Speech & Voice Laboratory (SVL)

The mission of the Speech and Voice Laboratory (SVL) explores is to contribute to our understanding of how we can provide the best care for individuals with Parkinson’s disease who have communication difficulties.

Everyone with Parkinson’s disease experiences their own unique journey. In our interprofessional research we are looking to understand patterns in how speech can change over time.

Some people with Parkinson’s disease may choose to do speech therapy. Different treatment options are available and are chosen to best meet an individual’s needs. In our research we are trying to better understand how a person’s individual characteristics influence a person’s speech therapy outcomes.

Meet the Team

Ciara Leydon, Ph.D., CCC-SLP

Dr. Ciara Leydon serves as the principal investigator of the SVL. Dr. Leydon earned her MA from George Washington University and Ph.D. from Northwestern University. Dr. Leydon is a practicing speech-language pathologist whose research and teaching focuses on voice and voice disorders. Her current research focuses on how to provide the best care for people with voice disorders.

Rui Liu, Ph.D., MPH

Dr. Rui Liu serves as a co-investigator in the SVL. Dr. Liu earned her MPH from Southern Connecticut State University and Ph.D. in epidemiology from the University of South Carolina. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship in aging and neuroepidemiology at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Her current research focuses on studying environmental and modifiable lifestyle factors that influence neurodegeneration, particularly Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

Riley Collins, BA 

Riley Collins received her BA from the University of Connecticut and is a graduate student in the speech-language pathology program at Sacred Heart University. She enjoys working with adult and pediatric populations. She currently is working with individuals in gender-affirming voice care. In the SVL lab, she assists with a project predicting treatment outcomes for individuals with Parkinson’s disease.

Eva Fellin

Eva Fellin is a sophomore at Sacred Heart University studying Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences in the 3+2 program. She is interested in working with both adult and pediatric populations and especially interested in learning more about voice, swallowing, and neurological communication disorders. In the SVL, she looks forward to gaining hands-on research experience and learning more about how research can contribute to the assessment and treatment of individuals with Parkinson's disease.

Grace DelGiorno

Grace DelGiorno is a senior studying Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences at Sacred Heart University. She looks forward to working with adult and pediatric populations and is interested in learning about aphasia, dysphagia, and TBI in stroke surviving adults.

More Information

Interested in participating in research or learning about the work conducted in the lab? Email Ciara Leydon, Ph.D., CCC-SLP at leydonc@sacredheart.edu.