#  Dr. Andrew Blitzer delivers Harvard Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Grinspoon–Montgomery Visiting Professor Lectureship 

 





June 02, 2023

 

 

 [](https://profiles.mountsinai.org/andrew-blitzer)

   ![Blitzer-Lecture](/sites/g/files/omnuum8391/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/oto/files/blitzer-lecture-1.jpg?itok=v4EAWcYi) 

 

Andrew Blitzer, MD, DDS, FACS, Professor Emeritus of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery (OHNS) at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, delivered the Harvard OHNS Grinspoon–Montgomery Visiting Professor Lecture at Mass Eye and Ear Grand Rounds on Thursday, June 1. Dr. Blitzer, the first physician to inject botulinum neurotoxin—or Botox—into human vocal folds, has achieved international acclaim for introducing Botox injection treatments to a variety of uncontrollable neuromuscular disorders, such as general dystonia, Tourette’s and spasmodic dysphonia. He has written hundreds of publications on the drug’s applications and has even worked with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to test the drug’s cosmetic applications.

 The Grinspoon-Montgomery Visiting Professor Lectureship is named after the late William W. Montgomery, MD, the former John W. Merriam Professor of Otology and Laryngology at Harvard Medical School, and one of Dr. Montgomery’s former patients. Ahead of the lecture, [Phillip C. Song, MD](https://doctors.masseyeandear.org/details/10), Director of the Division of Laryngology at Mass Eye and Ear and a former trainee under Dr. Blitzer, introduced his former mentor to the crowd gathered inside the Meltzer Auditorium. He marveled at the parallels between Drs. Blitzer and Montgomery.

 “Just like Dr. Montgomery, Dr. Blitzer is an innovator and maverick who is just as passionate about training the next generation of physicians as he is about finding new inroads to care,” said Dr. Song. “He has pioneered many of the therapeutic Botox injections we rely upon, yet take for granted, today.”

 During his lecture, Dr. Blitzer explained the origins of Botox and what inspired its use in humans. He also explained the future of the drug, and how it has the potential to alleviate some of the most disruptive effects of neuromuscular conditions once thought too uncontrollable to treat.

 According to Dr. Song, the work of Dr. Blitzer has informed much of the research inside Mass Eye and Ear’s Voice and Speech Laboratory, as well as its Dystonia and Speech Motor Control Laboratory. [Kristina Simonyan, MD, PhD, Dr med](https://researchers.masseyeandear.org/details/345), Director of Laryngology Research at Mass Eye and Ear, has most recently developed [a deep learning model](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36440757/) capable of determining whether certain patients with dystonia can benefit from Botox injections.

 “It goes without saying Dr. Blitzer’s legacy forever exists in all our research,” added Dr. Song. “We’re excited to see how far his legacy might extend.”



 

 

 



 

 

 Share on:- [     Facebook ](#)
- [     Twitter ](#)
- [     Linkedin ](#)