Associate Professor

Specialty:

Head and neck surgical oncology, thyroid and parathyroid surgery, surgical airway management, microvascular free tissue transfer reconstruction.

Education:

• PhD: Rush University, Chicago, IL, 1988

• MD: Rush Medical College, Chicago, IL, 1990

• Postdoctoral position: Department of Molecular Biology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 1987

• Internship: General Surgery, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, 1990-91

• Residency: Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, 1991-95

Professional Experience:

• Associate Professor with Tenure, Dept. of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, UNC, 2007-present
• Associate Professor with Tenure, Department of Surgery, UNC, 2007-present
• Assistant Professor, Dept. of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, UNC, 2003-2007
• Assistant Professor, Dept. of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins Hospital, 1996-2003
• Assistant Chief of Service, Dept. of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins Hospital, 1995-96

Recent Honors:

• Member of the UNC School of Medicine's Academy of Educators, recognition for excellence in teaching, March 2007
• America's Top Doctors for Cancer, American Registry, 2005-present
• Honor Award, American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, September 2005
• Grand Marshall, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine commencement ceremony, elected by graduating medical school class to lead processional, May 2002.
• George T. Nager Award for Excellence in Resident Teaching, Dept. of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins Hospital, 1998

Recent Publications:

• Damrauer J, Stadler M, Acharyya S, Baldwin A, Couch M, Guttridge D. Chemotherapy-induced muscle wasting: Association with NF-κB and Cancer Cachexia. Basic Science Reviews, In Press, 2008.
• Stadler M, Patel M, Couch M, Hayes DN. Molecular Biology of Head & Neck Cancer. Hemat Onc Clin N Am, In Press, 2008.
• O’Connell T, Ardeshirpour F, Asher S, Winnike J, Yin X, George J, Guttridge D, He W, Wysong A, Willis M, Couch M. Metabolomic Analysis of Cancer Cachexia Reveals Distinct Lipid and Glucose Alterations. Metabolomics, In Press, 2008.
• Couch ME, Ferris RL, Brennan JA, Koch WM, Jaffee EM, Leibowitz MS, Nepom GT, Erlich HA, Sidransky D. Alteration of cellular and humoral immunity by mutant p53 protein and processed mutant peptide in head and neck cancer. Clin Cancer Res. 2007 Dec 1;13(23):7199-206.
• Cannon TY, Couch ME, Yin X, Guttridge D, Lai V, Shores C. Comparison of animal models for head and neck cancer cachexia. Laryngoscope, October 4, 2007.
• Zanation A, Lai V, Lee S, Hart C, Couch M, Shockley W, Weissler M, Rosenman J, Shores C. A controlled outcomes study of radiation resistance in spindle cell variant squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Submitted Laryngoscope, 2007.
• Couch ME, Jaffee EM, Cannon TY, Epperly C, Cowherd S, Moran T, Serody J. Genetically engineered allogeneic whole tumor cell vaccine for oral cancer. Submitted Laryngoscope , 2007.
• Andrews E, Hayes N, Shores C, Couch M, Southerland J, Morris D, Webster-Cyriaque J. Concurrent HPV-associated tonsillar carcinoma in two couples. Submitted to Lancet, 2007.
• Richey LM, George JR, Couch ME, Kanapkey BK, Yin X, Cannon T, Stewart PW, Weissler MC, Shores CG. Defining Cancer Cachexia in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Clin Cancer Res, 13(22 Pt 1):6561-7, 2007.
• Cannon TY, Shores C, Guttridge D, Lai V, George J, Couch M. An immunocompetent animal model of head and neck cancer cachexia. Head Neck, 30(3):320-326, 2007.
• Cannon TY, Guttridge D, Dahlman J, Yin X, Shores C, Lai V, George J, Couch M. The effect of altered TLR4 signaling on cancer cachexia. Arch of Otolaryngology, 113(12):1263-9, 2007.
• Lai V, George J, Richey L, Kim HJ, Cannon T, Shores C, Couch M. Results of a Pilot Study of the Effect of Celecoxib on Cancer Cachexia in Patients with Cancer of the Head, Neck, and Gastrointestinal Tract. Head Neck, 30(1):67-74, 2007.
• Couch M, Ferris R, Brennan J, Koch W, Castro R, Erlich H, Jaffee E, Sidransky D. Association of Immune Response to Oncoprotein p53 with Specific HLA Class II Haplotypes. Clin Cancer Research, 1:13(23):7199-206, 2007.
• George J, Cannon T, Lai V, Richey L, Zanation A, Hayes DN, Shores C, Guttridge D, Couch M. Cancer Cachexia Syndrome in Head and Neck Cancer Patients: Part II. Pathophysiology. Head & Neck, 29(5):497-507, 2007.
• Richey LM, Shores CG, George J, Lee S, Couch ME, Weissler MC. The effectiveness of salvage surgery after the failure of concomitant chemoradiation in head and neck cancer. Otolaryngol 2007;136(1):98-103.
• Newlon JL, Couch M, Brennan J. Castleman’s Disease: three case reports and a review of the literature. Ear Nose Throat 2007 86(7):414-8.
• Rosenthal E, Couch M, Farwell G, Wax M. Update in microvascular reconstruction. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 136(4):519-24, 2007.
• Couch M, Lai V, Cannon T, Guttridge D, Zanation A, George J, Hayes N, Zeisel S, Shores C. Cancer Cachexia Syndrome in Head and Neck Cancer Patients: Part I. Diagnosis, Impact on Quality of Life and Survival, and Treatment. Head & Neck 29(4):401-11, 2007.
• Ho T, Couch M, Byrne P. Radial Forearm Free Flap Donor Site Outcomes Comparison by Closure Methods, Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2006;143(2):309-15.
• Zanation AM, Sutton DK, Couch ME, Weissler MC, Shockley WW, Shores CG. Utilization, Accuracy, and Implications for Patient Management of [18F]-2-Fluorodeoxyglucose-Positron Emission/Computerized Tomography (PET/CT) for Head and Neck Tumors. Laryngoscope 2005;115(7):1186-90.
• Ha PK, Couch ME, Tufano RP, Koch WM, Califano JA. Short hospital stay after neck dissection. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2005;133(5):677-80.
• Couch M. What’s New in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, J Am Coll Surg 2005;201(1):101-109.
• Couch M, Senior B. Non-surgical and surgical treatments for sleep apnea. Anesthesia Clinics of North America 2005;23(3):525-34.