Dr. Karen Hiiemae
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Professor, Dept. of Biomedical & Chemical Engineering |
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Education:
University of London, UK
B.Sc, (First Class Honors) 1962
Ph.D. (Anatomy) 1966 [Thesis: Structure and Function of the Temporomandibular Joint in the Rat.]
B.D.S (Dentistry) 1968
Institute for Educational Managrment, Harvard University 1984.
Professional Career:
Yale University
Research Staff Biologist, Yale Peabody Museum, (1967-1972 (part-time)
Harvard University (part-time)
Research Fellow in Biology (1972-78);
Research Associate in Organismic Biology (1978-85
Associate in Mammology (1985 -)
Guys Hospital Medical and Dental Schools, University of London
Lecturer in Anatomy (1969-1971)
Senior Lecturer in Anatomy (1971- 1978)
University of Illinois-Chicago
Professor and Head, Department of Oral Anatomy, College of Dentistry 1978-1981
Professor of Anatomy, College of Medicine, and of Oral Anatomy, College of Dentistry,. 1981-1986
Associate Vice-Chancellor for Research and Dean of the Graduate School, 1981-1986
Syracuse University
Vice-President for Research and Graduate Studies 1986-1989
Professor of Biology 1986-1989
Professor of Bioengineering and Neuroscience 1990 -
Professional Societies (Current)
International and American Societies for Dental Research. (IADR and AADR)
The Dysphagia Research Society
European Society for Oral physiology (The Store Kro).
Ad Hoc Reviewer for
American Journal of Physical Anthropology,
Archives of Oral Biology,
Dysphagia (Editorial Board, 1999-)
Journal of Dental Research (Editorial Board 1998-2001),
Journal of Morphology,
Journal of Oral Rehabilitation,
Journal of Zoology,
Nature.
Science
Research
The biomechanics, functional morphology and evolution of the orofacial complex in mammals including man.
Dr. Hiiemae is particularly interested in the neural control of the rhythmic behaviors of feeding and respiration and how these behaviors are integrated. This requires analysis of the movements of the jaws, tongue, soft palate and the hyo-laryngeal complex as well as monitoring of the movement of air from the thorax, through the pharynx to the nasal cavities. Speech is dependent on the modulation of air movement in the pharynx, oral and nasal cavities as well as on change in tongue and oral cavity shape.
Dr. Hiiemae collaborates with Professor Jeffrey Palmer at Johns Hopkins. They are funded by the National Institutes of Health.
In addition to 26 archival journal papers (please follow this link for a list), she has written numerous book chapters and reviews: the most recent being on tongue movements in feeding and speech (Critical Reviews in Oral Biology and Medicine 14 (6) 413-429 (2003).