About

Samer Ali is an Associate Professor of Arabic Language and Literature, specializing in Arabic and Islamic studies. His research draws on methodological insights from linguistic anthropology and critical race studies to rethink Orientalist and area studies paradigms, and from medieval studies, folklore, history, women's studies, and critical theory to explore Arabic and Islamic cultural history. His recent work focuses on the history and foundations of knowledge transmission within the Arabic humanities and Islamic madrasa-college curricula, emphasizing their role in facilitating social mobility and dignity for marginalized groups. Ali examines these discourses as part of a multiplicity of worldviews in the medieval Islamic sphere, highlighting the significance of women's cultural productions in the humanities and challenging Western stereotypes about Arab women. His scholarship has been published in prominent journals and encyclopedias, and he authored the monograph 'Arabic Literary Salons in the Islamic Middle Ages,' which explores Arabic salon culture through a performance studies lens, emphasizing poetry, music, and social interaction. Ali's forthcoming work addresses issues of race and representation in Middle East scholarship, particularly the invisibility of racialized Arabs and Muslims in critical race studies. He has received numerous awards from institutions such as the American Institute of Maghreb Studies, the Institute for Advanced Studies in Berlin, the US Department of Education, and the National Endowment for the Humanities, among others. In addition to his research, Ali has taught courses on Islamic poetry, literary theory, the Qur'an, Islamic law, and medieval Arabo-Islamic culture, mentoring students who have secured academic positions at various universities. He has also served as a graduate and undergraduate advisor and directed the U-M Center for Middle Eastern & North African Studies and the Global Islamic Studies Center, leveraging grants to promote diversity, inclusion, and access to language and cultural programs.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Surgery

Selected publications

• 29P Characterization of T cell responses induced by the individualized mRNA neoantigen vaccine autogene cevumeran in adjuvant stage II (high risk)/stage III colorectal cancer (CRC) patients (pts) from the biomarker cohort of the phase II BNT122-01 trial

  Annals of Oncology · 2024-06-01 · 5 citations

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Free Flap Outcomes for Head and Neck Surgery in Patients with <scp>COVID</scp>‐19

  The Laryngoscope · 2023-11-08 · 3 citations

  articleOpen access

  INTRODUCTION: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) affects the vascular system, subjecting patients to a hypercoagulable state. This is of particular concern for the success of microvascular free flap reconstruction. This study aims to report head and neck free flap complications in patients with COVID-19 during the perioperative period. We believe these patients are more likely to experience flap complications given the hypercoagulable state. METHODS: This is a multi-institutional retrospective case series of patients infected with COVID-19 during the perioperative period for head and neck free flap reconstruction from March 2020 to January 2022. RESULTS: Data was collected on 40 patients from 14 institutions. Twenty-one patients (52.5%) had a positive COVID-19 test within 10 days before surgery and 7 days after surgery. The remaining patients had a positive test earlier than 10 days before surgery. A positive test caused a delay in surgery for 16 patients (40.0%) with an average delay of 44.7 days (9-198 days). Two free flap complications (5.0%) occurred with no free flap deaths. Four patients (10.0%) had surgical complications and 10 patients had medical complications (25.0%). Five patients (12.5%) suffered from postoperative COVID-19 pneumonia. Three deaths were COVID-19-related and one from cancer recurrence during the study period. CONCLUSION: Despite the heightened risk of coagulopathy in COVID-19 patients, head and neck free flap reconstructions in patients with COVID-19 are not at higher risk for free flap complications. However, these patients are at increased risk of medical complications. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 Laryngoscope, 134:4521-4526, 2024.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Multidisciplinary approaches to gliosarcoma: A case report and review of the literature

  Clinical Case Reports · 2022-08-01 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access

  A 58-year-old right-handed man presented to our tertiary care center with gliosarcoma (GS) infiltration through the dura, skull, and soft tissue. Patient had a previous history of right temporal GS, with four intracranial surgeries prior to presentation. A multidisciplinary approach was used to treat the lesion and perform reconstruction.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Technological advancements in head and neck free tissue transfer reconstruction

  Plastic and Aesthetic Research · 2021 · 16 citations

  1st authorCorresponding
  • Medicine
  • Surgery

  Free tissue transfer (FTT) is a cornerstone of head and neck reconstruction. Although rare, complications of FTT surgery can be devastating, including failed flap harvest, wound breakdown, or flap loss ultimately. Thus, modern microvascular surgeons bolster surgical and clinical expertise with a growing number of technological advances to optimize patient care and outcomes. These technologies can be applied in the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative period. Various preoperative imaging modalities can assist in selecting the optimal donor site and advanced perforator planning. Intraoperatively, novel technologies can assist with microvascular anastomoses, operative magnification and visualization, and assess free tissue perfusion. Postoperatively, routine clinical assessment can be augmented by a variety of adjunctive monitoring techniques designed to assess tissue health, arterial inflow and venous drainage. The overall ease and success of performing FTT can be improved by employing novel technologies at every phase of the surgical process. This article will expand upon established and upcoming technological advances and the existing literatures to support their use.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Evaluation of In‐Office Volitional Snore as a Screening Tool for Candidacy for Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation

