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Nicole Li-Jessen, Ph.D.

Academic title(s): 

Associate Professor, School of Communication Sciences and Disorders
Canada Research Chair (Tier 2) in Personalized Medicine of Upper Airway Health and Diseases

Associate Member, Departments of Otolaryngology and Biomedical Engineering
Research Member, Quantitative Life Sciences,
Associate Investigator,
Regular Member, CAMBAM,

Nicole Li-Jessen, Ph.D.
Contact Information
Email address: 
nicole.li [at] mcgill.ca
Phone: 
514-398-5933
Degree(s): 

BSc Honors Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Hong Kong
MPhil Voice Physiology, University of Hong Kong
PhD Communication Science and Disorders, University of Pittsburgh
Post-doctoral Fellow Vocal Fold Tissue Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Professional activities: 

Chair, Widening Participation Committee, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (2018 - 2024)Ìý
Mentor, Provost's Faculty Mentorship Network, ÎÛÎÛ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ University (2021 - present)
Associate Editor (2021 - 2024), Section Editor (2024 - present)ÌýÌý

As the Graduate Program Director (GPD; 2024 - present), Prof. Li-JessenÌýis responsible for managing the graduate thesis programs in the School and for advising research students on academic matters. The GPD ensures the smooth day-to-day functioning and overall academic quality of the School's research programs and is the primary contact for all academic matters concerning PhD and Master’s thesis students. The GPD ensures that research students are informed about services and critical deadlines. She also facilitates conversation between the graduate degree program, the academic department, and the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Office (GPS).

Research areas: 
Healthy adults
Swallowing / dysphagia
Voice
Current research: 

Prof. Li-Jessen’s laboratory integrates in vitro, in vivo and in silico (computational) approaches to study vocal fold biology and wound healing. The research goal is to generate a computational platform that can guide surgeons and speech pathologists in the best methods to repair voices that have been lost. Current research projects focus on what cells and proteins drive the vocal fold injury and repair after surgical and vocal trauma, along with the roles of biomechanical stress in cellular and tissue adaptation. Li-Jessen'sÌýlab uses agent-based modeling to simulate patient-specific vocal trauma and repair response in computers. In addition, herÌýwork in collaboration with engineers and surgeons to develop non-invasive assessment of vocal fold pathology, wearable e-health devices for upper airway monitoringÌýand create biomaterial for vocal fold reconstruction.

Selected publications: 



Awards, honours, and fellowships: 

Canada Research Chair (tier 2) in Personalized Medicine of Upper Airway Health and DiseasesÌý(2021)
Delegate, Science Meets Parliament, Canadian Science Policy CenterÌý(2021)
Visiting Professorship, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany (2019)
Principal's Prize for Excellence in Teaching (Assistant Professor Category), ÎÛÎÛ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ University (2018)
Rosemary Wedderburn Brown Prize, ÎÛÎÛ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ University (2018)
Canada Research Chair (tier 2) in Personalized Medicine of Voice Disorders (2017)

Media coverage:

Group: 
Core and Clinical Faculty
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