Vlad Sandulache, M.D. Ph.D.

Associate Professor; Vice Chair - Research; Chief of Service at MED VAMC

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Positions

Associate Professor; Vice Chair - Research; Chief of Service at MED VAMC: Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, Texas, United States

Core Faculty: Center for Translational Research on Inflammatory Diseases (CTRID)
Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, Texas, United States

Member: Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, Texas, United States

Addresses

Jamail Specialty Care Center (Clinic): 1977 Butler Blvd.
Suite E5.200
Houston, TX, 77030
United States
Phone: (713) 798-5900

Education

MD-PhD from University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine: 05/2008 - Pittsburgh, United States

Residency at Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery: 06/2015 - Houston, Texas, United States

Clinical Fellowship at University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Head and Neck Surgery: 06/2016 - Houston, Texas, United States

Certifications

Diplomate: American Board of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery

Honors & Awards

Fellow: American College of Surgeons

Professional Interests

Laryngeal and pharyngeal cancer
Thyroid cancer
Salivary gland neoplasm
Melanoma
Advanced skin cancer

Professional Statement

Vlad C. Sandulache MD, PhD is a board certified otolaryngologist specializing in Head and Neck Surgical Oncology. Dr. Sandulache earned his MD and PhD from the University of Pittsburgh, and completed his residency in Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine. Following residency, Dr. Sandulache completed a clinical fellowship in the Department of Head and Neck Surgery at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center where he received advanced training in minimally invasive surgical techniques for pharyngeal and laryngeal malignancies including transoral robotic surgery (TORS) and transoral laser surgery.
Dr. Sandulache utilizes a multidisciplinary approach to the management of patients with head and neck cancer with active participation in both surgical and non-surgical clinical trials. His primary clinical expertise is in the management of early and advanced stage oral cavity, oropharyngeal and laryngeal cancer as well as salivary gland neoplasms.
Dr. Sandulache maintains an active basic science and clinical research program focused on elucidating the link between cancer metabolism and treatment effectiveness. The goal of this research program is to better understand environmental and intrinsic drivers of chemo-radiation and immune checkpoint inhibitor response to advance risk-stratification and precision oncology approaches for head and neck cancer.

Websites

VIICTR Publications List

Center for Translational Research on Inflammatory Diseases (CTRID)

Selected Publications

Yu W, Chen Y, Dubrulle J, Stossi F, Putluri V, Sreekumar A, Putluri N, Baluya D, Lai SY, Sandulache VC.. " Cisplatin generates oxidative stress which is accompanied by rapid shifts in central carbon metabolism. " Sci Rep. 2018 Mar 9; 8 (1) : 4306.
Pubmed PMID: 29523854.
Sandulache VC, Michikawa C, Kataria P, Gleber-Netto FO, Bell D, Trivedi S, Rao X, Wang J, Zhao M, Jasser S, Myers JN, Pickering CR.. " High-Risk TP53 Mutations Are Associated with Extranodal Extension in Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma. " Clin Cancer Res. 2018 Apr 1; 24 (7) : 1727-1733.
Pubmed PMID: 29330202.
Krupar R, Hautmann MG, Pathak RR, Varier I, McLaren C, Gaag D, Hellerbrand C, Evert M, Laban S, Idel C, Sandulache V, Perner S, Bosserhoff AK, Sikora AG.. " Immunometabolic Determinants of Chemoradiotherapy Response and Survival in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. " Am J Pathol. 2018 Jan ; 188 (1) : 72-83.
Pubmed PMID: 29107073.
Wangjie Yu, Yunyun Chen, Nagireddy Putluri, Cristian Coarfa, Matthew Robertson, Vasanta Putluri, Fabio Stossi, Julien Dubrulle, Michael Mancini, Jonathan Pang, Trung Nguyen, Dodge Baluya, Jeffrey Myers, Stephen Lai, Vlad Sandulache. " Acquisition of Cisplatin Resistance Shifts Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Metabolism toward Neutralization of Oxidative Stress. " Cancer (Basel). 2020 Jun 24; 12 (6) : 1670.
Mitchell Frederick, Heath D Skinner, Sawad A Kazi, Andrew G Sikora, Vlad C Sandulache. " High expression of oxidative phosphorylation genes predicts improved survival in squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck and lung. " 2020 Apr 14; 10 (1) : 6380.
J O Kemnade, H Elhalawani, P Castro, J Yu, S Lai, M Ittmann, A S R Mohamed, S Y Lai, C D Fuller, A G Sikora, V C Sandulache. " CD8 infiltration is associated with disease control and tobacco exposure in intermediate-risk oropharyngeal cancer. " 2020 Jan 14; 10 (1) : 243.
V Sandulache, Y Lei, L Heasley, M Chang, C Amos, E Sturgis, E Graboyes, E Chiao, N Rogus-Pulia, J Lewis, A Madabhushi, M Frederick, A Sabichi, M Ittmann, W Yarbrough, C Chung, R Ferrarotto, W Mai, H Skinner, U Duvvuri, P Gerngross, A Sikora. " Innovations in risk-stratification and treatment of Veterans with oropharynx cancer; roadmap of the 2019 Field Based Meeting. " 2020 Mar ; 102 : 104440.
Osman AA, Arslan E, Bartels M, Michikawa C, Lindemann A, Tomczak K, Yu W, Sandulache V, Ma W, Shen L, Wang J, Singh AK, Frederick MJ, Spencer ND, Kovacs J, Heffernan T, Symmans WF, Rai K, Myers JN.. " Dysregulation and epigenetic reprogramming of NRF2 signaling axis promote acquisition of cisplatin resistance and metastasis in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma " Clin Cancer Res. 2023 Jan 23;
Pubmed PMID: 36689560.
Liu Y, Kramer JR, Sandulache VC, Yu R, Li G, Chen L, Yusuf ZI, Shi Y, Pyarajan S, Tsavachidis S, Jiao L, Mierzwa ML, Chiao E, Mowery YM, Shuman A, Shete S, Sikora AG, White DL.. " Immunogenetic Determinants of Susceptibility to Head and Neck Cancer in the Million Veteran Program Cohort " Cancer Res. 2023 Feb 3; 83 (3) : 386-397.
Pubmed PMID: 36378845.

Memberships

American Head and Neck Society: Member (06/2015)

Funding

The Houston Center for Acquired Resistance Research (H-CARR) #U54CA274321: (09/20/2022 - 08/31/2027); Grant funding from National Cancer Institute

Leveraging Hyperpolarized MRI for Precision Oncology Approaches in Head and Neck Cancer #R01CA280980: (09/01/2022 - 08/31/2027); Grant funding from National Cancer Institute

Overcoming cisplatin resistance by targeting fatty acid metabolism #R03DE028858: (08/01/2019 - 07/31/2021); Grant funding from National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research

Determining the impact of ancestry on oropharyngeal cancer biology and treatment response. #1R21DE032344-01: (07/01/2023 - 06/30/2025); Grant funding from National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research

Profiling tobacco exposure effects on oropharyngeal cancer immunity #RSG 21-182-01-CDP: (01/01/2022 - 12/31/2026); Grant funding from American Cancer Society

Languages

Romanian