  Otolaryngology · 2021-06-29 · 3 citations

  article

  Candidacy evaluation for hypoglossal nerve stimulation (HGNS) is resource intensive. This proof‐of‐concept study investigates use of in‐office volitional snore during flexible laryngoscopy as an efficient, cost‐effective screening tool for HGNS evaluation. Adults with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea that failed continuous positive airway pressure treatment (n = 41) underwent evaluation for HGNS from 2018 to 2019. Volitional snore and drug‐induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) data were collected and scored by VOTE classification (velum/palate, oropharynx, tongue base, epiglottis). A chi‐square test of independence was performed that demonstrated a significant relationship between volitional snore and DISE (χ 2 = 4.39, P =. 036) for velum collapse pattern. Sensitivity and specificity of volitional snore for detecting velum collapse pattern were 93.6% (95% CI, 75.6%‐99.2%) and 40% (95% CI, 12.2%‐73.8%), respectively, illustrating its utility in screening for HGNS. Patients who demonstrate anterior‐posterior velum collapse on volitional snore may be excellent candidates for confirmatory DISE at the time of HGNS implantation.

  PublisherDOI

• Phosphaturic Mesenchymal Tumors of the Sinonasal Area and Skull Base: Experience at a Single Institution

  Annals of Otology Rhinology & Laryngology · 2021-08-08 · 4 citations

  article

  OBJECTIVES: Phosphaturic mesenchymal tumor (PMT) is a rare, polymorphous neoplasm with a highly variable presentation and natural history and unpredictable clinical course. The primary objective was to describe our clinical experience with and management of 4 markedly different cases of sinonasal and skull base PMT. METHODS: A retrospective case series with chart review, and relevant literature review, was performed at a tertiary academic medical center between 1998 and 2020. Adult patients treated for PMTs of the sinonasal area and skull base were included. Our main outcome measures included postoperative laboratory findings and radiological evidence of disease remission. RESULTS: Four patients (2 Males, 2 Females; Mean Age: 63.5 years) with PMTs of the skull base have been managed at our institution since 1998. Patient presentations varied, ranging from severe phosphorus wasting and osteoporosis to symptoms secondary to mass effect, including nasal obstruction and rhinorrhea. All 4 patients were eventually found to have elevated levels of fibroblast growth factor 23. Tumors were located in the sinonasal area (right frontal sinus, right ethmoid sinus, and right nasal cavity, respectively) in 3 patients and in the lateral skull base (right jugular foramen) in 1 patient. All 4 patients underwent complete surgical resection of their tumors. PMT tissue pathology was confirmed in all cases. Gross total resection was achieved in all patients. There was no chemical or radiological evidence of disease recurrence in any patients at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The presentation of skull base PMT is variable, and it may mimic other mass pathologies of the head and neck. Complete surgical resection with negative margins is potentially curative.

  PublisherDOI

• Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Head and Neck Melanoma: Long‐term Outcomes, Prognostic Value, Accuracy, and Safety

  Otolaryngology · 2020-02-11 · 15 citations

  articleOpen access

  Objective To evaluate the long‐term outcomes of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) for head and neck cutaneous melanoma (HNCM). Study Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Tertiary academic medical center. Subjects and Methods Longitudinal review of a 356‐patient cohort with HNCM undergoing SLNB from 1997 to 2007. Results Descriptive characteristics included the following: age, 53.5 ± 19 years (mean ± SD); sex, 26.8% female; median follow‐up, 4.9 years; and Breslow depth, 2.52 ± 1.87 mm. Overall, 75 (21.1%) patients had a positive SLNB. Among patients undergoing completion lymph node dissection following positive SLNB, 20 (27.4%) had at least 1 additional positive nonsentinel lymph node. Eighteen patients with local control and negative SLNB developed regional disease, indicating a false omission rate of 6.4%, including 10 recurrences in previously unsampled basins. Ten‐year overall survival (OS) and melanoma‐specific survival (MSS) were significantly greater in the negative sentinel lymph node (SLN) cohort (OS, 61% [95% CI, 0.549‐0.677]; MSS, 81.9% [95% CI, 0.769‐0.873]) than the positive SLN cohort (OS, 31% [95% CI, 0.162‐0.677]; MSS, 60.3% [95% CI, 0.464‐0.785]) and positive SLN/positive nonsentinel lymph node cohort (OS, 8.4% [95% CI, 0.015‐0.474]; MSS, 9.6% [95% CI, 0.017‐0.536]). OS was significantly associated with SLN positivity (hazard ratio [HR], 2.39; P &lt;. 01), immunosuppression (HR, 2.37; P &lt;. 01), angiolymphatic invasion (HR, 1.91; P &lt;. 01), and ulceration (HR, 1.86; P &lt;. 01). SLN positivity (HR, 3.13; P &lt;. 01), angiolymphatic invasion (HR, 3.19; P &lt;. 01), and number of mitoses ( P =. 0002) were significantly associated with MSS. Immunosuppression (HR, 3.01; P &lt;. 01) and SLN status (HR, 2.84; P &lt;. 01) were associated with recurrence‐free survival, and immunosuppression was the only factor significantly associated with regional recurrence (HR, 6.59; P &lt;. 01). Conclusions Long‐term follow up indicates that SLNB showcases durable accuracy, safety, and prognostic importance for cutaneous HNCM.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Delivery of Interleukin‐4–Encoding Lentivirus Using Multiple‐Channel Bridges Enhances Nerve Regeneration

