Murugappan Ramanathan Jr., MD

Murugappan “Murray” Ramanathan is an experienced sinus and skull base surgeon with a high-volume clinical presence at Johns Hopkins Health Care and Surgery Center in Bethesda and Suburban Hospital. He specializes in complex revision endoscopic sinus surgery, endoscopic approaches to the orbit, and the endoscopic management of sinonasal and skull base tumors, including inverted papilloma, esthesioneuroblastoma (also known as olfactory neuroblastoma) and pituitary tumors. He routinely collaborates with colleagues in neurosurgery, ophthalmology, head and neck oncology, and facial plastic surgery to deliver multidisciplinary, patient-centered care. Dr. Ramanathan has consistently been recognized for his patient-centered approach to care as a “Top Doctor” by Bethesda Magazine, Washingtonian, Northern Virginia Magazine and Castle Connolly. He earned his undergraduate degree from Yale University and medical degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. Dr. Ramanathan completed an internship in general surgery and residency in otolaryngology–head and neck surgery at Johns Hopkins, followed by fellowship training in advanced endoscopic sinus and minimally invasive skull base surgery at Johns Hopkins. He joined the Johns Hopkins faculty in 2010. Dr. Ramanathan is the vice director of clinical operations for the Johns Hopkins Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, overseeing the delivery and integration of otolaryngologic care at nine ambulatory clinic sites and five hospitals within Johns Hopkins Medicine. He is passionate about continuously evaluating and improving care delivery processes across all clinical sites for the department. As a surgeon-scientist, Dr. Ramanathan leads a National Institutes of Health-funded research program that was among the first to establish the link between air pollution and chronic rhinosinusitis from an epidemiologic and basic science perspective. He has received numerous prestigious research awards and grants; has published over 110 peer-reviewed articles, reviews and book chapters; and is frequently invited to speak about his research at national and international meetings. Dr. Ramanathan holds multiple national leadership roles, including chair of the CORE Grants General Section for the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery.