2025 J. Blanton Belk Outstanding Alumnus/Alumna Award

By: UWPIAA

The J. Blanton Belk Outstanding Alumnus/Alumna Award recognizes an alumnus or alumna who has made an exceptional contribution to humankind by carrying forward the ideals of UWP.

David Lott’95E

David with Jenny Belk, center; Paul Woidke, past President of the UWPIAA, left; and Debbie Lagomarsino Woidke, UWPIAA Awards Chair, right.
Photo: Johnny Bambury

Members of Cast ’95E invariably remember their cast drummer as a talented and hardworking musician (and dancer!) who was a core part of each performance, consistently showing up with dedication and a positive attitude . . . who practiced his drum routines with his sticks wherever and whenever he could, even on sidewalks or parking lot pavement. They also recalled David Lott as quiet, friendly, humble, and committed to fostering cultural exchange and community engagement throughout their travels.

During those travels, David himself made a discovery. He realized his calling was not to music (or dancing with a “Barrel Roll” during the USA number!) but that his emerging passion was medicine. David recounts, “I was able to shadow a cardiologist during one of our cities in Germany. That experience led me to decide to become a physician. After seeing the compassion and life-changing impact he had on his patients, I knew this was my calling. That experience, coupled with love for humanity fostered during UWP, has guided my career.”

As Up with People alumni, whether on-stage or with host families or cast members, we were able to ask questions, carry-on conversations, and participate in discussions. But what if you’d had no voice? What if you’d been unable to speak? Worse still, what if the disease or injury took not only your voice, but also your ability to swallow or even breathe. In short, David’s career would come to focus on those who, physically, had no voice.

David Lott ‘s medical education began twenty-five years ago. He received his M.D. degree at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine and completed a residency in Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery at the Cleveland Clinic Head and Neck Institute. This led to his focus on voice and swallowing restoration, laryngeal cancer, and laryngotracheal reconstruction.

He received further fellowship training in Laryngeal Surgery and Professional Voice at Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Lott served as the Associate Director of the Mayo Clinic Center for Regenerative Biotherapeutics for 8 years. He is faculty for both the Clinical & Translational Science and Regenerative Sciences tracks within the Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.

At this time, David holds the academic rank of Professor of Otolaryngology at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science. Among other roles and responsibilities, he serves as the Chair of the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery/Audiology at Mayo Clinic Arizona.

Leading cross-national and cross-disciplinary teams in research and surgery, David’s global impact through regenerative medicine, groundbreaking surgical innovation, and his decades-long unwavering dedication to restoring essential human functions like breathing, speaking and swallowing makes him a shining example of the ideals and values of Up with People.

His NIH-funded lab’s visionary work, including 3D-printing of implants, stem cell therapies, and acellular biologics, is not only a medical innovation, but also offers a restoration of humanity for people across the globe.

David’s greatest achievement, thus far, is the first known total larynx transplant on a patient with active cancer in a 2024 clinical trial. This was a milestone in restoring vital human functions – breathe, swallowing, and voice – through regenerative solutions. These solutions are an extraordinary contribution to not only global medicine but to human dignity, giving hope to many affected patients worldwide. David’s goal is to open this procedure for a wide range of patients. He shares his research worldwide, building bridges between nations, disciplines, and communities.

Dr. Lott has authored more than 120 publications, including invited manuscripts and book chapters. He has given more than 300 presentations at various national and international professional meetings. Additionally, he co-authored the book, “Contemporary Transoral Surgery for Primary Head and Neck Cancer”.

Throughout his career Dr. Lott has received many awards and honors, including being named in the Top Voice Doctors in America by Billboard Magazine. He received the Mayo Clinic Transform the Practice Award and has been honored with the Mayo Clinic Teacher of the Year Award. Most notably, he is a Mayo Clinic Distinguished Clinician, the highest honor given for clinical excellence. To these awards, David now adds the J. Blanton Belk Outstanding Alumnus/Alumna Award which recognizes an alumnus or alumna who has made an exceptional contribution to humankind by carrying forward the ideals of UWP.

Click photo so see full image. Photos by Johnny Bambury.

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