Emerging Research Grants

Meet the 2026 Emerging Research Grants Scientists

Congratulations to the 14 scientists awarded Emerging Research Grants for 2026.

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A Computer Model of the Human Middle Ear to Better Understand Bone Conduction

This new computer model can serve as the bedrock not only to better understand how the middle ear vibrates during bone conduction but also to develop new diagnostics for middle ear conditions and inform the design of novel hearing devices.

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Megan Beers Wood: How I Got My Start With ERG

My focus is studying pathologies following noise overexposure. This includes noise-induced hearing loss and pain hyperacusis. I specifically look at how the immune system interacts with the neurons of the ear after noise.

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Studying a Genetic Cause of Hyperacusis Using Foxg1 Variant Mice

This study shows that a single variant in the Foxg1 gene can affect how the brain processes sounds and lead to a heightened sensitivity to noise.

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Neuroscientist A. James Hudspeth, M.D., Ph.D., Has Died

At the time of his death, Hudspeth was pursuing new approaches to restoring hearing through hair cell regeneration, and his lab had recently published work demonstrating the first method for keeping a mammalian cochlea alive outside of the body—an innovation that will provide future researchers with an unprecedented means for studying the cochlea’s live biomechanics.

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What Birds Teach Us About Restoring Hearing 

Research has not yet fully explained the mechanisms behind efficient hair cell regeneration in birds, but recent discoveries have sparked multiple promising research directions that might bring us closer to developing treatments for humans. 

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The Les Paul House of Sound

Multiple key guitars from Les Paul’s collection are in The Les Paul House of Sound. Hands-on activities guide visitors to explore the science of sound.

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Why Do People With the Same Hearing Hear So Differently in Noise?

Two people have the same audiogram results but one can follow conversations at a loud party, while the other feels completely lost and overwhelmed. We set out to examine why.

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Zebrafish Gene Discovery Reveals Clues for Hearing Restoration

New research has identified how two distinct genes guide the regeneration of sensory cells in zebrafish. The discovery improves our understanding of how regeneration works in zebrafish and may guide future studies on hearing loss and regenerative medicine in mammals, including humans.

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How Our Brainstem Shapes Hearing Aid Success With Noise Reduction

The strength of pitch encoding under noise reduction was linked to how accurately people recognized words in noise. This suggests that measuring NR effects on subcortical speech encoding is doable, and could offer a novel way to predict who will benefit from NR in hearing aids.

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