ד"ר נגה נתיב זלצר

Senior Lecturer, Department of Communication Disorders, Steyer School of Health Professions, Sackler Faculty of Medicine

Dr. Nativ Zeltzer holds a BA from Haifa University and Ph.D. from Northwestern University. She conducted her postdoctoral training at the University of California Davis Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, where she was the recipient of the Dickenson Fellowship.

Dr. Nativ Zeltzer’s research focuses on investigating the effects of aging on the swallow and devising prophylactic treatment methods for the preservation of swallow function in the elderly. Her lab utilizes high-resolution manometry and videofluoroscopic biomechanical analysis of the swallow to characterize physiological components of both normal and disordered swallowing, with the goal of designing accurately targeted preventative and rehabilitative treatment for adults with dysphagia (difficulty swallowing). An additional area of focus is on the identification of risk factors and biomarkers for the development of aspiration pneumonia, a common complication of swallowing disorders.

Evangelista, L., Andrews, T., Nativ-Zeltzer, N., Nachalon, Y., Kuhn, M., and Belafsky, P. (2021). Association of functional outcomes in tracheoesophageal voicing with intratracheal pressures and esophagram findings. JAMA Otolaryngol. Head Neck Surg. 147, 1065-1070.

Ueha, R., Sato, T., Goto, T., Yamauchi, A., Nativ-Zeltzer, N., Mitsui, J., Belafsky, P.C., and Yamasoba, T. (2021). Esophageal dysmotility is common in patients with multiple system atrophy. Laryngoscope 131, 832-838.

Nativ-Zeltzer, N., Nachalon, Y., Kaufman, M.W., Seeni, I.C., Bastea, S., Aulakh, S.S., Makkiyah, S., Wilson, M.D., Evangelista, L., Kuhn, M.A., Sahin, M.,Belafsky P.C. (2021). Predictors of aspiration pneumonia and mortality in patients with dysphagia. Laryngoscope July 27, Online ahead of print.

Nativ-Zeltzer, N., Kuhn, M.A., Evangelista, L., Anderson, J.D., Nolta, J.A., Farwell, D.G., Canestrari, E., Jankowski, R.J., and Belafsky, P.C. (2021). Autologous muscle-derived cell therapy for swallowing impairment in patients following treatment for head and neck cancer. Laryngoscope May14, Online ahead of print.

Evangelista, L.M., Andrews, T., Bayoumi, A., Kuhn, M.A., Nativ-Zeltzer, N., and Belafsky, P.C. (2021). Endoscopic visualization for tracheoesophageal puncture tract sizing. Acta Otolaryngol. 141, 635-639.

Dhar, S.I., Nativ-Zeltzer, N., Mehdizadeh, O.B., Ramaswamy, A.T., Nachalon, Y., and Belafsky, P.C. (2021). Effects of pyridostigmine on esophageal and pharyngeal motility in dysphagic patients undergoing high-resolution manometry. Dysphagia Jan 15, Online ahead of print.

Nativ-Zeltzer, N., Ueha, R., Nachalon, Y., Ma, B., Pastenkos, G., Swackhamer, C., Bornhorst, G.M., Lefton-Greif, M.A., Anderson, J.D., and Belafsky, P.C. (2021). Inflammatory effects of thickened water on the lungs in a murine model of recurrent aspiration. Laryngoscope 131, 1223-1228.

Nachalon, Y., Nativ-Zeltzer, N., Evangelista, L.M., Dhar, S.I., Lin, S.J., Shen, S.C., and Belafsky, P.C. (2021). Cervical fibrosis as a predictor of dysphagia. Laryngoscope 131, 548-552.

Ueha, R., Sato, T., Goto, T., Yamauchi, A., Nativ-Zeltzer, N., Mitsui, J., Belafsky, P.C., and Yamasoba, T. (2021). Esophageal dysmotility is common in patients with multiple system atrophy. Laryngoscope 131, 832-838.

Blumenfeld, L., Evangelista, L., Kuhn, M., Linnemeyer, K., Nativ-Zeltzer, N., and Starmer, H. (2020). Management of patients undergoing radiation treatment for head and neck cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic: Clinical guidelines and perspectives. ASHAWire 5, 1021-1025.

Dhar, S.I., Wegner, A.M., Rodnoi, P., Wuellner, J.C., Mehdizadeh, O.B., Shen, S.C., Nachalon, Y., Nativ-Zeltzer, N., Belafsky, P.C., and Klineberg, E.O. (2020). Fluoroscopic swallowing abnormalities in dysphagic patients following anterior cervical spine surgery. Ann. Otol. Rhinol. Laryngol. 129, 1101-1109.

Ueha, R., Nativ-Zeltzer, N., Sato, T., Goto, T., Yamauchi, A., Belafsky, P.C., and Yamasoba, T. (2020). The effects of barium concentration levels on the pulmonary inflammatory response in a rat model of aspiration. Eur. Arch. Otorhinolaryngol. 277, 189-196.

