Mu Lab

Liancai Mu, M.D., Ph.D., is the Senior Scientist, Director, Upper Airway Research Laboratory, Center for Discovery and Innovation,

Liancai Mu,M.D., Ph.D., is a Senior Scientist and Director of the Upper Airway ResearchLaboratory at CDI. As PI, Dr. Mu has had 20 continuous years of NIH funding to characterizethe neuromuscular specializations of the human upper airway structures,including the pharynx, larynx, tongue and soft palate, as well as relatedswallowing and speech disorders caused by neurological diseases such asParkinson’s disease.

Another area of his research focuses on musclereinnervation following peripheral nerve injuries by using his newly developednerve-muscle-endplate grafting (NMEG) technique. This project has been fundedby the NIH and DOD. His studies showed that NMEG resulted in better functionalrecovery as compared with standard nerve repair methods. Currently, thisresearch team investigates the efficacy of the NMEG technique for limbreinnervation in a rat model. They also investigate the beneficial effects of nerve growth stimulating methods such as intraoperative brief electricalstimulation and focal administration of exogenous neurotrophic factors onaxonal regeneration and outcomes of NMEG surgery. The ultimate goal is totranslate the NMEG technique to clinical practice in the near future.