About

Jeremy Meier, MD, is the Chief of Pediatric Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery for University of Utah Health and Primary Children's Hospital. His clinical practice encompasses all areas of complicated ENT problems in children, with a focus on managing children with complex airway and breathing problems and craniofacial disorders. He has clinical interests and special expertise in laryngotracheal reconstruction, airway and swallowing problems, children with syndromes such as achondroplasia and Down syndrome, sinus disorders, congenital neck masses, facial trauma, and cleft lip and palate. Dr. Meier grew up in Salt Lake City and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry from Brigham Young University, graduating summa cum laude from St. Louis University School of Medicine. He completed his residency in Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at the University of California Davis Medical Center and a fellowship in pediatric otolaryngology at the Medical University of South Carolina. As a faculty member at the University of Utah School of Medicine, he is involved in training the next generation of physicians and surgeons. His research focuses on improving value for common pediatric otolaryngology conditions to make healthcare better, safer, and more cost-effective, and he is funded through the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Dr. Meier is dedicated to improving health for underserved populations both locally and internationally, volunteering at the Maliheh Clinic in Salt Lake City and traveling annually to Cape Coast, Ghana, to help train local surgeons. His work is characterized by a compassionate approach, extensive expertise, and a commitment to patient-centered care.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Pathology
• Biology
• Immunology
• Internal medicine
• Anesthesia
• Surgery

Selected publications

• Quality of Life Impact of Velopharyngeal Insufficiency: The Role of Social Determinants of Health

  The Laryngoscope · 2025-10-04

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  OBJECTIVES: The impact of velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) on patient and caregiver quality of life (QOL) is well documented. The social determinants of health (SDOH) that affect this relationship remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate these associations to better understand how social context impacts patients and caregivers at risk of VPI due to congenital cleft and craniofacial deformities. METHODS: Retrospective review of caregiver-reported Velopharyngeal Insufficiency Effects on Life Outcome (VELO) questionnaire responses was conducted for patients seen in a multidisciplinary cleft and craniofacial clinic from 2020 to 2023. Scores were matched to census data regarding educational opportunities, health/environmental factors, and socioeconomic factors using the Childhood Opportunity Index (COI). Associations between QOL and SDOH were evaluated via linear regression, with higher scores representing better values. RESULTS: Among the cohort (N = 161), multiple SDOH categories significantly predicted the QOL impacts of VPI (p < 0.05). Socioeconomic factors were positively correlated with speech limitations, situational difficulty, emotional impact, and caregiver impact (β = 0.23-0.36, p < 0.05). Contrary to our hypothesis, health/environmental factors exhibited a significant negative correlation across the same VELO domains in addition to swallowing problems (β = -0.29 to -0.12, p < 0.05). Educational opportunities showed no significant association with any VELO subcategory (β = -0.11 to -0.03, p > 0.1). CONCLUSION: Higher socioeconomic status was associated with better VELO scores, underscoring the protective role of resources in health outcomes and caregiver perceptions. In contrast, caregivers with better health/environmental conditions reported worse outcomes, suggesting that higher health standards may influence perceptions of VPI severity.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Social risk factors of recurrent croup

  International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology · 2025-12-12

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Liver-targeted delivery of bioengineered induced tregs via nanoparticles prevents and treats acute gvhd

