Faculty Appointments
Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
Education
M.D., Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CaliforniaPh.D., Bioengineering, University of California, San Francisco, CaliforniaM.E., Biomedical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MassachusettsB.S., Mechanical Engineering, Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Research Description
I am a surgeon-scientist and practicing subspecialty board-certified Pediatric Otolaryngologist–Head and Neck Surgeon at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.
My basic/translational science research program centers on the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying recalcitrant tissue fibrosis after airway injury – a problem we encounter frequently in clinical practice in patients requiring ventilatory support by endotracheal intubation for respiratory failure, and for which treatments are limited. Our laboratory's particular focus is investigating how intercellular signaling from the airway blood and lymphatic vasculature to the stromal tissue environment contributes to fibrosis. To investigate this understudied topic, we use a combination of small animal injury models, cell culture-based experiments, and analysis of patient clinical samples. We have expertise with a wide range of powerful tools including a mouse airway injury model, a clinical tissue biorepository, cell co-culture systems, optical clearing techniques, fluorescence light sheet microscopy, advanced histology, and single cell transcriptomic methods for basic and translational research.
My clinical research also includes:
- a clinical trial for the treatment of mixed and macrocystic lymphatic malformations
- surgical simulation and education,
- outcomes research in the management of vascular anomalies
- improving outcomes in pediatric hearing healthcare
- quality improvement work (e.g. early detection of ear malformations, pediatric hearing loss pathways, reduction in need for operative intervention for post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage).
My basic/translational science research program centers on the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying recalcitrant tissue fibrosis after airway injury – a problem we encounter frequently in clinical practice in patients requiring ventilatory support by endotracheal intubation for respiratory failure, and for which treatments are limited. Our laboratory's particular focus is investigating how intercellular signaling from the airway blood and lymphatic vasculature to the stromal tissue environment contributes to fibrosis. To investigate this understudied topic, we use a combination of small animal injury models, cell culture-based experiments, and analysis of patient clinical samples. We have expertise with a wide range of powerful tools including a mouse airway injury model, a clinical tissue biorepository, cell co-culture systems, optical clearing techniques, fluorescence light sheet microscopy, advanced histology, and single cell transcriptomic methods for basic and translational research.
My clinical research also includes:
- a clinical trial for the treatment of mixed and macrocystic lymphatic malformations
- surgical simulation and education,
- outcomes research in the management of vascular anomalies
- improving outcomes in pediatric hearing healthcare
- quality improvement work (e.g. early detection of ear malformations, pediatric hearing loss pathways, reduction in need for operative intervention for post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage).
Clinical Description
I specialize in complex conditions in pediatric otolaryngology including airway injury and laryngotracheal stenosis as well as chronic breathing and swallowing disorders, as well as congenital disorders including vascular anomalies and ear malformations. My clinical expertise includes the management of airway disorders, microtia, congenital aural atresia, hearing loss, and vascular anomalies.
Research Keywords
lymphatic system, lymphangiogenesis, inflammation, vascular biology, immunology, airway biology, fibrosis, stenosis, hearing loss, ear malformations, 3d printing
Clinical Research Keywords
airway disorders, microtia, congenital aural atresia, hearing loss, vascular anomalies
Publications
Petrauskas LA, Sethurathnam J, Kunnath AJ, Sharma RK, Ceremsak J, Belcher RH, Phillips JD, Werkhaven JA, Whigham AS, Wilcox LJ, Wootten CT, Virgin FW, Park JS. Reducing Surgery for Pediatric Posttonsillectomy Hemorrhage Using Tranexamic Acid: A Quality Improvement Initiative. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg [print-electronic]. 2025 Sep; 173(3): 745-53. PMID: 40396477, PMCID: PMC12379852, DOI: 10.1002/ohn.1300, ISSN: 1097-6817.
Raj SV, Prosak OL, O'Brien KJ, Park JS, Zhao S, Wootten CT. Otolaryngologists Demonstrate Low Agreement on Pediatric Airway Inflammation Assessment. Laryngoscope [print-electronic]. 2025 May; 135(5): 1830-5. PMID: 39579059, PMCID: PMC11980963, DOI: 10.1002/lary.31926, ISSN: 1531-4995.
Davis RJ, Talatala ERR, Wu H, Zhang Y, Park JS, Gelbard A. PD-L1 Acts Independently of PD-1 as a Marker of Pathologic Fibroblasts in Laryngotracheal Stenosis. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg [print-electronic]. 2025 Feb; 172(2): 563-70. PMID: 39441651, PMCID: PMC11773441, DOI: 10.1002/ohn.1034, ISSN: 1097-6817.
