Sonja M. Molfenter, PhD

Sonja Molfenter, PhD, is a clinically trained speech–language pathologist whose research specializes in understanding the physiological features of both normal swallowing and disordered swallowing, known as dysphagia. Swallowing function is commonly disrupted after many conditions including stroke, brain injury, head and neck cancer, and spinal cord injury.

Dr. Molfenter’s overarching research goal is to produce clinically relevant research to inform frontline clinical practice. Her research focuses on naturally occurring muscle loss in the pharynx as the result of aging. Dr. Molfenter's work aims to understand the impact of these age-related changes on swallowing function and explore methods to prevent or reverse these changes.