Hearing Health Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to finding a cure for hearing loss through innovative research, is proud to announce their inaugural Junior Board Holiday Event. Tomorrow, Tuesday, December 4th from 6:30-8:30 PM at Ashtons Alley in New York City, members of the Junior Board will host an event inspiring young professionals to rally around a cure for hearing loss. The collection of unique and passionate individuals serves as ambassadors and advocates for Hearing Health Foundation.
"As we swing into the holiday season, and enjoy the company, conversation, and the sounds of the holidays, lets not forget that nearly 1 in 5 Americans suffer from some form of hearing loss,” said Bejamin Melting, President of Hearing Health Foundation Junior Board. “This impairment isn't limited to the aged, but effects the young and old alike. As we celebrate over the next few weeks with family and friends; think what it would be like if you weren't able to hear the conversations around you, or the sounds of the holidays? If like me, you want to find a cure for this devastating ailment, come join us on December 4! If you can't make it, you can always donate!”
Since 1958, Hearing Health Foundation has given over $27.8 million to hearing and balance research. In 2011, Hearing Health Foundation launched the Hearing Restoration Project (HRP), a consortium of scientists working on cell regeneration in the ear. HRP's goal is a biologic cure for most types of acquired hearing loss. Hearing Health Foundation also publishes Hearing Health magazine, a free consumer resource on hearing loss and related technology, research, and products.
"We are thrilled to have the support of such a committed and passionate Junior Board," said Andrea Boidman, Executive Director of Hearing Health Foundation. "We know this event will be the first of many and look forward to seeing this group develop into a key awareness and fundraising team for our next generation."
The event on December 4th will feature a $45 entry fee ($35 if purchased in advance) that will include free beer from Blue Moon and wine from Justin Vineyards & Winery as well as 2 for 1 well drinks, light hors d’oeuvres, an on-site caricature artist and a silent auction featuring concert tickets, beauty packages, signed sporting memorabilia and more.
Hearing Health Foundation Junior Board members include: Benjamin Melting, Anthony Bartoli, Kristie D’Agnes, Jason Frank, Jenny Frank, Andrew Hebert, Michael Kolodny, Jessica Luterman Naeve, Dominic Pisano, Felicia Rovegno, Nicole Simels-Kolodny, Katherine Simpson, Paris St. Clair and Nathan Walcker.
Veterans' biggest health concern involves hearing damage
Hearing Health Foundation, the leading non-profit funder of hearing research, remains committed to the Americans serving in the U.S. armed forces who return home suffering from tinnitus (ringing in the ear) and hearing loss. At least 60 percent of soldiers coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan report hearing problems due to noise exposure experienced during their time of service; surprisingly, hearing loss and tinnitus are more common than post-traumatic stress disorder.
Hearing loss and tinnitus aren’t new to the military, found San Diego writer and editor Elizabeth Stump, whose research contributed to the content of this article. John Ayers, 79, of Texas was informed at the age of 25 that he had suffered from hearing loss due to his time in the U.S. Air Force preparing B-47 jet bombers to fly combat missions.
“Earplugs were required only for those who worked on the flight line and next to the aircraft,” he says. “Flying at 10,000 feet, the engine roar permeated every part of my body. The droning of the engines made the entire airplane frame vibrate, making it difficult to sleep; hearing other people talk was impossible. It was several days before my hearing returned to normal.”
“Hearing loss is truly a hidden disability, and our aim is to address significant gaps in the military’s ability to prevent or mitigate, and then treat this type of injury,” says Col. Mark Packer, the interim acting executive director of the Department of Defense’s Hearing Center of Excellence and an Air Force neurotologist.
For a variety of reasons, hearing protection for the military remains limited. Hearing Health Foundation strongly advocates using hearing protection in all situations with high noise levels, but while earplugs can protect against noises that reach 80 to 85 decibels, they can’t protect fully against explosions and firefights that reach intensely dangerous levels of up to 180 decibels. Some active duty servicemen and women also worry that using earplugs will prevent them from hearing important tactical instructions.
