Looking Forward— Otolaryngologists’ Visions for 2026

As we close out 2025, we asked leaders in otolaryngology what they’re looking forward to in 2026. Here, they share their hopes and anticipations for the year, focusing on advancements in clinical practice, technology, research, and professional advocacy.

Samuel H. Selesnick, MD, editor-in-chief, The Laryngoscope, surgeon and neurotologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and professor and vice chair of the department of otolaryngology and professor of otolaryngology in neurological surgery at the Weill Cornell Medical College, both in N.Y.

I am looking forward to the continued growth of The Laryngoscope. The work put in by our associate and section editors, the editorial board, and the reviewers result in important clinical and scientific communication that, I know, is very much appreciated by our readership.

Sujana S. Chandrasekhar, MD, partner at ENT and Allergy Associates, CEO of KivviMed, Inc., clinical professor of otolaryngology at the Zucker School of Medicine, Hofstra-Northwell in Hempstead, N.Y., clinical associate professor of otolaryngology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, co-host and co-executive producer for She’s On Call podcast, director of neurotology at James J Peters VA Medical Center, and staff physician at several hospitals in N.Y. and N.J.

I’m looking forward to my entrepreneurial journey.

My Triological Society thesis (Honorable Mention) was on intranasal surfactant for Eustachian tube dysfunction and otitis media. My co-founders and I at KivviMed have developed and refined our delivery system and the single synthetic surfactant in our device/drug. We added a CFO with great experience in securing funding and have made a lot of progress. I actually won a TiE NJ Women’s Pitch Competition in September and will be going to the TiE Global Semis and (hopefully) Finals in Jaipur, India, in early January. I also pitched on the NYC edition of Season 8 of Meet the Drapers (drapertv.com).

It’s been a wonderful way to take my experience and clinical questions as an otologist and otolaryngologist and try to make a real difference in the world— which is, after all, why I went to medical school in the first place. This journey has taught me a great deal about animal and clinical research, device engineering and formulation, how to speak with regulators and governmental agencies, the importance of intellectual property protection in the U.S. and abroad, and pitching, repitching, patience (!), and stick-to-it-iveness. I’ve essentially been in a mini-MBA masterclass this year and have learned the value of incubators and thoughtful mentors who have helped me hone my CEO skills. I have always thought of myself as a very good scientific presenter, but the skills needed to pitch to investors are different, and I’ve enjoyed learning those as well.