Dysphagia (swallow disorder) is prevalent problem in survivors of head and neck cancer that can worsen over time, leading to serious complications, such as aspiration pneumonia and long-term diet modifications or feeding tube dependence. The focus of my translational research program is to understand the pathophysiology of dysphagia associated with cancer treatment in an effort to identify potential targets for intervention. My research program has two main components. The first is to study the kinematic and temporal changes in swallowing using a clinically translatable animal model for dysphagia post-chemoradiation. This information will help us better understand the biomechanical deficits in play and their onset following treatment. The second component of my research is to elucidate potential mechanisms for chemoradiation-induced dysphagia.