Robert L. Ferris, MD, PhD is Director of the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center. Certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology, he treats patients with benign and malignant tumors of the head and neck, including the thyroid and salivary glands, oral cavity, throat and voice box (larynx). He regularly performs endoscopic, minimally invasive approaches to thyroidectomy and partial laryngectomy, in order to preserve function and speed the return of speaking, swallowing and breathing.

Dr. Ferris was trained at Johns Hopkins, where he received his medical degree and PhD in Immunology, a residency in Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, and subspecialty training in head and neck oncologic surgery.

Dr. Ferris is presently the President-elect of the Pennsylvania Academy of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery. He is also developing and implementing immunotherapy (cancer vaccines) to treat head and neck tumors. His research focus is in trying to understand how to stimulate the body's immune system to eliminate cancer. The goals of this research are to boost the body's immune response against cancer and to try to prevent cancer from recurring (or to prevent it from occurring in the first place).