project “Study of Intratumoral Injections of VLPONC-01 in Head and Neck Cancer.” The objective of this study is to determine whether the study medication called VLPONC-01 is safe and effective, and whether it has any beneficial effect on the immune response to the tumor. VLPONC-01 has been shown to be effective in treating head and neck cancers in animal models.

Michelle Chen, MD, MHS has received a CORE grant award.

Dr. Michelle Chen was awarded an AHNS Pilot Grant by the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) and the Centralized Otolaryngology Research Effort (CORE) Study Section for her proposal, “Development of a Food is Medicine Intervention for Head and Neck Cancer.” This project seeks to develop a Food is Medicine intervention to address the nutritional challenges of head and neck cancer (HNC) patients during treatment and survivorship. Successful completion of this project will inform the developed of a future pilot study utilizing this intervention and then creating a larger multi-institutional study on deploying a Food is Medicine intervention at Stanford, UC Davis, and Santa Clara Valley Healthcare.

Grace Kim, MD has received a CORE grant award.

Dr. Grace Kim was awarded an ASPO Research Grant by the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) and the Centralized Otolaryngology Research Effort (CORE) Study Section for her proposal, “Role of Cochlear Immune Cells in Congenital Cytomegalovirus-Related Hearing Loss.”

Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) infection is recognized as the most common non-genetic cause of sensorineural hearing loss in children, yet the pathogenesis of this hearing loss remains poorly understood. This study will utilize a mouse model of congenital CMV infection to examine long-term dysfunction of natural killer cells and its role in delayed onset hearing loss, thereby identifying potential biomarkers for improved diagnosis and disease monitoring.

Cort Breuer was awarded an NCI Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA for Individual Predoctoral Fellows (F31) Award.

Immunology PhD Student, Cort Breuer, was awarded an F31 Award for his proposal, developed under the mentorship of Dr. Nathan Reticker-Flynn, “Investigating evolutionary antagonism between tumors and lymphocytes.” The goal of this proposal is to investigate the relationship between clonotypic and phenotypic diversity between tumors and lymphocytes in the context of cancer metastasis. The results have the potential to provide an integrative model of tumor evolution and immune dysfunction during metastasis, and to inform the development of therapies that target these evasion mechanisms, such as by enhancing the diversity of the lymphocyte compartment to overcome limited diversity.

Maxwell Lee, MD, MS has received a CORE grant award.

Resident Maxwell Lee was awarded an AHNS Alando J. Ballantyne Resident Research Pilot Granby the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) and the Centralized Otolaryngology Research Effort (CORE) Study Section for his proposal, “Spatial Transcriptomic Analysis of Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma.” This study will investigate the spatial transcriptomic landscape of cSCC, particularly focusing on tumor-specific keratinocytes (TSK) and their interactions with the immune microenvironment in response to immunotherapy. The overarching objective is to uncover actionable insights that could inform treatment strategies and improve patient outcomes in advanced cSCC.

Shannon Wu, MD has received a CORE grant award.

Resident Shannon Wu was awarded an AAO-HNSF Resident Research Grant by the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) and the Centralized Otolaryngology Research Effort (CORE) Study Section for her proposal, developed under the mentorship of Dr. Michelle Chen, “Developing a Financial Hardship Patient-Reported Outcome in Head and Neck Cancer.” Cancer-related medical costs are projected to increase by 34% from 2015 to 2030, leading to significant financial hardship for patients, particularly those with head and neck cancer (HNC), which has higher costs and unique challenges; thus, this study aims to develop a HNC-specific measure of financial hardship, called COST-HNC, to better assess and address the financial burdens faced by these patients.