McGill University and RI-MUHC RESP Program researcher, Nicole Li-Jessen, has co-developed an innovative injectable hydrogel that could offer a longer-lasting solution for people suffering from voice loss due to vocal cord scarring. Current treatments often break down too quickly, requiring repeat injections that can further damage fragile tissue. In preclinical tests published in Biomaterials, the new gel, engineered from natural tissue proteins and strengthened using a “click chemistry” process, remained stable for weeks, significantly outlasting existing options and allowing vocal cords more time to heal.
The project was led by Professors Maryam Tabrizian and Nicole Li-Jessen. The research marks a key step toward a minimally invasive and durable treatment for vocal cord injuries, which affect roughly one in 13 adults annually. The team now plans to simulate how the gel behaves in the human body, with the ultimate goal of advancing to clinical trials.
Nicole Li-Jessen’s research aims to advance personalized medicine for voice and upper airway disorders by integrating cutting-edge technologies such as biological computing, regenerative biomaterials, and point-of-care diagnostics. Her team is developing non-invasive tools to assess airway reflux, 3D-printable biomaterials for vocal tissue and muscle reconstruction, and wearable e-health devices to monitor voice and airway function in real time.
Read the Article
Clicktetrazine dECM-alginate hydrogels for injectable, mechanically mimetic, and biologically active vocal fold biomaterials. Brown M, Okuyama H, Li L, Yang Z, Li J, Tabrizian M, Li-Jessen NYK. Biomaterials. 2026 Feb;325:123590.
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New injectable gel shows promise as voice loss treatment. McGill team develops hydrogel that outlasted current treatments in a preclinical study, a step toward reducing the need for repeat procedures. McGill News. by Keila DePape. Oct 15, 2025.
Un hydrogel développé à McGill pourrait guérir les cordes vocales. Radio Canada. Oct 10, 2025.