Nathan Beltzee, 35, of New Jersey, served for 11 years in the Army and Air Force. He suffered hearing loss as a direct result of gunfire and loud jet engines.
“I have 40 percent hearing loss in my left ear and 30 percent in my right ear,” Beltzee says. “I left the service because of my hearing problems. I was afraid to ever fire a gun again or to be in a situation where I would be exposed to small arms fire or explosions that would make the ringing worse."
There is currently no cure for the noise-induced hearing loss experienced by armed forces, but through the Hearing Restoration Project, Hearing Health Foundation has a goal of a real, biological cure for hearing loss within the next decade. The cure for hearing loss would help people like Ayers and Beltzee regain hearing lost as a result of their military service.
Hearing Health Foundation Names Peter Barr-Gillespie Director of HRP
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Nick Carcaterra
Susan Blond, Inc.
212.333.7728 ext. 126
nickc@susanblondinc.com
HEARING HEALTH FOUNDATION
NAMES PETER BARR-GILLESPIE DIRECTOR OF
THE HEARING RESTORATION PROJECT
& ANNOUNCES “GEORGE A. GATES RESEARCH AWARD”
Non-Profit Dedicated To Curing Hearing Loss Through Innovative Research Announces New Director for Their Groundbreaking Hearing Restoration Project
New York, NY (October 24, 2012)—On October 8, 2012, Hearing Health Foundation (HHF) honored George A. Gates, M.D., who, until his recent retirement from Hearing Health Foundation’s Board of Directors, served as the Medical Director for the organization. As part of the evening, the Foundation announced the “George A. Gates Research Award,” to be presented annually, in perpetuity, to an outstanding Emerging Research awardee. Gates, who has been a key member of the HHF board since 1987, was the founder of the Hearing Restoration Project (HRP), a program designed to accelerate the timeline to a cure for hearing loss. Today, the Foundation is also proud to announce Peter Barr-Gillespie, Ph.D, as the new Director of the HRP.
“We will forever be grateful to Dr. Gates for his perseverance, vision, and commitment to Hearing Health Foundation and especially the Hearing Restoration Project,” says Andrea Boidman, Executive Director of Hearing Health Foundation. “He started us out on the right foot, and we are very excited to see Dr. Barr-Gillespie now at the helm. I am confident that Dr. Barr-Gillespie will help our consortium work toward the goal of a biologic cure for hearing loss; we are very lucky to have him in this leadership role.”
The goal of the Hearing Restoration Project is to find a cure for hearing loss through innovative research surrounding inner ear hair cell regeneration. Most non-mammals spontaneously regenerate these cells, which allow them to hear, but humans do not and the Hearing Restoration Project aims to understand not only why this is the case, but how we can translate what we know about non-mammals to people. Barr-Gillespie brings a wealth of experience to the HRP, joining an already impressive team of researchers.
After undergraduate studies at Reed College in Portland, Oregon, Peter G. Barr-Gillespie attended graduate school at the University of Washington, where he received his Ph.D. in Pharmacology in 1988. He spent five years as a postdoc with Jim Hudspeth, first at the University of California, San Francisco, then at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. He joined the Department of Physiology at Johns Hopkins University as an Assistant Professor in 1993 and rose to Associate Professor in 1998. In 1999 he joined the Oregon Hearing Research Center as an Associate Professor and the Vollum Institute as a Scientist. He was promoted to Professor in 2004 and granted tenure in 2007.
"It's extremely exciting to be part of the Hearing Restoration Project,” said Peter Barr-Gillespie. “Progress towards a successful strategy for restoring hearing has been hampered by the scattershot approach to the problem taken by individual investigators. In the Hearing Restoration Project, a consortium of outstanding scientists has chosen to work together collaboratively towards this common goal, an approach that should substantially shorten the time needed to devise a way to restore hearing in people with hearing loss. I feel privileged to lead such a distinguished group of investigators."
