Voice and Upper Airway Research Lab

School of Communication Sciences and Disorders

McGill University

Prof. Li-Jessen’s VUA lab integrates in vitro, in vivo and in silico (computational) approaches to study laryngeal and upper airway health and diseases.

Larynx is critical to our daily breathing, communication and swallowing functions. The VUA research lab focuses on advancing personalized medicine in voice and upper airway dysfunctions through the development of biological computing, point-of-care diagnostics, regenerative biomaterials and Internet of Medical Things (IoMT).

Watch Prof. Li-Jessen's talk at the World Economic Forum

Our Motto:

Only the best is good enough

Ole Kirk Kristiansen, Founder of LEGO

The VUA Lab advocates the best practice of EDI principles in STEM and to foster a diverse, safe and inclusive training environment for individuals regardless of race, ethnicity, disability, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation or other diverse backgrounds.

If you share the same vision and research interests as of the VUA lab, we welcome you to join our dynamic and multi-disciplinary team. We currently have open positions (Ph.D. and post-doc) in our computer modeling and digital health projects. Please send your CV, unofficial transcripts and a short description of why you're interested in our work to Prof. Nicole Li-Jessen.

Publications

Featured Articles

  1. Landry, V., Matschek, J., Pang, R., Munipalle, M., Tan, K., Boruff, J. & Li‐Jessen, N. Y. K. (2025). Audio-based digital biomarkers in diagnosing and managing respiratory diseases: a systematic review and bibliometric analysis. European Respiratory Review. 34(176), 240246.
  2. Saint-Jules, W., Massé-Alarie, H., Li‐Jessen, N. Y. K. & Desjardins, M. (2025). Laryngeal hypersensitivity from the perspective of pain science: an integrative review of empirical studies on associated factors and processes. Journal of Voice.
  3. Moya-Garcia, C., Munipalle, M., Pacis, A., Sadeghi, N., Tabrizian, M.†, & Li‐Jessen, N. Y. K.†(2024). Establishment of a chemoresistant laryngeal cancer model to study chemoresistance and chemosensitization responses via transcriptomic analysis and a tumor-on-a-chip platform. Bioengineering & Translational Medicine. e10741. † Co-senior authors
  4. Glick, A. R., Jones, C., Martignetti, L., Blanchette, L., Tova, T., Henderson, A., Pell, M. D., Li-Jessen, N. Y. K. (2024). An integrated empirical and computational study to decipher help-seeking behaviors and vocal stigma. Communications Medicine. 4, 228.
  5. Brown, M., Okuyama, H., Yamashita, M., Tabrizian, M.†, & Li‐Jessen, N. Y. K.† (2024). Trends in injectable biomaterials for vocal fold regeneration and long-term augmentation. Tissue Engineering Part B: Reviews. † Co-senior authors

Invited Book Chapters

  1. Li-Jessen, N. Y. K. & Ridgway, C. (2020). Neuroanatomy of voice and swallowing. In P. Weissbrod & D. O. Francis (Ed.), Neurologic and Neurodegenerative Disease of the Larynx (pp. 21-40). Cham: Springer International.
  2. Orbelo, D. M., Li-Jessen, N. Y. K. & Verdolini-Abbott, K. (2019). Lessac Madsen resonant voice therapy in a young woman with vocal nodules. In J. C. Stemple & E. R. Hapner (Ed.), Voice therapy: Clinical Case Studies (5th ed.). San Diego: Plural Publishing.
  3. Orbelo, D. M., Li, N. Y. K. & Verdolini, K. (2014). Lessac Madsen resonant voice therapy in the treatment of secondary muscle tension dysphonia. In J. C. Stemple & E. R. Hapner (Ed.), Voice therapy: Clinical Case Studies (4th ed.). San Diego: Plural Publishing.

