Marisa Buchakjian, MD, PhD

Dr. Buchakjian is a surgical oncology and microvascular surgeon in the Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery. She completed an MD/PhD at Duke University with graduate studies in Molecular Cancer Biology, and trained as a resident and T32 postdoc at the University of Iowa. After residency she joined the University of Michigan as a Head and Neck fellow, and then returned to the University of Iowa as faculty. She moved back to UM to join the Head and Neck Oncology Division in 2024. Dr. Buchakjian's clinical interests include oral cavity, oropharynx, larynx, salivary, and skin cancers. She is trained in complex microvascular free tissue transfer as well as transoral robotic surgery. She is also a member of the Rogel Comprehensive Cancer Center in the Signaling and Tumor Microenvironment Program.

Dr. Buchakjian's research lab studies epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and invasion in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma. She is particularly interested in alterations in metabolism and fatty acid utilization, as well as paracrine signaling mechanisms in the EMT microenvironment. Her research is primarily basic science and translational, utilizing tissue culture models, mouse models, and head and neck tumor biospecimens. She is currently funded through an Early-Stage Surgeon Scientist Program grant from the National Cancer Institute, and has received previous support from the American Cancer Society, American Academy of Otolaryngology, and Department of Defense.