Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) awarded Indiana University Indianapolis a $618,089 Project Grant effective February 1, 2026, through January 31, 2031, under the Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders program (CFDA 93.173). This award supports research investigating the pathophysiology of exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction (EILO), a debilitating disorder affecting over one million Americans, characterized by inappropriate closure of the vocal folds during exercise resulting in severe breathing difficulties and potential loss of consciousness.

The research deliverables leverage advances in mechanical engineering, machine learning, exercise physiology, and computational fluid dynamics to develop a novel wireless mechano-acoustic device for real-time detection and measurement of EILO in field-based exercise settings. The project will generate quantitative predictive measures of EILO occurrence and delineate the biophysiological signatures of pulmonary abnormalities, upper airway size, and aerodynamics contributing to the disorder in young adults. This research addresses critical gaps in current diagnostic methodology, which demonstrates a 44% missed detection rate using continuous laryngoscopy during exercise, and will advance understanding of EILO mechanisms to enable development of more effective clinical interventions.