Conference Proceedings & Published Abstracts

  1. Brown, M.*, Tabrizian, M. & Li-Jessen, N. Y. K. (2023) Click Chemistry Improves the Stability of dECM Hydrogels and Provides an Angiogenic Environment for Vocal Fold Regeneration. Proceedings of the TERMIS 2023 – European Chapter, Tissue Engineering Part A, 29, S13-14.
  2. Moya-Garcia, C.*, Li-Jessen, N. Y. K. & Tabrizian, M. (2023) Chitosan-Coated Nano Liposomes as Carriers for Docetaxel Chemotherapy Delivery. Proceedings of the TERMIS 2023 – European Chapter, Tissue Engineering Part A, 29, S13-14.
  3. Brown, M., Zhu, S., Tabrizian, M. & Li-Jessen, N. Y. K. (2022) Click Small Intestinal Submucosa Hydrogels for Vocal Fold Tissue Engineering. Proceedings of the 6th TERMIS World Congress, Tissue Engineering Part A, 28, S32-33.
  4. Yiu, E., Chan, K. & Li, N. (2020). Acupuncture for voice problems: anti-inflammatory or stress reduction effect? Integrative Medicine Research, 9, 100500.
  5. Granato, B., & Li-Jessen, N. Y. K. (2020). Sensitivity Analysis for Dimensionality Reduction in Agent-Based Modeling. Proceedings of the 24th European Conference on Artificial Intelligence, Frontiers in Artificial intelligence & Applications, 325, 2905-2907.
View more publications

Presentations

Conference Presentations

  1. Brown, M., Okuyama, H., Tabrizian, M. & Li-Jessen, N. Y. K. (2025, June). Injectable click decellularized extracellular matrix hydrogels for vocal fold tissue engineering: an in vivo biocompatibility study. Paper presented at the 16th International Conference on Advances in Quantitative Laryngology, Voice and Speech Research, Groningen, Netherlands.
  2. Brown, M., Tabrizian, M. & Li-Jessen, N. Y. K. (2025, May). The use of click alginate linkages enhances the material stability and the immunomodulatory capacity of decellularized extracellular matrix hydrogels for vocal fold tissue engineering. Paper presented at the Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS) European Chapter Meeting 2025, Freiburg, Germany.
  3. Munipalle, M., Bonomo, R., Li, X., Li, J. Y. & Li-Jessen, N. Y. K. (2025, May). Identifying optimal hydrogel parameters for intervertebral disc regeneration via an agent-based computational platform. Paper presented at the Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS) European Chapter Meeting 2025. Freiburg, Germany.
  4. Martignetti, L., Ridgway, C., Masuda, M., Kost, K. & Li-Jessen, N. Y. K. (2025, May). An epidemiological study of treatment-seeking populations with voice disorders in a Canadian tertiary referral voice clinic. Paper presented at the 15th Congress of the European Laryngological Society, Warsaw, Poland.
  5. Tan, K., Landry, V., Pang, R., Boruff, J. & Li-Jessen, N. Y. K. (2025, March). Evaluating the use of acoustic features in diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea: a systematic review. Paper presented at the Canadian Sleep Society Conference 2025, Montreal, Canada.

Invited Talks/Workshops

  1. Li-Jessen, N. Y. K. (2024, September). Integration of Machine Learning and Computer Simulations in Designing Regenerative Biomaterials. Invited talk at the Material Research Society Virtual Workshop on Artificial Intelligence for Biomaterials Design. Online.
  2. Li-Jessen, N. Y. K. (2023). Biology digitization? Lessons learnt from modeling multicellular systems of vocal fold injury and regeneration. Invited talk at the McGill Regenerative Medicine Network. Online
  3. Li-Jessen, N. Y. K. (2023). Recent advances in voice and upper airway research. Invited talk at the Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, U.K.
  4. Li-Jessen, N. Y. K. (2021, March). Integration of Computer Simulation and Empirical Research in Solving Complex Challenges in Voice Care. Invited talk at the First Pan-Canadian Voice Conference. Online.
  5. Li-Jessen, N. Y. K. (2019, December). Towards a bioinstructive design of scaffold biomaterials for vocal fold tissue engineering. Invited lecture at Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany.
View more presentations

