Tuesday, May 22, 2012

How synthetic vocal cords might someday heal damaged voices!

Synthetic vocal cords may someday heal the voices of singers like Julie Andrews -- whose legendary voice was permanently damaged in a 1997 operation. Filmed in the lab of 2012 ACS Priestley Medalist and MIT Institute Professor Robert Langer, our latest video explains how artificial polymer vocal cords may help repair damaged vocal tissue.

Singers like The Who's Roger Daltrey and Andrews are not the only ones that stand to benefit from this research. Nearly six percent of the U.S. population has a vocal disorder, often caused by vocal cords that have stiffened due to scarring. In collaboration with Steven Zeitels, professor of laryngeal surgery at Harvard Medical School, Langer and Harvard Instructor of Surgery Sandeep Karajanagi developed a polymer that mimics the vibration of human vocal cords.
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