Heather S. Bonilha, Ph.D., CCC-SLP

Associate Professor
Department: Health Science & Research
Programs: Cell Injury, Inflammation

 

 

Research Interests:

Dr. Bonilha’s overarching research goal is to improve diagnostic accuracy and treatment effectiveness for patients with swallowing and voice disorders. As such, her research primarily focuses on the anatomy and physiology of the upper aerodigestive tract. In fact, literature and research findings from Dr. Bonilha’s team have demonstrated that disorders further along the digestive tract may be the cause of the abnormal physiology found in the upper aerodigestive tract. Specifically, esophageal dysfunction has been shown to manifest as abnormal oral-pharyngeal swallow physiology, and esophageal reflux is a common cause of / contributor to voice disorders. Dr. Bonilha also investigates the influence of fluoroscopy unit settings, patient characteristics, and exam parameters on the diagnostic accuracy of, and radiation exposure from, Modified Barium Swallow Studies. As this exam directly addresses issues of the digestive tract, results from this line of research could widely impact the clinical care of patients with digestive disease.

Publications:

PubMed Collection