Project Summary/Abstract:
This application requests a career development award for a head and neck surgeon with an interest in
recurrent laryngeal nerve neuropraxia and developing prolonged methods of topical therapeutic delivery. The
described career development plan will help her to build the skills in data analysis, study design, and drug
delivery necessary to become an independent translational researcher developing topical therapeutics for
Otolaryngology applications. The candidate’s mentorship team combines expertise from neuroscience,
bioengineering, laryngology, and otolaryngology to provide a collaborative environment to help her accomplish
her goals. Dr. Kita’s objectives during this mentored career development award will be: 1) Complete coursework
in biostatistical methods, 2) Develop expertise in sustained-release therapeutics, and 3) Design a method of
further characterizing recovery from neuropraxia in a Long Evans rat model.
Manipulation of the recurrent laryngeal nerve is common in surgical procedures of the neck.
Postoperative weakness can results in difficulty with speech, swallowing, and breathing. Return of function from
neuropraxia, the mildest and most common form of nerve injury, often takes a few months. The impairment in
communication, swallowing ability, and breathing that results can severely impact patient quality of life during
this time. This award will allow the candidate to study recovery from neuropraxia and screen topical interventions
for their ability to expedite recovery. Through the completion of this award, Dr. Kita will establish preliminary data
and a model of neuropraxia that may be used to test therapeutics. This will be accomplished in 3 aims:
1. Design a drug-eluting hydrogel with sustained elution. Melatonin will be encapsulated in poly (lactic-co-
glycolic acid) microparticles within fibrin hydrogels and elution of medication characterized.
2. Determine Schwann cell response to melatonin in vitro. Schwann cells will be grown with resuspended
melatonin, filter-sterilized eluted melatonin, and with melatonin secreted from microparticles in hydrogels.
3. Create a rat model for characterizing recovery from recurrent laryngeal nerve after neuropraxia. Vocal
fold movement video, electromyography readings, ultrasonography, and immunohistochemistry will be used to
describe recovery after injury in a Long-Evans rat model. Drug-eluting hydrogels will be implanted and analyzed
for their ability to shorten the period to recovery of vocal fold motion seen on ultrasonography.
Recurrent laryngeal nerve neuropraxia is a common and debilitating complication after surgeries in the
neck. Better characterization of this injury will allow insight into ways to help at risk individuals. Through this
award the candidate will investigate a method of prolonged topical therapeutic delivery for its ability to assist in
recovery of vocal fold function after surgical manipulation and establish the skills necessary to become an
independent translational researcher.