Building better vocal fold tissue to improve voice
Engineering the Vocal Fold Mucosa
Mapping the cells and signals in vocal folds to guide living tissue replacements for people with damaged or scarred vocal cords.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wisconsin-Madison NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Madison, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11159534 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will read the genes active in individual vocal fold cells and map where those cells sit using high-resolution single-cell and spatial transcriptomics on mouse and human samples across ages and after injury. They will create detailed cell-by-location atlases that show how cell types form during development and how they respond to damage. The team will use markers from these maps to define what a healthy vocal fold looks like and to guide the design of lab-grown tissue replacements. Results from mice and humans will be compared to prioritize the most promising genes and pathways for future repair therapies.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with vocal fold scarring, chronic voice problems, or vocal fold injury who might donate tissue samples or be candidates for future repair therapies are most directly relevant.
Not a fit: People without vocal fold conditions or those needing immediate clinical intervention unrelated to vocal fold tissue replacement are unlikely to benefit directly from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could enable living tissue replacements that heal vocal fold damage and restore better voice quality for people with scarring or injury.
How similar studies have performed: Single-cell and spatial mapping has helped advance understanding in other tissues, but applying these high-resolution maps to vocal folds is relatively new and largely untested for guiding engineered replacements.
Where this research is happening
Madison, United States
- University of Wisconsin-Madison — Madison, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Thibeault, Susan Lynn — University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Study coordinator: Thibeault, Susan Lynn
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.