Swallowing and Airway Disorders

UC Davis research and clinical specialists are working to develop a safe and effective treatment for patients suffering from severe airway stenosis. They are exploring the use of a tissue-engineered airway scaffold with stem/progenitor cells from the patients themselves – sort of a biological infrastructure for the cells to develop and grow – to create a viable implant. Members of the team are also investigating an innovative therapy for the treatment of dysphagia, infusing adult human muscle stem cells into the tongues of those with the swallowing disorder to increase tongue muscle strength.