In his new role, Barr-Gillespie will oversee the work of the entire Consortium, made up of some of the most talented, creative, and inspired researchers in the area of cell regeneration in the ear, whose work has already contributed significantly to the field. In addition to Barr-Gillespie as Director, the Consortium consists of: Dr. John Brigande, Dr. Alain Dabdoub, Dr. Albert Edge, Dr. Andy Groves, Dr. Stefan Heller, Dr. Michael Lovett, Dr. Liz Oesterle, Dr. Tatjana Piotrowski, Dr. David Raible, Dr. Yehoash Raphael, Dr. Edwin Rubel, Dr. Neil Segil, Dr. Jennifer S. Stone, and Dr. Mark Warchol.
For more information please visit: http://hearinghealthfoundation.org/
About Hearing Health Foundation
Since 1958, Hearing Health Foundation has given over $27.8 million to hearing and balance research. In 2011 Hearing Health Foundation launched the Hearing Restoration Project (HRP), a consortium of scientists working on cell regeneration in the ear. HRP's goal is a biologic cure for most types of acquired hearing loss. Hearing Health Foundation also publishes Hearing Health magazine, a free consumer resource on hearing loss and related technology, research, and products.
Ten Clues Your Child Has Hearing Loss
Ten clues your child has hearing loss
Universal hearing testing for newborns has helped to identify most children with hearing issues quickly and accurately. With a simple test, 80 to 90 percent of hearing loss can be detected, and children can begin early intervention with the best possible outcomes for language development.
“Even if your child passed the newborn screening at birth, however, keep in mind that hearing loss that is genetic or progressive in nature can manifest when your child is a toddler or older,” says Dr. Barbara Jenkins, an audiologist and writer of this article, with Hearing Health Magazine. “It’s important to identify signs that may suggest possible hearing loss in your child, so that testing can be done and treatment and management undertaken.”
Delayed or absent speech development is the most important clue indicating a possible hearing loss in the very young child. Identifying hearing loss in the infant and young child requires watching for critical developmental milestones.
Use the following milestones from Hearing Health Foundation as a guideline, and always discuss any concerns with your pediatrician.
* By 3 months, your baby recognizes and quiets to your voice, makes cooing noises, and is startled by sudden, loud noises.
* By 6 months, your baby recognizes speech sounds and familiar voices, turns his head toward interesting sounds, plays with his own voice, and laughs. Your baby uses his voice to indicate pleasure and discomfort, and has speech-like conversations with caregivers.
* By 9 months, your baby can understand simple words like “mommy,” “daddy,” “no,” “bye-bye” and his own name.
* By 10 months, your baby’s babbling should sound speech-like with strings of single syllables (“da-da-da-da”).
* By 12 months, one or more real, recognizable spoken words emerge.
* By 18 months, your toddler should understand simple phrases, retrieve familiar objects on command (without gestures), and point to body parts when asked, “where’s your ... ears, nose, mouth, eyes,” etc. Your toddler has a spoken vocabulary of between 20 to 50 words and short phrases (“all done,” “go out,” “mommy up”) and is learning new words each week.
* By 24 months, your toddler’s spoken vocabulary should be 200 to 300 words and simple sentences can be spoken. Adults not with your child on a daily basis can understand your child’s speech. A toddler at this age should be able to sit and listen while being read books.
Children who have developed speech skills are more difficult to identify. Use these guidelines from Hearing Health Foundation to discern a possible newly acquired hearing loss.
1. Your child seems to hear fine some of the time and then not respond at other times.
2. Your child wants the TV volume louder than other members of the family.
3. Your child says “what” more often than he used to.
4. Your child moves one ear forward when listening, or he complains that he can only hear out of his “good ear.”
5. Your child’s grades fall, or his teacher notes that he doesn’t seem to hear or respond in the classroom as well as other children.
6. Your child says that he didn’t hear you. This may seem obvious, but many parents assume that their children are not paying attention when in fact there may be an unidentified hearing loss.
