Biomechanical Characterization of Vocal Fold Tissues

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal describes an effort to comprehensively quantify the biomechanical characteristics of the human vocal fold extracellular matrix (ECM) that are relevant to voice production and voice disorders. Specific aims include (1) to quantify the linear and nonlinear viscoelastic properties of the ECM of human vocal folds with normal structure and with benign lesions, (2) to develop analytical and computational constitutive models to characterize the empirically measured tissue viscoelastic properties, (3) to quantify the relative biomechanical importance of the key molecular components of the vocal fold ECM, and to quantify the linear and nonlinear viscoelastic properties of implantable biomaterials developed from these ECM molecules, (4) to investigate the empirical biomechanical effects of the new tissue viscoelastic data and the implantable biomaterials on vocal fold oscillation dynamics, using computational models of phonation as well as a physical model of the larynx. The results of this research should have significant implications for the prevention, assessment and treatment of voice disorders involving the vocal fold ECM. Specifically, findings of the proposed studies should facilitate the realistic implementation and refinement of computer models of phonation, the estimation of safe and pathological ranges of tissue stresses and strains during phonation, the engineering of implantable biomaterials for potential phonosurgical applications, and the prediction of the biomechanical effects of such materials during phonation.