Richardson CM, Walton S, Park JS, Bonilla-Velez J, Bly RA, Dahl JP, Parikh SR, Friedman S, Johnson KE. Multidisciplinary Advanced Surgical Planning for Slide Tracheoplasty Using 3D-Printed Models. Laryngoscope [print-electronic]. 2024 Jul; 134(7): 3395-401. PMID: 38450727, DOI: 10.1002/lary.31327, ISSN: 1531-4995.
Kondo T, Nishio N, Park JS, Mani LD, Naveed A, Tanaka H, Lewis JS, Rosenthal EL, Hom ME. Identification of Optimal Tissue-Marking Dye Color for Pathological Evaluation in Fluorescence Imaging Using IRDye800CW. Mol Imaging Biol [print-electronic]. 2024 Feb; 26(1): 162-72. PMID: 38057647, PII: 10.1007/s11307-023-01882-x, DOI: 10.1007/s11307-023-01882-x, ISSN: 1860-2002.
Jáuregui EJ, Abts MF, Dahl JP, Parikh SR, Horn DL, Pickens M, Park JS, DeMarre K, Hoang J, Johnson K. Beyond Laryngeal Clefts: Interarytenoid Injection Augmentation to Predict Success of Suture Augmentation in Children. Laryngoscope [print-electronic]. 2023 Jul; 133(7): 1749-56. PMID: 36069277, DOI: 10.1002/lary.30374, ISSN: 1531-4995.
Richardson CM, Zopf DA, Ikeda AK, van Horn A, Cohen K, Nourmohammadi Z, Nassar M, Park JS, Johnson KE. A Validated 3D Printed Laryngeal Suturing Simulator for Endoscopic Laryngeal Cleft Repair. Laryngoscope [print-electronic]. 2023 Apr; 133(4): 785-91. PMID: 35932231, DOI: 10.1002/lary.30320, ISSN: 1531-4995.
Raj SV, Prosak OL, O'Brien KJ, Park JS, Zhao S, Wootten CT. Otolaryngologists Demonstrate Low Agreement on Pediatric Airway Inflammation Assessment. Laryngoscope [print-electronic]. 2025 May; 135(5): 1830-5. PMID: 39579059, PMCID: PMC11980963, DOI: 10.1002/lary.31926, ISSN: 1531-4995.
Davis RJ, Talatala ERR, Wu H, Zhang Y, Park JS, Gelbard A. PD-L1 Acts Independently of PD-1 as a Marker of Pathologic Fibroblasts in Laryngotracheal Stenosis. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg [print-electronic]. 2025 Feb; 172(2): 563-70. PMID: 39441651, PMCID: PMC11773441, DOI: 10.1002/ohn.1034, ISSN: 1097-6817.
Richardson CM, Walton S, Park JS, Bonilla-Velez J, Bly RA, Dahl JP, Parikh SR, Friedman S, Johnson KE. Multidisciplinary Advanced Surgical Planning for Slide Tracheoplasty Using 3D-Printed Models. Laryngoscope [print-electronic]. 2024 Jul; 134(7): 3395-401. PMID: 38450727, DOI: 10.1002/lary.31327, ISSN: 1531-4995.
Kondo T, Nishio N, Park JS, Mani LD, Naveed A, Tanaka H, Lewis JS, Rosenthal EL, Hom ME. Identification of Optimal Tissue-Marking Dye Color for Pathological Evaluation in Fluorescence Imaging Using IRDye800CW. Mol Imaging Biol [print-electronic]. 2024 Feb; 26(1): 162-72. PMID: 38057647, PII: 10.1007/s11307-023-01882-x, DOI: 10.1007/s11307-023-01882-x, ISSN: 1860-2002.
Jáuregui EJ, Abts MF, Dahl JP, Parikh SR, Horn DL, Pickens M, Park JS, DeMarre K, Hoang J, Johnson K. Beyond Laryngeal Clefts: Interarytenoid Injection Augmentation to Predict Success of Suture Augmentation in Children. Laryngoscope [print-electronic]. 2023 Jul; 133(7): 1749-56. PMID: 36069277, DOI: 10.1002/lary.30374, ISSN: 1531-4995.
Richardson CM, Zopf DA, Ikeda AK, van Horn A, Cohen K, Nourmohammadi Z, Nassar M, Park JS, Johnson KE. A Validated 3D Printed Laryngeal Suturing Simulator for Endoscopic Laryngeal Cleft Repair. Laryngoscope [print-electronic]. 2023 Apr; 133(4): 785-91. PMID: 35932231, DOI: 10.1002/lary.30320, ISSN: 1531-4995.