Rania H. Younis, BDS, MDS, PhD

Rania Younis

Clinical Associate Professor and Director, Advanced Program in OMP

Dr. Rania Younis is a Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Oncology and Diagnostic Sciences, Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and serves as the Director of the Advanced Program in Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology. She is an adjunct faculty at the Department of Pathology, University of Maryland-School of medicine, regular member of the graduate school, and associate member in the Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Program at the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Dr. Younis specializes in Diagnostic Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology. Most of her cases are related to soft tissue lesions of the oral cavity, central lesions of the jawbones, and salivary gland lesions. That ranges from reactive, inflammatory, and autoimmune conditions to benign and malignant tumors.

Dr. Younis’s interest in basic science started early in her career investigating several aspects of pathogenesis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Her research lab focuses on investigating the immuno-oncologic signature of HNSCC, with the ultimate goal of tumor stratification to enhance personalized therapy, and early detection, and prevention of the disease.

Dr. Younis’s lab is the first to stratify HNSCC patients into 2 main phenotypes, according to differentially expressed soluble cytokine signature in plasma. That reflects two underlying inflammatory subtypes of the inflamed and non-inflamed. Dr. Younis’s work has led to explore the entrepreneurial space and work on developing a diagnostic based on the soluble cytokines in peripheral blood to read the underlying tumor inflammatory subtype.

Selected publications:
Education and training:
  • 1999  Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS)  Alexandria University Egypt
  • 2003-2005  Masters of Dental Surgery (MDS) Alexandria University Egypt
  • 2006-2009  Residency in Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, University of Maryland School of Dentistry 
  • 2009  Fellowship, American Academy of oral and maxillofacial Pathology (AAOMP)
  • 2011  Diplomate, American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology (ABOMP)
  • 2006-2011  PhD Oral and Experimental Pathology, University of Maryland School of Dentistry
  • 2011-2012  Postdoctoral fellow NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award ( NRSA)