Augmenting Vocal Fold Repair Using an Optimized Lamina Propria Extracellular Matrix Derived Hydrogel

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PROJECT SUMMARY Voice impairment is the most common communication disorder with nearly 20 million people in the US reporting symptoms of dysphonia annually. The cost of treatment and lost wages for this disorder is approaching $13 billion. The etiology of these disorders is diverse, but given their anatomic location, the vocal folds (VFs) are susceptible to a multitude of injurious stimuli, including reflux of gastric contents, iatrogenic injury, and the inherent trauma associated with voice production. Injury can result in altered lamina propria (LP) architecture resulting in aberrant phonatory physiology. To date, no treatment restores the native VF extracellular matrix (ECM) composition, structure, and function following VF injury which likely underlies suboptimal outcomes for patients with VF scar. Extracellular matrix derived scaffolds, if appropriately processed, can be used as resorbable and naturally derived biomaterials with a safe record of clinical use that promote constructive tissue remodeling. Tissue- specific ECM hydrogels are ideal for clinical application, particularly given the emerging practice and distinct advantages of in-office procedures using minimally invasive approaches. Work from our group and others provide promising data regarding the role of decellularized vocal fold lamina propria (VFLP-ECM) as a therapeutic scaffold. We broadly hypothesize that VFLP-ECM will evolve into clinical practice to provide a scaffold that promotes functional repair of the VFs. Specifically, we seek to develop an injectable vocal fold lamina propria hydrogel (VFLP-ECMh) that will degrade over time while harnessing the stimulatory effects of the ECM to drive vocal fold tissue remodeling.