7. It seems as though your child is just not paying attention.
8. Your child starts to speak more loudly than previously.
9. Your child looks at you intently when you speak to him. He may be depending more on visual cues for interpreting speech.
10. You just have a feeling. Sometimes you just can’t put your finger on what your concern is. Don’t let that stop you. Ask your child’s doctor for a referral to ease your mind.
There are many possible causes of acquired hearing loss that present themselves months or years after birth. Most hearing loss in children without obvious risk factors (such as premature birth) has a genetic cause. If you have any concerns, contact your pediatrician for a referral to a hearing health care provider for a complete hearing evaluation.
To learn more about genetic hearing loss, visit Hearing Health Foundation to read the Summer 2012 issue of Hearing Health magazine, available online at hearinghealthfoundation.org/hearing-health-magazine.
To learn more about the types of newborn hearing screenings and the importance of early detection and early intervention, visit hearinghealthfoundation.org/newborn-screening-information.
8-year-old writes book on hearing loss
http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2012/08/14/8-year-old-writes-book-on-hearing-loss/
Editor's note: In the Human Factor, we profile survivors who have overcome the odds. Confronting a life obstacle – injury, illness or other hardship – they tapped their inner strength and found resilience they didn't know they possessed. Samantha Brownlie was diagnosed with nonsyndromic sensorineural bilateral hearing loss when she was 3 years old.
Hi, my name is Samantha. I'm 8 years old. I have an older brother named Sean. Me and my family live in New York City. I go to P.S. 3 in Manhattan.
Sean and I were born with hearing loss. We both wear hearing aids. It's not that hard to get used to wearing hearing aids. All you need to do is think of good things and then you put it in your ear and you hear better. That's all there is to it!
My mom or dad used to put my hearing aids in but now I'm old enough to do it by myself.
I really like my hearing aids because I can hear so much better with them. I used to wear one hearing aid and now I wear two. They are pink and blue!
Last year when I was still wearing one hearing aid I wrote a book called "Samantha's Fun FM Unit and Hearing Aid Book." I wrote it to explain why I wear a hearing aid and an FM Unit in school. And I also made the book for kids or adults that have hearing loss too. I want them to feel the same way about their hearing aids that I do!
My book is also about how to take care of hearing aids, how to use them and how to change the batteries, recharge the FM and tell the teacher how to use the transmitter.
On the cover of my book, I drew pictures of me and fun things like my scooter, my FM transmitter, candy and a Nintendo DS game.
My parents inspired me a lot because they have always told me that I should be proud of who I am and just be myself. Many people including my classmates and teachers don't know that much about hearing loss. I thought if I made a book with pictures it would help them understand hearing loss better and answer some of their questions.
On the outside you see a little girl that's 8 years old, but on the inside there is a good strong heart. And I believe I can do anything, as long as I believe in myself.
Hearing Health Foundation Launches Public Service Campaign
For Immediate Release
Contact: Libby Schnee
Libby.Schnee@gmail.com
917.767.8282
Hearing Health Foundation Launches Public Service Campaign Featuring Iraq Veteran and Others on the Prevalence of Hearing Loss
-- Research Underway to Find a Biologic Cure --
NEW YORK, May 15, 2012 -- Today Hearing Health Foundation announced its long term initiative to raise awareness and funds for hearing and balance research through a national public service advertising campaign featuring real people who suffer a hearing loss. Johns Hopkins reports that nearly 50 million Americans suffer a hearing loss. That number is expected to double in 20 years. Hearing loss affects a growing number of teens and 60 percent of returning military from Iraq and Afghanistan, who acquire hearing loss or tinnitus due to noise exposure during service.
The campaign launches at a time when the nation’s attention is focused on the service of military veterans (May 19 Armed Forces Day and Memorial Day Weekend) whose lives are forever altered by the visible and invisible wounds of war. “I suffered hearing loss serving my country as an army specialist in Iraq. The damage I suffered in combat is making it even harder to fit back in as a civilian,” said Specialist Rebecca Nava.