Nachalon, Y., Nativ-Zeltzer, N., Dhar, S.I., Mehdizadeh, O.B., Cassady, A.T., and Belafsky, P.C. (2020). Esophageal A-ring is associated with the severity of gastroesophageal reflux. Laryngoscope 130, 951-954.

Fazakerly, A., and Nativ, N. (2020). The geriatric swallow: Through thick and thin. ASHAWire 5, 1039-1044.

Mehdizadeh, O.B., Dhar, S.I., Evangelista, L., Nativ-Zeltzer, N., Bewley, A.F., and Belafsky, P.C. (2019). Prevalence of profound laryngeal sensory neuropathy in head and neck cancer survivors with feeding tube-dependent oropharyngeal dysphagia. Head Neck 42, 898-904

Nativ-Zeltzer, N., Bayoumi, A., Mandin, V.P., Kaufman, M., Seeni, I., Kuhn, M.A., and Belafsky, P.C. (2019). Validation of the PILL-5: A 5-item patient reported outcome measure for pill dysphagia. Front. Surg. 6, 43.

Dhar, S.I., Wegner, A.M., Rodnoi, P., Wuellner, J.C., Mehdizadeh, O.B., Shen, S.C., Nachalon, Y., Nativ-Zeltzer, N., Klineberg, E.O., and Belafsky, P.C. (2019). Swallowing characteristics in Zenker's-like diverticulum after anterior cervical spine surgery. Laryngoscope 130, 1383-1387

Omari, T.I., Ciucci, M., Gozdzikowska, K., Hernandez, E., Hutcheson, K., Jones, C., Maclean, J., Nativ-Zeltzer, N., Plowman, E., Rogus-Pulia, N., Rommel N., O'Rourke A. (2019). High-resolution pharyngeal manometry and impedance: protocols and metrics-recommendations of a high-resolution pharyngeal manometry international working group. Dysphagia 35, 281-295

Nativ-Zeltzer, N., Belafsky, P.C., Bayoumi, A., and Kuhn, M.A. (2019). Volitional control of the upper esophageal sphincter with high-resolution manometry driven biofeedback. Laryngoscope Investig. Otolaryngol. 4, 264-268.

Shen, S.C., Nachalon, Y., Randall, D.R., Nativ-Zeltzer, N., and Belafsky, P.C. (2019). High elevation training mask as a respiratory muscle strength training tool for dysphagia. Acta Otolaryngol. 139, 536-540.

Ueha, R., Nativ-Zeltzer, N., Sato, T., Goto, T., Nito, T., Tsunoda, K., Belafsky, P.C., and Yamasoba, T. (2019). Chronic inflammatory response in the rat lung to commonly used contrast agents for videofluoroscopy. Laryngoscope Investig. Otolaryngol. 4, 335-340.

Nativ-Zeltzer, N., Rameau, A., Kuhn, M.A., Kaufman, M., and Belafsky, P.C. (2019). The relationship between hiatal hernia and cricopharyngeus muscle dysfunction. Dysphagia 34, 391-396.

Ueha, R., Nativ-Zeltzer, N., Sato, T., Goto, T., Nito, T., Belafsky, P.C., and Yamasoba, T. (2019). Acute inflammatory response to contrast agent aspiration and its mechanisms in the rat lung. Laryngoscope 129, 1533-1538 

Randall, D.R.*, Nativ-Zeltzer, N.*, Cates, D.J., Tinling, S.P., and Belafsky, P.C. (2018). Decreased intramuscular calcium hydroxyapatite implant resorption in a murine model of osteoporosis. Laryngoscope 128, 2576-2580. *Equal contribution

Nativ-Zeltzer, N., Kuhn, M.A., Imai, D.M., Traslavina, R.P., Domer, A.S., Litts, J.K., Adams, B., and Belafsky, P.C. (2018). The effects of aspirated thickened water on survival and pulmonary injury in a rabbit model. Laryngoscope 128, 327-331. (

Siddiqui, M.T., Litts, J.K., Cheney, D.M., Kuhn, M.A., Nativ-Zeltzer, N., and Belafsky, P.C. (2017). The effect of aspirated barium sulfate, iodixanol, and diatrizoic acid on survival and lung injury in a lagomorph model. Laryngoscope 127, E148-e152.

Nativ-Zeltzer, N., Logemann, J.A., Zecker, S.G., and Kahrilas, P.J. (2016). Pressure topography metrics for high-resolution pharyngeal-esophageal manofluorography-a normative study of younger and older adults. Neurogastroenterol. Motil. 28, 721-731.

Nativ-Zeltzer, N., Logemann, J.A., and Kahrilas, P.J. (2014). Comparison of timing abnormalities leading to penetration versus aspiration during the oropharyngeal swallow. Laryngoscope 124, 935-941.

Nativ-Zeltzer, N., Kahrilas, P.J., and Logemann, J.A. (2012). Manofluorography in the evaluation of oropharyngeal dysphagia. Dysphagia 27, 151-161.