For Robert Fujiki, PhD, the path from musical theater performer to medical researcher was direct.
"I’ve always been interested in the voice," Fujiki said. "During college, I got interested in vocals and the physiology that makes it possible to sing or speak."
As an undergraduate at Brigham Young University, Fujiki earned roles in productions of "Thoroughly Modern Millie," "Peter Pan" and "White Christmas."
He also played Marius in a local production of the famed stage adaptation of Victor Hugo’s "Les Misérables." And like Marius, he soon found he wanted to hear the people — children, specifically — sing. And speak. And vocalize in general.
"My major goals are really to improve voice and upper airway care for children," said Fujiki, who just completed his first year as an assistant professor and researcher with the Indiana University School of Medicine's otolaryngology department.
Though fresh from his post-doctoral training at the University of Wisconsin, Fujiki has already proven prolific in the field, co-authoring 11 papers on various subjects since joining IU in late 2024.
Some 6-7% of children experience voice problems at some point, Fujiki said, and he wants to help doctors understand and treat these complications.
"During my post-doctoral research, I became aware of just how little we know about children's voices," Fujiki said.
One such malady and research focus for Fujiki is vocal cord dysfunction, or inducible laryngeal obstruction, during which vocal cords close when they should be opening. A person feels as if she or he can’t breathe when this occurs, and it’s a common problem in adolescent athletes.
The condition is difficult to diagnose and often damages quality of life for years. Fujiki has worked in a clinical capacity at Riley Hospital for Children, looking for identifiable risk factors in children with the obstruction.
"I want to know what we can do to make treatment as efficient and effective as possible," he said.
Fujiki enjoys the collaboration with other institutions possible through his IU posting, which he says "fills in the gaps" of his own research.
Sharing new findings through the research publication process is a little stressful, he added, but the result is deeply satisfying.
"Peer review can be intense, but it’s rewarding to refine a paper until it gets to its best form," Fujiki said. "It's exciting to share findings and hope they are of use to the medical community."
In 2026, Fujiki plans to focus his research on children with cleft palates. Riley Children's Health has a sizeable program for these patients, who often suffer from higher rates of vocal problems. Fujiki hopes to discover why that is.
He also intends to create a scale for auditory perceptual assessment that doctors may use in everyday patient interactions.
He credited IU School of Medicine otolaryngology professor Stacy Halum, MD, as an inspiration for his work.
"She's a champion of laryngology throughout Indiana and the Midwest, so I was really interested in the prospect of working with her," he said.
"Dr. Fujiki is an exceptionally bright and dedicated clinical researcher whose passion for pediatric voice disorders and strong work ethic make him a tremendous asset to our department," Halum said. "His insightful study designs and innovative approach are poised to be transformative in a field that urgently needs high-quality clinical research, and we are very fortunate to have him with us."
