Rate My Professor Samir Khariwala

Samir Khariwala, MD, MS, FACS, is the Department Chair and Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery at the University of Minnesota Medical School. He received his MD from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, completed his residency at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in 2007, and undertook a fellowship at the University of Michigan. Board certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology, Dr. Khariwala focuses his clinical practice on head and neck surgical oncology, treating patients with head and neck cancers through a combination of established therapies and advanced technologies to maximize disease cure and preserve quality of life. After completing his training, he joined the University of Minnesota, progressing from Associate Professor and Chief of the Division of Head and Neck Surgery to his current leadership role, where he has expanded the division to better serve patients across Minnesota and neighboring regions.

Dr. Khariwala's research program investigates the metabolism of tobacco carcinogens to elucidate risk factors and susceptibility to oral and head and neck cancers, biomarkers and clinical outcomes in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, and the carcinogenic potential of smokeless tobacco products, particularly in India. He directs projects including high-resolution mass spectrometric analysis of carcinogen-DNA adducts in oral cells, a head and neck cancer data repository, and collaborative studies with the Tata Memorial Center in Mumbai analyzing variability in tobacco product compositions and biomarkers in users. Supported by NIH grants such as K23DE023572, R01-TW010651, and R01-CA263084, his work has produced key publications including "Variability in addictive and carcinogenic potential of smokeless tobacco products marketed in Mumbai, India: a surveillance study" (Nikam et al., Lancet Global Health SE Asia, 2024), "Persistent tobacco use following treatment for head and neck cancer" (Van Heest et al., JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery, 2022), and "Simultaneous analysis of urinary total 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol, N′-nitrosonornicotine, and cotinine" (Scientific Reports, 2021). He has been honored as a "Top Doctor" by Minnesota Monthly and Mpls.St.Paul Magazine.