Laryngology

Translational systems biology and voice pathophysiology

  1. Nicole Y. K. Li PhD1,
  2. Katherine Verdolini Abbott PhD1,2,3,4,5,*,
  3. Clark Rosen MD1,2,3,5,
  4. Gary An MD4,5,9,
  5. Patricia A. Hebda PhD1,2,5,6,8,
  6. Yoram Vodovotz PhD1,4,5,7

Article first published online: 18 DEC 2009

DOI: 10.1002/lary.20755

Issue

The Laryngoscope

The Laryngoscope

Volume 120, Issue 3, pages 511–515, March 2010

Additional Information

How to Cite

Li, N. Y. K., Verdolini Abbott, K., Rosen, C., An, G., Hebda, P. A. and Vodovotz, Y. (2010), Translational systems biology and voice pathophysiology. The Laryngoscope, 120: 511–515. doi: 10.1002/lary.20755

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Communication Science and Disorders, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  2. 2

    the Department of Otolaryngology, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  3. 3

    the University of Pittsburgh Voice Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  4. 4

    the Center for Inflammation and Regenerative Modeling, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  5. 5

    the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  6. 6

    the Department of Pathology, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  7. 7

    and the Department of Surgery, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  8. 8

    University of Pittsburgh, and the Otolaryngology Wound Healing Laboratory, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  9. 9

    Deparment of Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.

*Department of Communication Science and Disorders, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, 4033 Forbes Tower, Pittsburgh, PA 15260

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 16 FEB 2010
  2. Article first published online: 18 DEC 2009
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 17 SEP 2009

Funded by

  • National Institutes of Health. Grant Numbers: R01-DC-005643, R01-DC-008290
  • National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
  • National Institute of General Medical Sciences. Grant Number: P50-GM-53789-09 (Project V)
  • National Institute for Disability Rehabilitation Research. Grant Number: H133E070024 (Developmental Project 1)

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Keywords:

  • Vocal folds;
  • wound healing;
  • systems biology;
  • modeling

Abstract

Objectives/Hypothesis:

Personalized medicine has been called upon to tailor healthcare to an individual's needs. Evidence-based medicine (EBM) has advocated using randomized clinical trials with large populations to evaluate treatment effects. However, due to large variations across patients, the results are likely not to apply to an individual patient. We suggest that a complementary, systems biology approach using computational modeling may help tackle biological complexity in order to improve ultimate patient care. The purpose of the article is: 1) to review the pros and cons of EBM, and 2) to discuss the alternative systems biology method and present its utility in clinical voice research.

Study Design:

Tutorial.

Methods:

Literature review and discussion.

Results:

We propose that translational systems biology can address many of the limitations of EBM pertinent to voice and other health care domains, and thus complement current health research models. In particular, recent work using mathematical modeling suggests that systems biology has the ability to quantify the highly complex biologic processes underlying voice pathophysiology. Recent data support the premise that this approach can be applied specifically in the case of phonotrauma and surgically induced vocal fold trauma, and may have particular power to address personalized medicine.

Conclusions:

We propose that evidence around vocal health and disease be expanded beyond a population-based method to consider more fully issues of complexity and systems interactions, especially in implementing personalized medicine in voice care and beyond. Laryngoscope, 2010

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