Amber Luong, MD, PhD Recognized as Trailblazer
Amber U. Luong, MD, PhD, associate professor of otorhinolaryngology, has been recognized with the 2017 Helen F. Krause, MD Memorial Trailblazer Award. Granted by the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, the award is bestowed upon a Women in Otolaryngology (WIO) Section member who has “exhibited a strong commitment to leadership through scholarship, advocacy, and mentorship and who has furthered the interests of women (and men) in the field of otolaryngology.” The award was presented during the WIO General Assembly Meeting in Chicago.
Luong earned her MD/PhD at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas through the National Institutes of Health-sponsored Medical Scientist Training Program. She obtained her PhD under the Nobel laureates Drs. Michael Brown and Joseph Goldstein for the identification and biochemical characterization of a novel human enzyme, acetyl coA synthetase. She completed her residency training at UT Southwestern and rhinology fellowship training at the Cleveland Clinic. She holds a joint faculty appointment the Center of Immunology and Autoimmune Diseases at the Institute of Molecular Medicine.
Luong has co-authored over 80 peer-reviewed articles in such high-impact journals as Science and book chapters. Her primary research interest focuses on understanding the role of the innate immune response in the pathophysiology of chronic rhinosinusitis, with a particular interest in the role of environmental fungi in initiating these innate immune responses. Her clinical interests include the medical and surgical management of refractory chronic rhinosinusitis, sinonasal tumors, cerebrospinal fluid leak repairs, and endoscopic orbital and dacryocystorhinostomy surgery.
Luong was the initiating force in establishing the Women in Rhinology group within the American Rhinologic Society and currently serves as its chair. She also is a founding member of McGovern Medical School’s Women Faculty forum. She is internationally recognized, with invitations to participate as faculty in several international meetings, including the European Rhinologic Society-International Symposium on Infection and Allergy of the Nose and the Singapore Allergy and Rhinology Conference.
“She is great surgeon scientist, who is making significant contributions to our field,” wrote her nominator. “In addition, she has developed a skill set for leadership and advocacy, and more importantly, her track record confirms that she achieves tangible results through the application of these skills.”
The Women in Otolaryngology Section is dedicated to assisting the career development of women otolaryngologists and those considering careers in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery. It is a part of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, the world’s largest organization representing specialists who treat the ear, nose, throat, and related structures of the head and neck.