This annual lectureship honors J. Gershon Spector, MD, who served the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery from 1971 to 2015.

photo of Ravi Uppaluri, MD, PhD
Ravindra Uppaluri, MD, PhD

2025 Spector Lectureship

The 2025 Spector Lecture in the Biology of Cancer will be given by WashU alumnus and head and neck surgeon Ravindra Uppaluri, MD, PhD, Director of Head and Neck Surgical Oncology at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/

Uppaluri’s clinical expertise is in multidisciplinary management of head and neck cancers, including minimally invasive transoral laser microsurgery, and endoscopic and open approaches to anterior skull base pathologies. Dr. Uppaluri has been the PI of clinical trials integrating small molecule and immunotherapeutics in the surgical management of head and neck cancers. He also leads an NIH funded laboratory focused on basic and translational approaches to head and neck cancers.

Date: April 2, 2025, 7:00am CST

Location: TBA

Title: TBA

A virtual option will be available. To receive the Zoom link, please contact Brian Faddis.

2025 Spector Research Symposium

Enjoy a variety of presentations that highlight the spectrum of head and neck cancer research conducted here at Washington University School of Medicine.

Date: April 2, 9:20 – 11:30am

Location: Ogura Lecture Hall, 8th Floor Mid Campus Center

Agenda: TBA

A virtual option will be available. To receive the Zoom link, please contact Brian Faddis.

2025 Washington University Head and Neck Cancer Survivorship Symposium

Cancer patients and their families and caregivers are invited to join us for this special presentation by Dr. Uppaluri, followed by a reception and refreshments.

Date: April 2, 1:00 – 3:00pm

Location: Connor Auditorium, 1st Floor, Farrell Learning and Teaching Center, 520. S. Euclid Ave., St. Louis, MO 63110

Title: “A Surgeon’s perspective on surviving cancer while caring for cancer patients


Gershon Spector, MD headshot
J. Gershon Spector, MD

J. Gershon Spector Lecture in the Biology of Cancer

The purpose of this lectureship is to invite nationally and internationally known investigators to serve as lecturers at Washington University.  The lecturer should be an accomplished fundamental biologist studying the mechanisms and biology of cancer.  Areas of highest interest include molecular mechanisms, biophysics and bioengineering, including nanotechnology.  The lectureship should be coordinated with the academic programs of the Siteman Cancer Center in the Department of Otolaryngology.


Spector Lecturers (Established 2017)

  • 2024 – Mark A. Varvares, MD
  • 2023 – Richard J. Wong, MD
  • 2022 – David Hayes, MD
  • 2021 – Eben Rosenthal, MD
  • 2019 – Cherie-Ann Nathan, MD
  • 2018 – James W. Rocco, MD, PhD
  • 2017 – John Sunwoo, MD, PhD