The mission of the Nasal Physiology and Therapeutic Center is to study the interplay between nasal airflow, nasal obstruction, loss of smell and nasal sinus disease.
Our objectives
Because the main physiological function of the nose is the passage of airflow, conditioning that airflow and sensing the odor within the flow (smell), it is important to understand one major question: How does the nose recognize and meet these functions? By exploring the answer, our aim is to better understand what causes nasal obstruction, leading to a better understanding of the nature of nasal sinus disease and ultimately optimizing treatments or surgical options for nasal sinus disease.Our team
- Zhenxing Wu
- Kanghyun Kim
- Barak Spector
- Drew Mountain
- Zachary Root
Our publications
- Wu Z., Zhao K. (2021) Impact of pulsation rate and viscosity on taste perception – application of a porous medium model for human tongue surface, Computers in Biology and Medicine (In press).
- Liu L, Sayali Dharmadhikari S, Shontz KM, Tan ZH, Spector BM, Manning A, Zhao K., Reynolds SD, Breuer CK, Chiang T. (2021) Regeneration of partially decellularized tracheal scaffolds in a mouse model of orthotopic tracheal replacement, Journal of Tissue Engineering (in press).
- Wu Z. and Zhao K. (2020) Taste of time: a porous-medium model for human tongue surface with implications for early taste perception, Plos Computational Biology, 16(6): e1007888. doi: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1007888. PMC7271999
- Mateusz Choiński, Natalia Gawron, Agnieszka Pluta, Marta Sobańska, Anna R. Egbert, Przemysław Bieńkowski, Halina Sienkiewicz-Jarosz, Anna Ścińska-Bieńkowska, Bogna Szymańska, Andrzej Horban, Ewa Firląg-Burkacka, Tomasz Wolak, Mateusz Rusiniak, Robert Bornstein, Kai Zhao, Emilia Łojek (2020) On the relationship between olfactory sensitivity and personality in HIV-seropositive and healthy men, Current Psychology, 39:1063–1071, doi.org/10.1007/s12144-018-9822-x
- Malik J., Dholakia S., Spector BM., Yang A., Kim D., Borchard NA., Thamboo A., Zhao K., Nayak JV. (2020) Inferior meatus augmentation procedure (IMAP) normalizes nasal airflow patterns in empty nose syndrome patients via computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling, International Forum of Allergy Rhinol, 2020 Nov 29. doi:10.1002/alr.22720, PMC1636956
- Kim K., Otto B.A., Farag A.A., Zhao K. (2020) Topical irrigation against gravity may lead to better sinus penetration, International Forum of Allergy Rhinol, Feb;11(2):198-200. doi: 10.1002/alr.22711 PMC1636084 (in press).
- Wu Z., Krebs J.P., Spector B.M., Otto B.A., Zhao K., Farag A.A (2020) Regional peak mucosal cooling predicts radiofrequency treatment outcomes of nasal valve obstruction, Laryngoscope, Nov 3. doi: 10.1002/lary.29223.
- Turfe Z., Zhao K., Palmer J. and Craig J. (2020) Computational fluid dynamic modeling of maxillary sinus irrigation after maxillary antrostomy and modified endoscopic medial maxillectomy, Journal of Laryngology and Otology, doi.org/10.1017/S0022215121000013 (in press).
- Li C., Dong H., and Zhao K. (2020) Dual functions of insect wings in an odor-guided aeronautic navigation, Journal of Fluids Engineering 142(3), 030902. doi.10.1115/1.4045946
- Zhao K., Kim K., Craig JR., Palmer JN. (2020) Using 3D printed sinonasal models to visualize and optimize personalized sinonasal sinus irrigation strategies, Rhinology (in press).
- Malik J, Thamboo A, et al. The cotton test redistributes nasal airflow in patients with empty nose syndrome. Int Forum All Rhinol. 2020 Jan 17. doi: 10.102/alr.22489
- Wu Z., Craig JR., Maza G., Li C., Otto BA., Farag AA., Carrau RL., Zhao K. (2020) Peak sinus pressures during sneezing in healthy controls and post-skull base surgery patients, Laryngoscope, doi:10.1002/lary.28400.
For our latest publications, please click here.
Current clinical trials, research studies and support
Project title: A confectionary-based screening tool for assessing chemosensory loss in COVID-19 patients
Funding: 3R01 DC016112-04S1 | NIH-NIDCD
Funding Period: 12/21/2020 – 12/20/2021
PI: Susan Travers
Co-PI: Kai Zhao (20%)
Funding: 3R01 DC016112-04S1 | NIH-NIDCD
Funding Period: 12/21/2020 – 12/20/2021
PI: Susan Travers
Co-PI: Kai Zhao (20%)
Project title: Non-invasive nasal aid to improve nasal obstruction symptoms
Funding: Ohio State Dept. of Education, Accelerator Awards
Funding Period: 06/01/2020 - 5/31/2021
PI: Kai Zhao
Project title: Optimizing surgical outcomes to olfactory losses through endoscopic sinus surgery simulator
Funding: R21 DC017530 | NIH-NIDCD
Funding Period: 03/01/2019 - 03/01/2021
PI: Kai Zhao
Project title: RELIEVA TRACT balloon dilation system: Preclinical study
Funding: Acclarent, Inc.
Funding Period: 10/23/2019 - 6/30/2021
PI: Alexander Farag
Co-PI: Kai Zhao
Funding: Acclarent, Inc.
Funding Period: 10/23/2019 - 6/30/2021
PI: Alexander Farag
Co-PI: Kai Zhao
Project title: Sinonasal Visualization and Quantification of the Effect of Oxymetazoline Nasal Spray
Funding: Bayer, Inc.
PI: Kai Zhao
Funding: Bayer, Inc.
PI: Kai Zhao
Contact us to learn more about our lab or make a referral
Email: Kai.Zhao@osumc.edu
Phone: 614-293-3857
Phone: 614-293-3857