Lab Members

Nicole Li-Jessen

CANADA RESEARCH CHAIR (TIER 2) IN PERSONALIZED MEDICINE OF UPPER AIRWAY HEALTH AND DISEASES


Associate Professor


GRADUATE PROGRAM DIRECTOR


SECTION EDITOR OF PLOS DIGITAL HEALTH


nicole.li@mcgill.ca

Awards

Meghana Munipalle

Ph.D. Student

Vivianne Landry

Master's Student (MD)

Grace Yu

Graduate Research Assistant

Chelsea Ridgway

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Annie Deng

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Emily Wang

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Lisa Martignetti

Research Assistant

Samson Yuen

IT Specialist

Alumni members


Postdoctoral Researchers

  • Hideaki Okuyama - Post-doctoral Fellow 2021-2024

  • Zhengdong Lei - Post-doctoral Fellow 2021

  • Huijie Wang - Research Associate 2017-2018

PhD Students

  • Vanessa Brien - QLS Rotation Student 2024 Fall

  • Mika Brown - PhD Student 2019-2024

  • Christian Moya Garcia - PhD Student 2019 - 2024

  • Patrick Coburn - PhD Student 2016-2023

  • Zhengdong Lei - PhD Student (co-supervised), 2015-2019

  • Nuttiiya Seekhao - PhD Student (co-supervised), 2014-2019

  • Bianca Granato - QLS Rotation Student 2019 Fall

  • Joseph Szymborski - QLS Rotation Student 2018 Fall

Masters Students

  • Romi Bonomo - Master's Student 2022 - 2024

  • Andrew Chow - Master's Student 2021-2023

  • Mattia Berrini - Lab Manager 2019-2022

  • Colin Jones - Master's Student 2021-2022

  • Luis Medrano del Rosal - Graduate Research Assistant 2021

  • Sarah Bouhabel - Masters Student (co-supervised), 2014-2018

  • Aman Garg - Masters Student 2016-2018

  • Evan Kennedy - Graduate Research Assistant 2016, 2018

  • Caroline Shung - Masters Student (co-supervised), 2014-2017

Undergraduate Research Assistant/ Summer Interns

  • Jess Matchek - Summer Research Assistant 2019

  • Roger Pang - Summer Research Assistant 2018

  • Shirley Zhu - Undergraduate Research Assistant 2020-2022

  • Daniel Wagner - DAAD Exchange Student 2023

  • Jie Yu Li - Summer Research Assistant 2022

  • Marta Kanne - Undergraduate Research Assistant 2020 - 2022

  • Emily Bottone - Summer Research Assistant 2022

  • Emma Armitage - Undergraduate Research Assistant 2019-2020

  • Miasya Bulger - Undergraduate Research Assistant 2019

  • Aziz Rehman - Summer Research Assistant 2018-2019

  • Emma Cawood - Summer Research Assistant 2019

  • Halle Demchuk - Summer Research Assistant 2019

  • Muhammad Abdullah Sumbal - Summer Research Assistant 2019

  • Samson Yuen - Research Assistant 2017-2018, Undergraduate Research Assistant 2015-2017

  • James Cui - Undergraduate Research Assistant 2016-2018

  • Chelsea Ridgway - Undergraduate Research Assistant 2018

  • Aziz Rehman - Summer Research Assistant 2018

  • Meghan Hollet - Summer Research Assistant 2018

  • Sandra Cortes - Undergraduate Reseach Intern 2017

  • Jesse Chevrier - Undergraduate Research Assistant 2017

  • Laurel Walfish - Undergraduate Research Assistant 2017

  • Marise Samaan - Undergraduate Research Assistant 2015-2016

  • Harry Tao - Undergraduate Research Intern 2016

  • Kimberly Trickey - Summer Research Assistant 2015

Contact Us

Voice and Upper Airway Research Lab

McIntyre Medical Sciences Building

3655 Promenade Sir William Osler
Montreal Quebec
H3G 1Y6
Directions on Google Maps

Rm 1003
514-398-8959
voicelab.mcgill@gmail.com

Office

School Of Communication Sciences and Disorders

2001 McGill College , 8th floor
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 1G1
Directions on Google Maps

Rm 815
514-398-5933
nicole.li@mcgill.ca

Sponsors