Michelle Bretl, M.S., CCC-SLP

Michelle is a certified speech-language pathologist and a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders under the mentorship of Dr. Susan Thibeault. She earned a B.S. in Speech and Hearing Sciences and a B.M. in Vocal Performance from the University of Washington. She then completed her M.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders at Bowling Green State University. She worked clinically at the University of Miami in the Department of Otolaryngology, specializing in the evaluation and treatment of voice and upper airway disorders. Her research interests include the development of more consistent reliable treatments for hard-to-treat voice and upper airway disorders, such as vocal fold scar. Her dissertation work focuses on the modulation of myofibroblast cell behavior through CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genetic engineering of vocal fold fibroblasts, specifically targeting fibrosis-related signaling pathways in order to advance our understanding of vocal fold scar pathophysiology.