Graham Strub, M.D., Ph.D., has joined the UAMS Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery as a pediatric otolaryngologist with a special interest in head and neck masses, cochlear implantation and vascular anomalies.
Strub is an assistant professor in the UAMS College of Medicine. The bulk of his clinical work takes place at Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH). He is studying the molecular biology of vascular anomalies at the Arkansas Children’s Research Institute (ACRI).
Strub began his career as a geneticist after obtaining a master’s in human genetics from the Medical College of Virginia at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. He went on to earn a combined M.D./Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biology from the same institution. This was followed by an otolaryngology residency at the University of Washington in Seattle and a pediatric otolaryngology fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School.
Strub said the research component was a big part of what drew him to the program at UAMS/ACH, in addition to its reputation among otolaryngologists as a great place to work.
“This is one of the only centers of expertise for vascular anomalies in the world. For someone interested in both surgery and basic science research, it was the ideal opportunity,” Strub said. “Most importantly, when I visited the campus, everyone in the department seemed so happy working here. It was obvious that the department is like a big family.”
Many forms of vascular anomalies can’t be cured by surgery. Through his contact with these patients in the clinical setting, Strub hopes to enroll them in research.
“We’ll take tissue samples, and we hope to develop new treatments, new diagnostic testing, and further our understanding of how those vascular anomalies form, ultimately to prevent them or treat them – because they are challenging to take care of,” Strub said.
John Dornhoffer, M.D., chair of the department, said the faculty and staff could not be happier that Strub has accepted this position at UAMS.
“What makes this new addition to our department really exciting is the depth of research experience that Graham brings to the position,” Dornhoffer said. “We are looking forward to how this will bolster our funding and strengthen the research mentorship provided to students and residents. On a personal note, Dr. Strub has such an affable personality that we are all looking forward to working with him.”
Strub has been the lead or co-author on numerous publications, including in the journals Science, Nature, JCI-Insight, FASEB Journal and the International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology, among others. He has published chapters in “Hemangiomas and Vascular Malformations: An Atlas of Diagnosis and Treatment, “Evidence-Based Management of Head and Neck Vascular Anomalies,” and “Sataloff’s Comprehensive Textbook of Otolaryngology.”
Strub has been the principal investigator on six grants totaling about $317,000, including an award from the National Institute for Neurological Disease and Stroke.
Strub was awarded the Farley Fellowship Award at Boston Children’s Hospital and his research has been recognized with first-place awards, including for Best Basic Science Poster from the American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology in 2016.