  The Laryngoscope · 2020-03-27 · 3 citations

  articleOpen access1st author

  OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Facial nerve injury is a source of major morbidity. This study investigated the neuroregenerative effects of inducing an anti-inflammatory environment when reconstructing a facial nerve defect with a multichannel bridge containing interleukin-4 (IL-4)-encoding lentivirus. STUDY DESIGN: Animal study. METHODS: Eighteen adult Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups, all of which sustained a facial nerve gap defect. Group I had reconstruction performed via an IL-4 multichannel bridge, group II had a multichannel bridge with saline placed, and group III had no reconstruction. RESULTS: , P = .05) and latency time (mean = 2.9 ms ± 0.6 ms vs. 3.6 ms ± 0.3 ms, P < .001). There was significantly greater regeneration in the IL-4 bridge group versus unreconstructed defect for total fiber and density measurements (P ≤ .05). Comparison of facial motor-evoked distal latencies between the IL-4 bridge group versus bridge alone revealed significant electrophysiological improvement at week 8 (P = .02). CONCLUSIONS: Inflammation has been implicated in a variety of otolaryngologic disorders. This study demonstrates that placement of a multichannel bridge with lentivirus encoding IL-4 improves regenerative outcomes following facial nerve gap injury in rodents. This effect is likely mediated by promotion of an anti-inflammatory environment, and these findings may inform future therapeutic approaches to facial nerve injury. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: NA Laryngoscope, 2020.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• The Rise of Upper Airway Stimulation in the Era of Transoral Robotic Surgery for Obstructive Sleep Apnea

  Otolaryngologic Clinics of North America · 2020-09-18 · 2 citations

  review
  PublisherDOI

• Facial Nerve Surgery in the Rat Model to Study Axonal Inhibition and Regeneration

  Journal of Visualized Experiments · 2020-05-05 · 12 citations

  article1st authorCorresponding

  This protocol describes consistent and reproducible methods to study axonal regeneration and inhibition in a rat facial nerve injury model. The facial nerve can be manipulated along its entire length, from its intracranial segment to its extratemporal course. There are three primary types of nerve injury used for the experimental study of regenerative properties: nerve crush, transection, and nerve gap. The range of possible interventions is vast, including surgical manipulation of the nerve, delivery of neuroactive reagents or cells, and either central or end-organ manipulations. Advantages of this model for studying nerve regeneration include simplicity, reproducibility, interspecies consistency, reliable survival rates of the rat, and an increased anatomic size relative to murine models. Its limitations involve a more limited genetic manipulation versus the mouse model and the superlative regenerative capability of the rat, such that the facial nerve scientist must carefully assess time points for recovery and whether to translate results to higher animals and human studies. The rat model for facial nerve injury allows for functional, electrophysiological, and histomorphometric parameters for the interpretation and comparison of nerve regeneration. It thereby boasts tremendous potential toward furthering the understanding and treatment of the devastating consequences of facial nerve injury in human patients.

  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Kevin J. Kovatch

  Geisinger Medical Center

  19 shared

• John E. Hanks

  VA Boston Healthcare System

  11 shared

• Theodoros N. Teknos

  Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

  10 shared

• Shawn Li

  Case Western Reserve University

  10 shared

• Akina Tamaki

  University Hospitals of Cleveland

  10 shared

• Rod Rezaee

  University School

  10 shared

• Erin L. McKean

  Michigan United

  9 shared

• Nicole Fowler

  Case Western Reserve University

  9 shared

Education

• M.D.

  Ohio State University College of Medicine

  2015

Awards & honors

• American Institute of Maghreb Studies (AIMS)
• The Institute for Advanced Studies in Berlin (Wiko)
• US Department of Education
• National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)
• American Center of Research (ACOR) in Jordan