  Blood · 2025-11-03 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Induced regulatory T cell (iTregs) therapy holds promise for graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), but clinical translation has been limited by phenotypic instability and insufficient tissue localization to inflamed organs. Recognizing the liver as both a major site of acute GvHD (aGvHD) pathology and a critical immunologic interface where alloantigen presentation and systemic tolerance are orchestrated, we hypothesized that localizing iTregs to the liver could establish a local immune regulatory hub, enabling sustained immunomodulation and thereby altering the systemic trajectory of aGvHD. To enable tissue-specific targeting, we developed a bioorthogonal click chemistry platform using 4-aminophenyl β-D-galactopyranoside-conjugated, lipid-coated nanoparticles loaded with Ac4ManNAz (ALPA NPs). These NPs are selectively taken up by hepatocytes via the asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR), enabling durable azide tagging through metabolic glycoengineering. iTregs were surface-modified with dibenzocyclooctyne (DBCO) generating DBCO-iTregs that retained full suppressive function in vitro compared to unmodified iTregs. Upon adoptive transfer, DBCO-iTregs covalently linked to azide-expressing hepatocytes, leading to significantly enhanced hepatic localization compared to unmodified iTregs (p &amp;lt; 0.0001). We next evaluated therapeutic efficacy of our approach in both parent→F1 and fully MHC-mismatched murine bone marrow transplantation (BMT) models. B6D2 or BALB/c mice were lethally irradiated and transplanted with B6 donor T cells and marrow. For prevention experiments, ALPA NPs were administered on days -3 and -2 (17.5 mg/kg) followed by iTreg or DBCO-iTreg and conventional T cell infusion on day 0. For treatment approaches, ALPA NPs were given on days 4 and 5 followed by iTreg or DBCO-iTreg infusion on day 7 after bone marrow transplant (BMT). In co-transplantation models, DBCO-iTregs + ALPA NPs significantly reduced clinical GvHD scores, serum AST/ALT levels, and improved survival compared to unmodified iTregs (p &amp;lt; 0.05) or DBCO-iTregs delivered with free Ac4ManNAz (p &amp;lt; 0.01). In treatment models initiated after GvHD onset, liver-targeted DBCO-iTregs conferred durable improvements in survival, weight maintenance, and histologic protection of hepatic and intestinal tissues compared to controls. These effects were dependent on NP-mediated targeting, as DBCO-iTregs or free Ac4ManNAz alone showed no benefit. Mechanistically, flow cytometry revealed that liver-targeted DBCO-iTregs reduced the proportion of IFN-γ+ donor iTregs (CD45.1+) in the liver compared to unmodified iTregs (17.3% ± 3.7 vs. 33.2% ± 3.3, p &amp;lt; 0.01), suggesting enhanced phenotypic stability. Furthermore, conventional donor CD4+ and CD8+ T cells (CD45.2+) in the liver and spleen of recipients treated with DBCO-iTregs had significantly reduced percentage of cells expressing IFN-γ compared with BM + T control recipients (CD4+ liver: 32.1 ± 8.0% vs. 48.5 ± 8.4%, p &amp;lt; 0.05; CD8+ liver: 5.9 ± 1.0% vs. 18.7 ± 3.7%, p &amp;lt; 0.001; spleen: 1.9 ± 0.5% vs. 16.7 ± 8.1%, p &amp;lt; 0.0001), highlighting a broad impact on effector T cell responses. Correspondingly, serum and liver IFN-γ levels were significantly reduced in DBCO-iTreg + ALPA NPs-treated mice. Notably, when co-transplanted, DBCO-iTregs isolated from the liver had greater expression of FoxP3 compared to unmodified iTregs (p &amp;lt; 0.05) suggesting improved in vivo stabilization of FoxP3. Finally, liver-targeting DBCO-iTregs + ALPA NPs preserved graft-versus-leukemia (GvL) activity while preventing aGvHD, suggesting potential for combinatorial efficacy. In summary, our findings demonstrate that liver-specific targeting of iTregs via nanoparticle-based glycoengineering enables potent local immunoregulation, preserves iTreg stability, suppresses effector T cell responses, and improves systemic control of aGvHD without compromising GvL activity. This platform offers a novel and translatable strategy for organ-specific immune modulation in allogeneic transplantation and potentially autoimmunity.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Button Battery Ingestion: Exploring Socioeconomic Risk Factors

