Anthony Ricci, Ph.D. (1999–2000 ERG), a professor of otolaryngology–head and neck surgery at Stanford University, and Alan Cheng, M.D. (2002–03 ERG), a Stanford associate professor of otolaryngology, are developing a new type of aminoglycosides, a widely used, life-saving class of antibiotic that fights a broad range of serious infections and diseases such as cystic fibrosis and tuberculosis, but that also has the side effect of hearing loss in one in five patients. The pair have been collaborating since 2008, leveraging Ricci’s knowledge of mechanotransduction (how sound wave vibrations are converted into electrical signals) and ion channels. Of the 18 potential replacement antibiotics they created, three show the most promise for preserving hearing while remaining effective in killing bacteria and will be tested further. —Y.L.
Tony Ricci, left, and Alan Cheng have built a team to develop a safe replacement for a type of antibiotic that can cause deafness. The researchers use a patch clamp rig in Ricci’s lab to see which forms of the drug can enter Hair cells — cells crucial for hearing. Max Aguilera-Hellweg photography.
