Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery
Dr. Alexander Hillel is a Laryngologist and Airway Surgeon in the Johns Hopkins Department of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery. He received his undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College and medical degree from Tulane University School of Medicine. After completing residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Dr. Hillel completed a Laryngology fellowship at the Emory Voice Center. His clinical practice and research centers on the treatment, prevention, and causes of laryngotracheal stenosis (LTS).
Dr. Hillel’s laboratory developed robust in vitro and in vivo model systems to study immunologic and metabolic mechanisms that promote LTS. We demonstrated that fibroblasts from LTS patients have an abnormal metabolism with a Warburg-like physiology and showed that T-lymphocytes are critical in disease initiation and progression. Through in vitro and in vivo studies, we identified the mTOR-inhibitor rapamycin as a potential therapy for LTS. Lastly, we developed a novel drug-eluting stent for treating LTS in mice and ongoing efforts center on translating immunologic and metabolic inhibition as a therapy for LTS patients.
Dr. Hillel is a council member of the American Broncho-Esophagological Association and serves on the leadership team of the North American Airway Collaborative (NoAAC) which is an international organization dedicated to improving our understanding of adult airway disease and developing effective, cost-conscious treatments.
Loss of reflex tearing: an expected consequence of juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma.
Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery : official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Oct, 2005 | Pubmed ID: 16213937
Evolution of endoscopic surgical therapy for Zenker's diverticulum.
The Laryngoscope Jan, 2009 | Pubmed ID: 19117284
Rapamycin inhibits human laryngotracheal stenosis-derived fibroblast proliferation, metabolism, and function in vitro.
Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery : official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery May, 2015 | Pubmed ID: 25754184
Integration of a difficult airway response team into a hospital emergency response system.
Anesthesiology clinics Jun, 2015 | Pubmed ID: 25999009
Dysregulated Macrophages Are Present in Bleomycin-Induced Murine Laryngotracheal Stenosis.
Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery : official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Aug, 2015 | Pubmed ID: 26084828
Difficult airway response team: a novel quality improvement program for managing hospital-wide airway emergencies.
Anesthesia and analgesia Jul, 2015 | Pubmed ID: 26086513
Predictors of Posterior Glottic Stenosis: A Multi-Institutional Case-Control Study.
The Annals of otology, rhinology, and laryngology Mar, 2016 | Pubmed ID: 26466860
Office-based Management of Recurrent Respiratory Papilloma.
Current otorhinolaryngology reports Jun, 2016 | Pubmed ID: 27242951
Laryngotracheal Stenosis: Risk Factors for Tracheostomy Dependence and Dilation Interval
Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery : official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery 02, 2017 | Pubmed ID: 28112014
Quantification of Inflammatory Markers in Laryngotracheal Stenosis.
Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery : official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery 09, 2017 | Pubmed ID: 28485188
Interferon-γ Treatment of Human Laryngotracheal Stenosis-Derived Fibroblasts.
JAMA otolaryngology-- head & neck surgery 11, 2017 | Pubmed ID: 28715559
Targeting metabolic abnormalities to reverse fibrosis in iatrogenic laryngotracheal stenosis.
The Laryngoscope 02, 2018 | Pubmed ID: 28940431
Voice and Swallowing Dysfunction in Neurofibromatosis 2.
Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery : official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery 03, 2018 | Pubmed ID: 29160153
T-Helper 2 Lymphocyte Immunophenotype Is Associated With Iatrogenic Laryngotracheal Stenosis.
The Laryngoscope 01, 2019 | Pubmed ID: 30421427
Geriatric Dysphonia: Characteristics of Diagnoses in Age-Based Cohorts in a Tertiary Voice Clinic.
The Annals of otology, rhinology, and laryngology May, 2019 | Pubmed ID: 30678474
Engineering an immunomodulatory drug-eluting stent to treat laryngotracheal stenosis.
Biomaterials science Apr, 2019 | Pubmed ID: 30874257
Laryngotracheal Microbiota in Adult Laryngotracheal Stenosis.
mSphere 05, 2019 | Pubmed ID: 31043518
Inhibition of glutaminase to reverse fibrosis in iatrogenic laryngotracheal stenosis.
The Laryngoscope Jan, 2020 | Pubmed ID: 31904876