Otolaryngology Research

The Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC has an extensive research program that began in 1975 and has since become “the place” for the treatment of otitis media, more commonly known as ear infections. No institution has done more to shed light on the pathogenesis of otitis media and point the way toward improved therapies than Children’s Hospital. In our Clinical Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Research Center and Basic Research Laboratory there are also a number of clinical and laboratory studies under way investigating the causes, development, and management of other pediatric ear, nose and throat disorders.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has funded a $5 million program project devoted to the cause and treatment of otitis media. Researchers at Children’s can now study the middle-ear system while keeping the eardrum intact by putting children into a pressurized room as opposed to older methods that required a perforation in the eardrum. Another NIH-funded study is looking at the heredity of otitis media. The investigators have gathered 500 families with two or more children who have had tubes inserted in their ears to study the genes involved in otitis media. Another study in the field of otitis media requires that parents record the health and middle ear pressure of their children everyday for five months, while a study nurse exams the children in their home each week to study the relationship between colds and otitis media.

An adult study currently being conducted by the researchers at Children’s in conjunction with Carnegie Mellon University involves the effect of psychosocial factors on illness susceptibility. The adults undergo extensive testing and are then cloistered in a hotel and exposed to a cold virus. Researchers are interested in seeing how various emotional and psychological factors affect how severe the cold symptoms are and how they affect the health of the ear.

Along with otitis media, researchers have also made inroads in improving the healing of wounds by testing cell therapy to prevent scar formation in children who require prolonged intubation in the voice box/windpipe. Research into preventing scars and improving healing of wounds via tissue engineering is also being conducted.

The department has received continuous research funding from the National Institutes of Health for over 20 years, and is a recognized Center of Research Excellence with an international reputation for its contributions.

Clinical Team

Chief of Service
Margaretha L. Casselbrant, MD, PhD

Our Researchers
Cuneyt Alper, MD
Charles D. Bluestone, MD
David H. Chi, MD
Joseph E. Dohar, MD, MS, FAAP, FACS
William J. Doyle, PhD
Patricia A. Hebda, PhD
Deepak K. Mehta, MD
Todd D. Otteson, MD
Jeffrey P. Simons, MD
J. Douglas Swarts, PhD
Robert F. Yellon, MD

Browse our clinical trials.

Learn more about Pediatric Otolaryngology services at Children’s.