Wendell G. Yarbrough

Wendell G. Yarbrough, MD, MMHC, FACS, serves as the Thomas J. Dark Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. He is a head and neck oncology surgeon and researcher at the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, with a primary research focus on virology and head and neck cancer.

His educational background includes:

• B.S. in Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1985 (with Honors)
• M.D., University of North Carolina School of Medicine, 1989 (with Honors and Distinction)
• MMHC, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Dr. Yarbrough's research interests center on head and neck oncology, particularly the role of virology in HPV-associated head and neck cancers. His work explores critical relationships between oral health and cancer survival, and he pioneered research dividing HPV-positive head and neck cancers into two distinct subtypes to predict treatment outcomes. His translational research focuses on biomarker development (including SYNGR3 protein detection) to identify patients requiring less intensive therapy and improve early detection protocols.

He has received numerous scientific awards and honors, including:

• America’s Top Doctors for Cancer, Executive List, Castle Connolly, 2016-2018
• America’s Top Doctors, Editions 8-14, Castle Connolly, 2009-2018
• America’s Top Doctors for Cancer, Editions, Castle Connolly, 2005-2018
• Presidential Citation, American Head and Neck Society, 2014
• Harris P. Mosher Award for clinical research excellence, 2002
• Jefferson Pilot Fellowship for outstanding Assistant Professor, 2000
• Multiple early-career awards including Resident Research Award (1994) and Michiko Kuno Award (1989)

Dr. Yarbrough has secured major research funding including an $11.7 million NIH SPORE grant and a $3.78 million grant for HPV-related head and neck cancer studies. As department chair, he mentors surgical trainees and leads clinical trials that have demonstrated significant quality-of-life improvements for tongue cancer patients. His leadership extends to directing the UNC Lineberger head and neck cancer research program where he fosters collaboration between surgeons, virologists, and oncologists.

His multidisciplinary team at UNC Lineberger actively investigates viral oncology mechanisms, oral microbiome impacts on cancer progression, and minimally invasive surgical techniques. Current initiatives focus on translating tumor mutation and blood test findings into clinical practice to personalize head and neck cancer treatment.