Ryan C. Branski

About

Ryan C. Branski, PhD, is a professor in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. His research focuses on developing and optimizing therapeutic approaches for diseases of the upper aerodigestive tract that manifest as speech, voice, and swallowing disorders, which result in disability and diminished quality of life. Dr. Branski's laboratory employs regenerative medicine and tissue engineering approaches, including gene therapy delivery to the vocal folds and tissue engineering constructs, to address functional deficits affecting communication and deglutition. He has pioneered these techniques and his work is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Branski has published over 130 peer-reviewed manuscripts and edited four books. He is recognized as a fellow of the American Speech Language Hearing Association, the American Laryngological Association, and the Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. His contributions significantly advance the understanding and treatment of voice and swallowing disorders.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Internal medicine
• Biology
• Surgery
• Pathology

Selected publications

• Concurrent YAP/TAZ and SMAD signaling mediate vocal fold fibrosis

  Scientific Reports · 2021-06-29 · 40 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Vocal fold (VF) fibrosis is a major cause of intractable voice-related disability and reduced quality of life. Excision of fibrotic regions is suboptimal and associated with scar recurrence and/or further iatrogenic damage. Non-surgical interventions are limited, putatively related to limited insight regarding biochemical events underlying fibrosis, and downstream, the lack of therapeutic targets. YAP/TAZ integrates diverse cell signaling events and interacts with signaling pathways related to f…

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Porcine Vocal Fold Lamina Propria-Derived Biomaterials Modulate TGF-β1-Mediated Fibroblast Activation in Vitro

  ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering · 2020-01-23 · 27 citations

  articleOpen access

  The vocal fold lamina propria (VFLP), one of the outermost layers of the vocal fold (VF), is composed of tissue-specific extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins and is highly susceptible to injury. Various biomaterials have been clinically tested to treat voice disorders (e.g., hydrogels, fat, and hyaluronic acid), but satisfactory recovery of the VF functionality remains elusive. Fibrosis or scar formation in the VF is a major challenge, and the development and refinement of novel therapeutics that…

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Glucocorticoid Dose Dependency on Gene Expression in Vocal Fold Fibroblasts and Macrophages

  The Laryngoscope · 2022-08-04 · 12 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Objective Glucocorticoids (GCs) modulate multiple cellular activities including inflammatory and fibrotic responses. Outcomes of GC treatment for laryngeal disease vary, affording opportunity to optimize treatment. In the current study, three clinically employed GCs were evaluated to identify optimal in vitro concentrations at which GCs mediate favorable anti‐inflammatory and fibrotic effects in multiple cell types. We hypothesize a therapeutic window will emerge as a foundation for optimized th…

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Electrospun composite-coated endotracheal tubes with controlled siRNA and drug delivery to lubricate and minimize upper airway injury

  Biomaterials · 2024-05-09 · 9 citations

  articleOpen access

  Endotracheal Tubes (ETTs) maintain and secure a patent airway; however, prolonged intubation often results in unintended injury to the mucosal epithelium and inflammatory sequelae which complicate recovery. ETT design and materials used have yet to adapt to address intubation associated complications. In this study, a composite coating of electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) fibers embedded in a four-arm polyethylene glycol acrylate matrix (4APEGA) is developed to transform the ETT from a mechanic…

  PublisherDOI

• Injection of vocal fold lamina propria-derived hydrogels modulates fibrosis in injured vocal folds

  Biomaterials Advances · 2025-07-24 · 6 citations

  articleOpen access

  Vocal fold (VF) fibrosis, often resulting from phonosurgery, radiation, or trauma, causes irreversible voice dysfunction due to excessive ECM deposition and increased tissue stiffness. No FDA-approved treatments for VF fibrosis exist, highlighting the need for novel antifibrotic therapies. TGF-β1 contributes to fibroblast-to-myofibroblast activation, leading to increased ACTA2 expression and collagen production via SMAD3, YAP1, and integrin signaling pathways. Leveraging the principle that local…

  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• NIH Grant R03DC010267

  NIH · $520k · 2012

• NIH Grant F31DC006764

  NIH · $26k · 2005

• Optimal RNA-based therapeutics for vocal fold injury and fibrosis

  NIH · $2.3M · 2014–2020

Frequent coauthors

• Milan R. Amin

  New York University

  76 shared

• Renjie Bing

  New York University

  30 shared

• Gregory R. Dion

  University of Cincinnati

  26 shared

• Dennis H. Kraus

  24 shared

• Patricia A. Hebda

  University of Pittsburgh

  22 shared

• Stuart D. Katz

  New York University

  21 shared

• Grace A. McComsey

  Case Western Reserve University

  20 shared

• Andrea S. Foulkes

  18 shared

Labs

• Branski LaboratoryPI

Awards & honors

• Fellow of the American Speech Language Hearing Association
• Fellow of the American Laryngological Association
• Fellow of the Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surger…

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