  Otolaryngology · 2025-03-10 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  OBJECTIVE: Examine the demographic and social determinants of health linked to pediatric esophageal foreign body removals, with an emphasis on button battery ingestions. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective chart review was performed on pediatric patients who underwent operative removal of a foreign body from the esophagus (Current Procedural Terminologies [CPTs] 43215, 43194). SETTING: The study was conducted across four hospitals from November 2010 to December 2023. METHODS: Data on patient demographics and social determinants of health were analyzed. Exclusions included nonaccidental ingestions, patients older than 18 years, and cases with missing social determinants of health data. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) database was used to link patient data to socioeconomic indicators. RESULTS: Of 825 cases, 50 were button battery ingestions. Age was comparable between button battery and nonbutton battery patients. Button battery patients were predominantly male. Socioeconomic analysis revealed that button battery patients were from households with higher median incomes, lower poverty rates, higher home values, and greater internet access. The incidence of button battery ingestion increased over the study period. CONCLUSION: This study highlights significant demographic and socioeconomic differences in pediatric foreign body ingestions compared to button battery ingestions. Male gender and higher socioeconomic status were notable risk factors for button battery ingestion. These findings support the need for educational and preventive strategies to address the risks associated with button battery ingestion.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Contributors

  Elsevier eBooks · 2025-09-05

  book-chapter
  PublisherDOI

• Value of Imaging Measurements in Micrognathia‐Related Fetal Airway Obstruction Within a Fetal Center

  The Laryngoscope · 2024-09-06 · 1 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  OBJECTIVE: Fetal imaging often identifies signs of upper airway obstruction due to micrognathia that may require airway intervention at delivery. This study investigated the role of quantitative fetal imaging measurements in predicting the need for otolaryngology consultation and intervention within a multidisciplinary Fetal Center. METHODS: Data were retrospectively collected from expectant mothers attending a multidisciplinary Fetal Center from January 2017 to October 2023. Cases of fetal micrognathia associated with potential upper airway obstruction were analyzed, focusing on prenatal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings, genetic testing results, and interventions at birth. RESULTS: Among 25 pregnancies identified, diverse prenatal diagnoses were observed. Post hoc quantitative fetal ultrasound/MRI measurements included inferior facial angle, anteroposterior diameter, biparietal distance, and Jaw Index. Otolaryngology teams were present at delivery for a subset of cases, with various interventions performed, including tracheostomy and intubation. Lower gestational age at birth, rather than more severe quantitative measurements, was associated with the need for intervention. Intubation failure due to airway difficulty was also predicted by lower gestational age. CONCLUSION: While certain quantitative fetal imaging measurements are often used for clinical decision-making regarding airway management at birth, they did not clearly predict the need for airway intervention in our sample. Gestational age is an important consideration in decision-making for fetal teams and should be considered in preterm fetuses to plan for airway difficulties. The findings highlight the complexity of fetal micrognathia management and highlight the need for further research to refine predictive models and optimize clinical decision-making in this challenging clinical scenario. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3 Laryngoscope, 135:393-401, 2025.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• A subset of follicular helper-like MAIT cells can provide B cell help and support antibody production in the mucosa

  Science Immunology · 2022 · 78 citations

  • Biology
  • Immunology
  • Medicine

  We identify a MAIT cell subset expressing T follicular helper markers and show the ability of MAIT cells to support B cell responses in the mucosa.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Game of clones: Diverse implications for clonal hematopoiesis in lymphoma and multiple myeloma

  Blood Reviews · 2022-06-22 · 14 citations

  review1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• The Critical Airway

  2022-01-01

  book-chapter
  PublisherDOI

• Slide Tracheoplasty for Tracheal Cartilaginous Sleeve in a Patient With Apert Syndrome

  The Annals of Thoracic Surgery · 2021-03-04 · 5 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Rajendu Srivastava

  Intermountain Healthcare

  27 shared

• Geoffrey C. Casazza

  University of Nebraska Medical Center

  24 shared

• Paul Krakovitz

  Intermountain Healthcare

  19 shared

• Jonathan R. Skirko

  University of Arizona

  16 shared

• Harlan Muntz

  UC Davis Children's Hospital

  15 shared

• Harlan R. Muntz

  15 shared

• Paul Hong

  Izaak Walton Killam Health Centre

  14 shared

• Marshall E. Smith

  University of Utah

  13 shared

Education

• B.S., Biochemistry

  Brigham Young University

• M.D.

  St. Louis University School of Medicine

• Other, Pediatric Otolaryngology

  Medical University of South Carolina

Awards & honors

• Leland P. Johnson Teaching Award (2016)