As the national and regional populations age, there is a growing need to address the problem of hearing loss. With cumulative exposure to noise, hearing loss with age becomes almost inevitable; it is estimated that 10% of the work force has some degree of impaired hearing, resulting in billions of dollars of lost productivity. A closely related problem, equilibrium disorders, is believed to be a major reason for falls in the elderly. These problems will become more severe with the aging of the baby boomer generation.
Currently, the only approach to hearing loss is with prosthetic
devices. However, hearing aids do not address the cause and in
a large percentage of users prove unsatisfactory. While cochlear
implants are becoming increasingly effective, the quality of
hearing restoration is far from satisfactory. No devices are
currently available to restore balance function resulting from
damage to the inner ear. Interestingly, some animals are able
to regenerate the nerve cells responsible for providing hearing
and balance input to the brain, but people cannot.
KUMC investigators are leaders in the field of hearing loss and
the closely related area of tinnitus (ringing in the ears), and
in balance disorders. These researchers are already investigating
the mechanisms of hearing loss and are attempting to restore
hearing in animals using gene therapy.
The CND will help to facilitate research activities within the Division of Hearing and Equilibrium Disorders through recruitments and provision of core resources. We anticipate recruiting two senior and two junior faculty members to join the current group of basic and clinician scientists who focus on hearing and balance problems. Targeted recruitments will be conducted in areas that will strengthen ongoing activities, including a clinician scientist specializing in clinical trials of new treatments for hearing and balance disorders and basic scientists specializing in gene therapy and molecular mechanisms of neuronal development and survival. In addition, the Center will provide core resources to support ongoing and new research programs. This will include expanding the current animal behavioral testing facilities to allow testing of hearing and balance disorders.
| Name | Affiliation |
|---|---|
| Chertoff, Mark | All Hth Hearing & Speech Ed - KUMC |
| Deshpande, Nandini |
SAH Physical Therapy Rehab Svs - KUMC |
| Durham, Dianne | Otolaryngology - KUMC |
| Ferraro, John | All Hth Hearing & Speech Ed - KUMC |
| Girod, Doug |
Otolaryngology - KUMC |
| Gochee, Peter | Otolaryngology HS - KUMC |
| Imig, Thomas | Molecular Integrative Physiology - KUMC |
| Staecker, Hinrich |
Otolaryngology - KUMC |
| Tsue, Terry | Otolaryngology - KUMC |
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