Other personal stories featured in the campaign include Katherine Simpson, “I started to lose my hearing in college. Social situations became awkward. And even though I had no reason to be embarrassed, it was hard for me to tell my friends.” Sean and Samantha Brownlie, who are 9 and 7 respectively, noted, “Hearing aids have helped me and my sister for most of our lives, but they’re not a solution for everyone with hearing loss.”
The public service advertising campaign includes television and radio spots of real people sharing their experience living with this unwanted change in their lives and their hope for a cure. Hearing Health Foundation funds a research consortium, The Hearing Restoration Project, with the goal of finding a biologic cure for hearing loss within the next decide through cell regeneration therapies. The campaign calls for people to learn more about the issue and the search for a cure by visiting www.hearinghealthfoundation.org.
“Hearing Health Foundation has long been at the forefront of hearing and balance research, and we understand that it is important to invest in the next wave of hearing treatments,” said Andrea Boidman, Executive Director of Hearing Health Foundation. “Hearing research is important to the future of a growing number of people, and they need to know that there are new treatments on the horizon that could really impact their lives.”
Lt. Col. Mark Packer, MD., Executive Director for US Department of Defense Hearing Center of Excellence (HCE) understands what new treatments could mean for returning combat veterans. “In the military, hearing is critical for the instruction, teamwork and reporting that are necessary for mission accomplishment. Hearing loss is truly a hidden disability and our aim is to address significant gaps in the military’s ability to prevent or mitigate and then treat this type of injury.” The HCE is partnering with the Veterans Health Administration, Hearing Health Foundation and others to address this issue.
The campaign is timed with May’s Better Hearing and Speech Month and includes a new website community for consumers who are living with hearing loss to access helpful resources and information. Hearing Health Foundation publishes Hearing Health Magazine, and award-winning publication that is free to those who subscribe.
About Hearing Health Foundation
Hearing Health Foundation is the largest private funder of hearing research, with a mission to prevent and cure hearing loss through groundbreaking research. Since 1958 Hearing Health Foundation has given over $26.6 million to hearing and balance research, including work that led to cochlear implant technology. In 2011 Hearing Health Foundation launched the Hearing Restoration Project (HRP), a consortium of scientists working on cell regeneration in the ear. HRP's goal is a biologic cure for most types of acquired hearing loss. Hearing Health Foundation also publishes Hearing Health magazine, a free consumer resource on hearing loss and related technology, research, and products. To learn more or support this work, visit www.hearinghealthfoundation.org.
Jay Alan Zimmerman's Incredibly Deaf Musical To Benefit Hearing Health Foundation
For Immediate Release
Contact: Amy Briskin
abriskin@aol.com
212-794-6644
Jay Alan Zimmerman’s Incredibly Deaf Musical Playing at the Marjorie S. Deane Little Theater
at 10 West 64th Street, New York City, Benefiting Hearing Health Foundation
NEW YORK, May 7, 2012 -- Beginning on May 31st, 2012, acclaimed composer and author, Jay Alan Zimmerman, will debut his stage production, the Incredibly Deaf Musical, at the Marjorie S. Deane Little Theater in New York City.
Stemming from his own personal experiences, Jay Alan Zimmerman’s theatrical production tells the story of Jay – a composer who is dealing with the noisy buzz of progressive deafness stealing away his songs. As Jay struggles to hold onto the disappearing notes, his wife and son help him strive for something other than fame or death.
“I learned a lot from the 2010 New York Musical Theater Festival production of this play,” explained Mr. Zimmerman. “While the reviews were very positive, I discovered I needed to restructure the drama, cut a few songs, and make both deafness and music -- two things that are ‘invisible’ -- more visible on stage. So even though we're far from having a Broadway budget, we're using costuming, movement, and visual music projections like I've done for art exhibits in order to enhance the production while deepening the story. It's exciting to be improving the show and raising money for Hearing Health Foundation at the same time."
