Jesse Hoffmeister, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, is an Assistant Professor and Speech-Language Pathologist in the Department of Otolaryngology at the University of Minnesota, where he specializes in the assessment and treatment of voice, swallowing, and upper airway disorders. He completed his doctoral degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and is certified by the American Speech, Language, and Hearing Association.
Dr. Hoffmeister's research focuses on the relationships between cranial sensorimotor function and cognitive/psychological state , with a particular emphasis on defining the neurobiological underpinnings that govern these relationships. In speech-language pathology, there exist obvious, but poorly-understood interactions among successful cranial sensorimotor behaviors (vocalizing, swallowing, coordination of breathing) and cognitive/psychological state. Understanding these relationships and their neurobiological underpinnings would significantly advance our ability to treat patients with voice, swallowing, and airway disorders. Thus, the ultimate goal of Dr. Hoffmeister's research is to develop methods of optimizing cognitive/psychological state to improve motor learning and performance. This can improve clinical outcomes for patients with diverse etiologies of dysphonia and dysphagia. Dr. Hoffmeister's lab is currently focused on refining methods of objectively measuring changes in vocal function while examining degree of sympathetic nervous system activation through a novel use of high-resolution manometry (HRM) and online biomonitoring.
