Ho-Sheng Lin, M.D., professor of the Wayne State University School of Medicine's Department of Otolaryngology, was named chair of the department, effective immediately.
Dr. Lin has served as interim chair of the department since Sept. 1, 2014, when he replaced Robert Mathog, M.D., who led the department since 1977 and died shortly after announcing his intention to step down as chair.
Jack D. Sobel, M.D., dean of the School of Medicine, announced the appointment April 29.
Dr. Lin is the leader of the Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Team for the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute and chief of otolaryngology for the John D. Dingell Veterans Administration Medical Center. He has served on the Surgery Performance Improvement Committee and the Medical Staff Operations Committee, and as vice chief of otolaryngology for Detroit Receiving Hospital.
A widely published researcher with more than 55 publications in peer-reviewed journals, he also served on the editorial board for several journals and has been named associate editor for the Sleep Section for the journal Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.
His research interests include molecular markers for diagnosis and treatment of head and neck cancer, focusing on the development of a blood test for early detection of such cancers in high-risk patients. The Department of Veterans Affairs and the National Cancer Institute have funded his research.
Clinically, Dr. Lin specializes in surgical treatment of cancer and diseases of the mouth, throat, neck, thyroid, parathyroid and salivary glands, and surgical treatment of obstructive sleep apnea and snoring. He has special interest in the use of new and minimally-invasive technology in head and neck surgery. He has used Harmonic technology for minimally-invasive thyroid surgery and is the first surgeon in Michigan to use da Vinci robotic technology to perform surgery on the throat to treat cancer and sleep apnea. He is the first otolaryngologist in Michigan to perform a robotic-assisted thyroidectomy.
Dr. Lin is a principal investigator in the use of novel and minimally-invasive surgical approaches to treat obstructive sleep apnea. He has been involved in several industry-sponsored clinical trials to assess the effectiveness of new surgical approaches to OSA, including the Pillar Implant to stiffen the soft palate and the Inspire Medical hypoglossal nerve implant, which monitors breathing patterns during sleep and delivers a mild stimulation to key muscles to keep the airway open.
Certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology and a diplomat of the National Board of Medical Examiners, he is a member of the Society of Robotic Surgery, the International Surgical Sleep Society, the American Sleep Association, the Association of VA Surgeons, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the American Head and Neck Society and the American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery.
A 1994 graduate of the Yale University School of Medicine, Dr. Lin completed an internship and residency in general surgery at New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center in 1996, followed by a residency in otolaryngology - head and neck surgery at Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital in 1999. He served as chief resident in the Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery at New York University Medical Center from 1999 to 2000, and in 2002 completed a fellowship in head and neck surgical oncology in the Department of Surgery at Stanford University Medical Center. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
He joined the School of Medicine faculty as an assistant professor of otolaryngology - head and neck surgery in 2002, and was named professor in 2012.
Dr. Lin also serves as director of residency recruitment and the First Year Curriculum Committee for the Department of Otolaryngology. He has been as a member of the Faculty Senate since 2002.