A vibrant pop-classical-experimental-caption integrated mash-up, Jay Alan Zimmerman’s Incredibly Deaf Musical is the heartwarming, booty-shaking autobiography of a man trying everything he can to keep the music flying. Jay himself – a man of many talents – not only wrote the show but also steps into the starring role for this special limited run production to benefit Hearing Health Foundation, the leading private funder of scientific research for the regeneration of hearing. Show proceeds will go to the Hearing Health Foundation.
Available Dates and Times:
Thursday, May 31 at 8:00 PM
Friday, June 1 at 8:00 PM
Saturday, June 2 at 3:30 PM
Thursday, June 7 at 8:00 PM
Friday, June 8 at 8:00 PM
Saturday, June 9 at 3:30 PM
Ticket prices begin at $30.00 each.
Accessibility & Captioning: Wheelchair accessible. The WC locations will be in the “Dance section”—which is perfect because the last song is about “dancing in your heart,” and using whatever you’ve got. It will include dances for everyone, including wheelchair users! Captioning will also be provided for this show. The captioning will not only be invaluable to those who are deaf or who have hearing loss, but will also serve as a character in the show, expanding beyond the caption screen to interact with the actors via multimedia.
Running time: Approximately 2 hours, including intermission.
The Incredibly Deaf Musical will be playing select dates at The Marjorie S. Deane Little Theater on 10 West 64th Street, New York, NY 10023. The show is co-produced with Hearing Health Foundation.
For more information, please visit: www.deafmusical.com
For information on Hearing Health Foundation, please visit: http://hearinghealthfoundation.org/
To learn more about the MSDLT “Like” Us on Facebook:
The Marjorie S. Deane Little Theater at the West Side YMCA
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About Hearing Health Foundation
Hearing Health Foundation is the United States’ leading source of private funding for research in hearing and balance science. Research made possible by Hearing Health Foundation grants has resulted in dramatic innovations that have increased options for those living with hearing and balance disorders, and protected those at risk. Since its inception in 1958, Hearing Health Foundation has awarded more than $26.5 million through more than 2,000 scientific research grants to researchers who are dedicated to exploring new avenues of hearing and balance science. Hearing Health Foundation also publishes the award-winning Hearing Health magazine. For more information visit www.hearinghealthfoundation.org.
About the Marjorie S. Deane Little Theater:
The Marjorie S. Deane Little Theater at the West Side Y is a non-profit, independent, Off-Broadway Theater in the West Side YMCA which exists to: encourage the creative spirit in young people; empower, educate, and maximize the potential of the young people and emerging artists; serve our community by providing affordable and high quality professional arts performances, programming, training, and education; create and launch new and innovative works that inspire, entertain, and reflect our diverse community while furthering the YMCA of Greater New York's mission of building healthy bodies, healthy minds, and healthy spirits. The historic space was named in 2004 for the late Marjorie S. Deane, a New York City philanthropist, theater advocate and fashion industry icon, whose study of fashion was fueled by her interest in costume design for the theater. www.ymca.org/westside
Dr. Edge Speaks at Harvard Club of New York About Search for Hearing Loss Cure
New York, NY, April 19, 2012 -- Dr. Albert Edge, Department of Otolaryngology, Harvard Medical School and Hearing Restoration Project Consortium Member spoke to nearly 100 people at the Harvard Club of New York about the search for a biologic cure for hearing loss.
"Replacing cells in the inner ear is an exciting potential new therapy for deafness," said Dr. Edge. Hair cells in the inner ear convert sound information into electrical signals that enable the brain to “hear” the outside world. More than 25 years ago, researchers discovered that birds naturally regrow damaged hair cells and regain their hearing. In humans, hearing loss is permanent when the hair cells are damaged.
Now a whole new science has evolved to find a way to trigger hair cell regrowth in humans. This could mean a biologic cure for the nearly 50 million Americans living with various forms of hearing loss.
