Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center

University of Missouri

Teresa Lever, Ph.D.

Professor, Department of Otolaryngology
Lab Location: 223 DCRC
Office Phone: 573-882-6109
LeverT@health.missouri.edu

Research Interests

Aerodigestive health (particularly deglutition and dysphagia) in biological aging and age-related disease/conditions

Research Description

As a clinician-scientist with extensive experience as a speech-language pathologist, I lead a neuroscience-based research program focused on swallowing and aerodigestive impairments in both human and veterinary medicine. My work specifically targets challenges related to biological aging and age-related conditions such as ALS and head and neck cancer across species. My primary aim is to address the critical need for objective diagnostic tools and effective treatment strategies for dysphagia to reduce the associated life-diminishing and potentially life-threatening complications of malnutrition, dehydration, and aspiration pneumonia. Using a translational approach, my research agenda integrates basic science, veterinary medicine, and clinical research while utilizing a combination of behavioral, fluoroscopic, endoscopic, neuroimaging, electrophysiological, neuromodulatory, and histological approaches across multiple species and life stages. This innovative work has resulted in multiple patented (and patent-pending) technologies that are currently being used within and beyond my lab in collaborative efforts to establish animal models of dysphagia, develop novel treatment strategies via pre-clinical investigations, and conduct clinical trials in human and veterinary medicine. By bridging the gap between human and animal research, this integrated approach combines clinical expertise with cutting-edge comparative medicine, positioning my work at the forefront of dysphagia research and treatment development to ultimately benefit both human and veterinary patients.

Professional Background

• BS in Communication Disorders, University of New Hampshire (1985-1989)
• MS in Communicative Disorders, University of Redlands, California (1989-1991)
• PhD in Communication Sciences and Disorders, East Carolina University, North Carolina; Dissertation (Investigating the SOD1-G93A transgenic mouse model of ALS for evidence of dysphagia) completed in the Physiology Department, Brody School of Medicine (2002-2008)
• Postdoctoral training, East Carlina University, Studied brainstem evoked potentials in Dr. Sherri Jones’ audiology research lab (2008-2009)

Academic Positions

• 2024 - Current - Professor with Tenure, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Missouri School of Medicine
• 2018-2024 - Associate Professor with Tenure, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Missouri School of Medicine
• 2013-2018 - Assistant Professor, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Missouri School of Medicine
• 2013 - Current - Adjunct Faculty, Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, University of Missouri-Columbia

Awards

• Excellence in Research Mentoring of Trainees Award, University of Missouri School of Medicine, 2017.
• Featured Researcher at the Innovation & Entrepreneurial Recognition Dinner, University of Missouri, October 12, 2017.
• MU Top Faculty Achievers Award, University of Missouri, 2017.
• Mizzou 18 Award, honoring 18 MU graduate students and their mentors for world-class research, collaboration with faculty and staff, and demonstrated leadership with undergraduate students, 2019.
• Society for Neuroscience (SfN) sponsored event co-organizer, Craniofacial Neuroscience Social, Washington DC, November 13, 2023.
• First Place Oral Presentation Award (“Applying a bottom-up approach to develop an oral contrast agent specifically for dysphagia diagnosis”) at the 2024 Dysphagia Research Society Annual Meeting, San Juan, Puerto Rico, March 12-15, 2024.

Selected Publications

• Shock LA, Gallemore BC, Hinkel CJ, Szewczyk MM, Hopewell BL, Allen MJ, Thombs LA, Lever TE. Improving the utility of laryngeal adductor reflex testing: A translational tale of mice and men. Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery. 2015, Apr;53(1):94-101. PMID: 25832829
• Lever TE, Braun SM, Brooks RT, Harris RA, Littrell LL, Neff RM, Hinkel CJ, Allen MJ, Ulsas MA. Adapting human videofluoroscopic swallow study methods to detect and characterize dysphagia in murine disease models. J Vis Exp. 2015, March;97. PMID: 25866882
• Harris RA, Grobman ME, Allen MJ, Schachtel J, Rawson NE, Bennett B, Ledyayev J, Hopewell B, Coates JR, Reinero CR, Lever TE. Standardization of Videofluoroscopic Swallow Study Protocol to Investigate Dysphagia in Dogs. J Vet Intern Med. 2017, Mar;31(2):383-393. PMCID: PMC5354069.
• Lind LA, Murphy ER, Lever TE*, Nichols NL. Hypoglossal motor neuron death via intralingual CTB-saporin (CTB-SAP) injections mimic aspects of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) related to dysphagia. Neuroscience. 2018, 390:303-316. Epub 2018 Sep 1. PMID: 30179644
• Lever TE, Kloepper AM, Deninger I, Hamad, A, Hopewell, BL, Ovaitt AK, Szewczyk M, Bunyak F, Zitsch B, Blake B, Vandell C, Dooley L. Advancing laryngeal adductor reflex testing beyond sensory threshold detection. Dysphagia, 2022 Oct;37(5):1151-1171. Epub 2021 Oct 22. PMID: 34686917
• Murphy ER, Thompson R, Osman KL, Haxton C, Brothers M, Lee L, Warncke K, Smith CL, Keilholz AN, Hamad A, Golzy M, Bunyak F, Ma L, Nichols NL, Lever TE. A Strength Endurance Exercise Paradigm Mitigates Deficits in Hypoglossal-Tongue Axis Function, Strength, and Structure in a Rodent Model of Hypoglossal Motor Neuron Degeneration. Front Neurosci. 2022 Jun 30;16:869592. PMCID: PMC9279620
• Lowenstein ED, Ruffault PR, Misios A, Osman KL, Li H, Thompson R, Song K, Dietrich S, Li X, Vladimirov N, Brunet JF, Woehler A, Zampieri N, Kühn R, Jia S, Lewin GR, Rajewsky N, Lever TE, Birchmeier C. Prox2+ and Runx3+ neurons regulate esophageal motility. Neuron. 2023 May (Online ahead of print) PMID: 37192624
• Lever TE, Kloepper A, Welby L, Haney M, Fudge S, Seiller C, Kington S, Ballenger B, Nichols NL. Minimally Invasive Murine Laryngoscopy for Close-Up Imaging of Laryngeal Motion during Breathing and Swallowing. J Vis Exp. 2023, e66089, doi:10.3791/66089.
• Islam S, Gleber-Netto FO, Mulcahy CF, Glaun MDE, Srivastava S, Hunt PJ, Williams MD, Barbon CE, Spiotto M, Zhao W, Adebayo A, Akhter S, Xie T, Debnath KC, Sathishkumar HN, Myers B, Lothumalla S, Yaman I, Burks JK, Gomez J, Rao X, Wang J, Woodman K, Mansour J, Arenkiel B, Osman KL, Haxton C, Lever TE, Hutcheson KA, Amit M. Neural landscape is associated with functional outcomes in irradiated patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Sci Transl Med. 2024 Jul 31;16(758):eabq5585. Epub 2024 Jul 31. PMID: 39083586.