By Christopher Geissler, Ph.D.

Hearing Health Foundation (HHF) is proud to announce the recipients of Emerging Research Grants (ERG) for the upcoming year (July 1, 2019 — June 30, 2020). Following a rigorous review process, our Scientific Review Committee and Council of Scientific Trustees, comprised of senior expert scientists and physicians from across the US, have chosen fourteen especially meritorious projects to fund, covering a broad range of hearing and balance science. We are pleased to be able to support the work of these promising researchers and look forward to learning about the advances they will undoubtedly make in the coming year and beyond.

This year’s ERG recipients are:

Dunia Abdul-Aziz, M.D.
Massachusetts Eye and Ear
Project: Targeting epigenetics to restore hair cells

Pierre Apostolides, Ph.D.
Regents of the University of Michigan
Project: Novel mechanisms of cortical neuromodulation

Micheal Dent, Ph.D.
University at Buffalo
Project: Noise-induced tinnitus in mice
Generously funded by The Les Paul Foundation

Vijayalakshmi Easwar, Ph.D.
University of Wisconsin Madison
Project: Neural correlates of amplified speech in children with sensorineural hearing loss
Generously funded by The Children’s Hearing Institute

Kristi Hendrickson, Ph.D.
University of Iowa
Project: Neural correlates of semantic structure in children who are hard of hearing
Generously funded by General Grand Chapter Royal Arch Masons

Hao Luo, Ph.D.
Wayne State University
Cochlear electrical stimulation induced tinnitus suppression and related neural activity change in the rat's inferior colliculus
Generously funded by General Grand Chapter Royal Arch Masons

Kristy Lawton, Ph.D.
Washington State University Vancouver
Project: Characterizing noise-induced synaptic loss in the zebrafish lateral line

Anat Lubetzky, P.T., Ph.D.
New York University
Project: A balancing act in hearing and vestibular loss: assessing auditory contribution to multisensory integration for postural control in an immersive virtual environment

David Martinelli, Ph.D.
University of Connecticut Health Center
Project: Creation and validation of a novel genetically-induced animal model for hyperacusis
Generously funded by Hyperacusis Research

Jameson Mattingly, M.D.
The Ohio State University
Project: Differentiating Ménière's disease and vestibular migraine using audiometry and vestibular threshold measurements

Vijaya Prakash Krishnan Muthaiah, P.T., Ph.D.
University at Buffalo
Project: Potential of inhibition of Poly ADP Ribose Polymerase as a therapeutic approach in blast induced cochlear and brain injury.
Generously funded by General Grand Chapter Royal Arch Masons

William “Jason” Riggs, Au.D.
The Ohio State University
Project: electrophysiological characteristics in children with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder
Generously funded by General Grand Chapter Royal Arch Masons

Gail Seigel, Ph.D.
The Research Foundation of SUNY on behalf of the University at Buffalo
Project: Targeting microglial activation in hyperacusis

Victor Wong, Ph.D.
Burke Medical Research Institute
Project: Targeting tubulin acetylation in spiral ganglion neurons for the treatment of hearing loss