About Dr. Albert Edge (Harvard Medical School) is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology. At the Tillotson Unit for Cell Biology in the Eaton-Peabody Laboratory at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Dr. Edge’s research is focused stem cells and the basic mechanisms of cellular repair in the nervous system. Dr. Edge is also studying the loss of sensory cells in the inner ear that result in deafness due to excessive noise, drugs, disease, or aging.
Deafness Research Foundation Announces New Name
For Immediate Release
Contact: Libby Schnee
Libby.Schnee@gmail.com
212.879.2422
Deafness Research Foundation Announces New Name and Reaffirms its Unwavering Dedication to the Prevention, Research, and Cure for Hearing Loss
Hearing Restoration Project is Major Commitment to a Cure
New York, NY (September 14, 2011) -- Today the Deafness Research Foundation Board of Directors announced a new name for the highly-regarded organization. Effective immediately, the Deafness Research Foundation will be called Hearing Health Foundation. To signal the Foundation’s unwavering dedication to hearing research, a groundbreaking research consortium, the Hearing Restoration Project, was also announced.
Clifford P. Tallman, Jr., Hearing Health Foundation Board Chair, said, “This is an exciting day in the history of our 53-year-old organization. We are revitalizing our image and changing our name to Hearing Health Foundation to more accurately communicate our mission and our dedication to the prevention of, research into, and cure for hearing loss.”
Nearly 40 million Americans suffer from some form of hearing loss and that number is expected to double by 2030. Since its inception in 1958, Hearing Health Foundation has been the leading source of private funding in the United States for research into the science of hearing and balance. “The name Deafness Research Foundation served us well,” explained Tallman. “Our research, however, showed that ‘deafness’ is an outdated term and now has a different connotation from how we were initially using it. Over the last half-century, we have done important work. Our new name reflects our determination to change the social stigma tied to hearing loss and to fund new and promising research that may bring a cure for hearing loss to the public.”
The Hearing Restoration Project (HRP) is an alliance of scientists working collaboratively and interactively to find a cure for hearing loss. The goal of the HRP is to raise $50 million to complete research begun more than 20 years ago, when researchers discovered that birds have the ability to regrow damaged hair cells in their inner ears. Hair cells convert sound information into electrical signals that are sent to the brain. Once human hair cells die, hearing loss is permanent. The challenge is to find a way to trigger hair cell regrowth within humans, which could mean a cure for millions suffering from various forms of hearing loss.
“Many labs are on the cusp of a major breakthrough in this field of research, which didn’t exist 25 years ago,” said Dr. Edwin Rubel of the University of Washington, one of the original researchers who discovered that hair cells regenerate in chickens. “We need some luck and what the HRP is providing: sustained funding and the collaboration between a number of good researchers.”
The Hearing Restoration Project members include the top 10 scientists in the country, affiliated with Harvard University, University of Washington, Stanford University, Washington University, Baylor University, and the University of Michigan, to name a few.
Dr. George Gates, the Scientific Director of the Hearing Restoration Project, said, “If we can get hair cells to grow back in humans, we can restore hearing without surgery and without batteries and we think we can get to clinical trials for this research within the next decade.”
About the Hearing Restoration Project and the Hearing Restoration Summit
The Hearing Restoration Project will bring together an innovative model – collaboration between the 10 major hearing loss research centers in the United States, with full sharing of technologies, data, and credit. The HRP asks from its members a commitment to the overall goal and organizational approach, full sharing and allegiance to the Project, and active participation in the governance of the HRP. Significant funds have already been raised, but the HRP is determined to focus both attention and millions of dollars toward finding a cure to hearing loss.
On October 3, 2011, Hearing Health Foundation will hold a free summit called The Promise of Cell Regeneration, as well as a major fundraiser, at the New York Academy of Medicine in New York City. This event is open to the public. For more information, to register to attend, or to make a donation, contact www.hearinghealthfoundation.org.
