Otolaryngology Resident Research

The NYEEI Department of Otolaryngology residency program promotes inquiry and scholarship through several mechanisms including series of didactic lectures, grand rounds, structured research investigation and interaction with full-time faculty with recognized commitment and achievement in scholarly activity. In addition, the Program creates an environment that promotes scholarship by recruiting faculty who are actively engaged in basic science, translational and clinical research.  Residents are also recruited with the full knowledge that research is a requirement of their training and that protected time for research is provided during their residency.   Protected time and funds are provided to promote faculty research.  Additional departmental resources that support faculty and resident research include an in-house biostatistician/epidemiologist and basic science laboratory facilities.

Resident research is conducted at different levels, with different time commitments beginning with the PGY2 year.  During this year, residents attend a basic science research forum and are introduced to and become familiar with the various labs and projects available.  Residents meet with the heads of research laboratories and staff, including postdoctoral fellows, graduate students and MD/PhD students to discuss the ongoing areas of research as well as potential projects. After deciding on a mentor, residents utilize the rest of the PGY2 year working with the mentor reviewing and critically evaluating current evidence-based literature relevant to the project, developing a testable hypothesis, designing an experimental approach to test the hypothesis, determining sample size necessary to achieve statistically significant results, writing clinical and/or animal protocols for IRB approval and writing a short research proposal. The submission of the research proposal for external funding for the project is encouraged.  Residents will present their project at NYEE Research Conference once during the PGY2 year.

During the PGY3 year residents continue preparatory work for initiating research (begun in the PGY2 year) and spend one day per week engaged in research accruing patients, obtaining tissue samples, performing preliminary work and learning laboratory techniques necessary for the project.  Residents will present their research at NYEE Research Conference once during the PGY3 year.

During the PGY4 year residents have a three month protected block for research.  Additional research time may be available depending on the proximity of the laboratory to the resident’s clinical responsibilities.  Residents are expected to organize and critically analyze their data, begin to prepare manuscripts for submission to peer-reviewed journals and present their research at national and local conferences.  Residents will present their research at NYEE Research Conference twice during the PGY4 year.

During the PGY5 year residents are expected to complete their research projects.  Residents more fully organize and critically analyze their data, as well as subject their data to rigorous statistical analysis.  Manuscripts should be submitted for publication to peer-reviewed journals and present their projects at local and national conferences.  Residents will present their research at NYEE Research Conference once during the PGY5 year

Current research projects include:

Thyroid and head and neck diseases

• Molecular biology of papillary thyroid cancer
• Molecular biomarkers of thyroid cancer
• Role of lipoxygenases in papillary thyroid cancer
• Proteomics and chemoprevention of thyroid proliferative diseases
• Role of the estrogen signaling pathway and thyroid proliferative dieases
• Effect of ionizing radiation on cell cycle checkpoints in thyroid cells
• Cell-cell communication in follicular adenomas and carcinomas
• Cell-cell communication in squamous cell carcinoma of the Head and Neck
• P53-mediated bystander effects in squamous cell carcinoma of the Head and Neck

Laryngology

• Decomposition of electromyographic signals in facial paralysis
• Neurophysiologic evidence of Lee Silverman voice therapy in Parkinson's Disease
• Neuromoter modeling of spasmodic dysphonia
• Dysphagia and laryngopharyngeal sensory deficit after chemoradiation for head and neck cancer.
• Vocal rehabilitation after partial laryngectomy
• Vocal fold reinnervation

Otology

• Cell-to-cell communication in the CNS in health and disease
• Induced irreversible imbalance as an outcome of intrauterine hypoxia
• A Drosophila model for hearing deficits
• Molecular signals in hair cell regeneration
• Efficacy of Bone Anchored Hearing Aid for single sided deafness
• Cochlear implants – outcomes assessment and perception of music
• Benefit of cochlear implants in infants
• Language development in children with cochlear implants
• Speech perception in patients with bilateral cochlear implants
• Comparison of bilateral vs bimodal hearing in cochlear implant patients
• Development of a speech perception test for testing young children with cochlear implants

Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery

• Randomized, blinded clinical trial of Aquamid polyacrylamide gel vs Restylane for treatment of nasolabial folds.
• Assessment of relative skin thicknesses of the face
• Photographic assessment of eyebrow position and range of motion
• Congenital malformations
• Molecular biology of hemangiomas

Research objectives and competencies

Jan Geliebter, PhD
Resident Research Coordinator
jan_geliebter@nymc.edu

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