About the contributor

• Reza Shaker

Reza Shaker

Dr Reza Shaker is Professor of Medicine, Radiology, and Otolaryngology, Chief of the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, and Director of the Digestive Disease Center at the Medical College of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, WI. He received his medical degree from Tehran University Medical School, Internal Medicine residency at Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center-Brooklyn, NY and Gastroenterology Fellowship at the Medical College of Wisconsin. He joined the faculty of the Medical College of Wisconsin in 1988 and became Chief of the Division of Gastroenterology and Director of the Digestive Disease Center in 1996. Dr Shaker is an internationally recognized gastroenterologist and an investigator in the field of dysphagia, gastroesophageal reflux disease and cerebral cortical control of gastrointestinal sensory motor function. His research has led to some of the seminal discoveries in the area of airway protection and has opened new avenues of investigation and treatment for patients with swallowing disorders. He was the first to describe that the deglutitive upper esophageal sphincter opening can be increased by strengthening exercises of the suprahyoid muscles. This led to development of rehabilitative exercises for upper esophageal sphincter dysphagia: the Shaker Exercise. His work has led to the description of the subliminal domain of gut sensory function, allowing investigation of brain-gut axis without the influence of cognitive processes in humans. He developed the field of functional interaction between the upper gut and aerodigestive tract that has resulted in discovery of several related reflexes. Dr. Shaker has developed the technique of transnasal unsedated upper GI endoscopy for concurrent evaluation of the aerodigestive and upper GI tracts. He is the founder of the Dysphagia Research Society and the Medical College of Wisconsin's Dysphagia Institute.