Ryan M Carey, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Otorhinolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Attending Surgeon, University of Pennsylvania Health System, Philadelphia, PA
Attending Surgeon, Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA
Member, Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics (ITMAT), University of Pennsylvania
Member, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Cancer Therapeutics Research Program
Department: Otorhinolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery
Contact information
Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery
University of Pennsylvania
3400 Spruce Street, 5 Ravdin
Philadelphia, PA 19104
University of Pennsylvania
3400 Spruce Street, 5 Ravdin
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Publications
Education:
B.S.E. (Bioengineering)
University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, 2013.
M.D. (Medicine)
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 2017.
Permanent linkB.S.E. (Bioengineering)
University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, 2013.
M.D. (Medicine)
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 2017.
Description of Clinical Expertise
Dr. Carey provides advanced medical and surgical head and neck cancer care and reconstructive services to patients at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and the Veteran’s Administration Medical Center. He specializes in head and neck oncologic surgery, transoral robotic surgery (TORS), and microvascular reconstructive surgery.Description of Research Expertise
Dr. Carey is a surgeon-scientist engaged in research aimed at improving the diagnosis and treatment of head and neck cancer. He runs a cancer neuroscience lab that investigates how head and neck cancer cells interact with the local tumor environment. His lab is specifically focused on G-protein coupled receptors including taste receptors and how the involved signaling pathways can regulate important cellular processes in head and neck cancer. The goal is to leverage taste receptors as biomarkers or therapeutic targets for treating malignancies. His group is actively translating their basic science findings from bench to bedside through clinical trials on therapies developed in the lab.Dr. Carey is the sponsor-investigator for “A Phase I Randomized Controlled Trial of Intratumoral Lidocaine Injection Before Transoral Robotic Surgery (TORS) and Neck Dissection for HPV-Associated Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.” NCT06747390. More information is available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06747390
Additional information about the Carey lab is available at: https://www.med.upenn.edu/carey-lab/
Selected Publications
Polen K, Sywanycz S, Turner GM, Hill BL, Huang L, Miller ZA, Hanna C, Raghav L, Basu D, Lee RJ, Carey RM: Cigarette Smoke Exposure Attenuates T2R-Mediated Apoptosis in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Head & Neck April 2026.Lukens JN, Riina MD, Weinstein G, MacDuffie E, Ramkissoon A, Baron J, Berger M, Messing I, Gentile M, Maxwell R, Ojerholm E, Swisher-McClure S, Giron Santos A, Porier K, Basu D, Brody R, Cannady S, Carey RM, Chalian A, Newman J, Rajasekaran K, Rassekh C, Shanti R, Cohen RB, Singh A, Sun L, Montone K, Lin A: Long-Term Results of a Phase II Clinical Trial of Radiation Volume and Dose De-intensification Following Transoral Robotic Surgery and Neck Dissection for Human Papillomavirus-Associated Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma. International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics April 2026.
Polen K, Napole A, Turner GM, Brody RM, Carey RM: Medicare Utilization and Reimbursement Trends for Free Flaps in Otolaryngology, Plastic Surgery, and Maxillofacial Surgery. Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery March 2026.
Miller ZA, Mueller A, Thompson JC, William JS, Park A, Darwich NF, Kouakou YI, Sywanycz SM, Buchler BL, Adappa ND, Palmer JN, Cohen NA, Carey RM, Lee RJ: Pseudomonas aeruginosa 3-oxo-C12HSL-induced apoptosis involves bitter taste receptor T2R14 and the mitochondrial calcium uniporter. Cell Calcium Page: May, 2026.
Miller ZA, Mueller A, Thompson JC, William JS, Park A, Darwich NF, Kouakou YI, Sywanycz SM, Buchler BL, Adappa ND, Palmer JN, Cohen NA, Carey RM, Lee RJ: Pseudomonas aeruginosa 3-oxo-C12HSL-induced apoptosis involves bitter taste receptor T2R14 and the mitochondrial calcium uniporter. Cell Calcium Page: May, 2026.
Wang SY, Turner G, Valdes-Morales KL, Hunter ER, Kim M, Tran VA, Polen K, Haynes D, Miller CJ, Etzkorn JR, Sobanko JF, Walker JL, Zhang J, Brody RM, Cannady SB, Rajasekaran K, Farwell DG, Miura JT, Karakousis GC, Lukens JR, Amaravadi RK, Schuchter LM, Mitchell TC, Higgins HW II, Carey RM: Accuracy of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Head and Neck Merkel Cell Carcinoma: Predictors of Biopsy Failure and Nodal Metastasis. JAMA Otolaryngol Nov 2025.
Sywanycz SM, Hill BL, Miller ZA, Turner G, Huang L, Polen K, Lee RJ, Carey RM: T2R5 agonist phendione decreases cell viability and induces apoptosis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Mol Cancer Ther Nov 2025 Notes: epub ahead of print.
Kaki PC, Patel AM, Huang L, Turner G, Haleem A, Brant JA, Brody RM, Carey RM: Treatment of Biopsy-Proven Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Situ. Laryngoscope Investig Otolaryngol 10(5): e70267, Oct 2025.
Turner G, Sywanycz SM, Buchler BL, Wardlow RD, Lee RJ, Carey RM: Quercetin as a Bitter Taste Receptor Agonist with Anticancer Effects in Head and Neck Cancer Cells. Nutrients 17(20): 3224, Oct 2025.
Kaki PC, Haleem A, Kaki PC, Lee JJ, Maxwell R, Brant JA, Brody RM, Carey RM: Adjuvant radiotherapy in pT3–4N0M0 major salivary gland cancer without other adverse features. Am J Otolaryngol 46(5): 104628, Sep-Oct 2025.