About Hearing Health Foundation
Hearing Health Foundation, formerly Deafness Research Foundation, is the United States’ leading source of private funding for research in hearing and balance science. Research made possible by Hearing Health Foundation grants has resulted in dramatic innovations that have increased options for those living with hearing and balance disorders, and protected those at risk. Since our inception in 1958, we have awarded more than $26.5 million through more than 2,000 scientific research grants to researchers who are dedicated to exploring new avenues of hearing and balance science. Hearing Health Foundation also publishes the award-winning Hearing Health Magazine.
2011 Grant Recipients Announced
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 26, 2011
Contact:
Trisha Donaldson
212-257-6143
tdonaldson@drf.org
www.drf.org
DRF Increases grantmaking: 2011 Grant Recipients Announced
Deafness Research Foundation (DRF)’s National Hearing Health Grants Center is excited to announce that it has awarded over $600,000 to 25 outstanding research scientists in the field of hearing and balance science. For two years in a row, we are excited to announce an increase in our grantmaking.
Each year, DRF awards research grants to young investigators who are exploring new avenues of hearing and balance science. These funds will support research in the following areas:
Fundamental Auditory Research – development, genetics, molecular biology, physiology, anatomy, and regeneration biology;
Hearing and Balance Restoration – infants, children and adults
cochlear implant, auditory hair cell regeneration, and auditory nerve regeneration;
Hearing Loss – aging, noise-induced, otosclerosis, ototoxicity, and otitis media;
Central Auditory Processing Disorder;
Usher Syndrome; and
Vestibular and Balance Disorders (dizziness and vertigo, Meniere's disease).
For this year's grants selection, DRF's Council of Scientific Trustees reviewed applications from scientists at renowned research institutions around the U.S. The selected research projects received detailed peer review for scientific merit and program relevance. A complete list of the 2011 grant recipients is provided below, including recipients whose research is funded in whole or part by the DRF Centurion Clinical Research Award, the C.H.E.A.R. Endowment Award, Collette Ramsey Baker Research Award, and The Todd M. Bader Research Grant of The Barbara Epstein Foundation, Inc.
FIRST YEAR HEARING & BALANCE RESEARCH GRANT RECIPIENTS
Keith E. Bryan, Ph.D., University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine
Investigating the role of cabp1 in kcnq4 channel modulation
Brenton G. Cooper, Ph.D., Texas Christian University
Lateralization of acoustic perception in Bengalese finches
Regie Lyn P. Santos-Cortez, M.D., Ph.D., Baylor College of Medicine
Identification of genes that predispose to chronic otitis media in the at population of Bolabog, Boracay island, Philippines
Elizabeth Dinces, M.D., M.S., Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Effects of aging on selective attention in complex multi-source sound environments
Carolyn P. Ojano-Dirain, Ph.D., The University of Florida College of Medicine
Prevention of aminoglycoside-induced hearing loss with the mitochondria-targeted
Sung-Ho Huh, Ph.D., Washington University School of Medicine
Role of fgfs in cochlear sensory epithelium
Albena Kantardzhieva, Ph.D., Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
Defining the interaction partners of major proteins in the hair cell's synaptic ribbon
Shuh-Yow Lin, Ph.D., The University of California, San Diego School of Medicine
Molecular mechanisms of synaptic transmission in hair cells
Debashree Mukherjea, Ph.D., Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
Targeting inflammation in prevention and treatment of noise induced hearing loss
Erin K. Purcell, Ph.D., The University of Michigan, Kresge Hearing Research Institute
A stem cell-seeded nanofibrous scaffold for auditory nerve regeneration
Zlatka P. Stojanova, Ph.D., House Research Institute
Epigenetic regulation of the atoh1 gene
Jie Tang, Ph.D., Creighton University School of Medicine
Creation of a pendrin with both motor and transport functions
Ellen S. Wilch, Ph.D., Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
Identification of cis-regulatory gjb2 and gjb6 elements by chromosome conformation capture and investigation of potential cis-regulatory variants in persons with hearing loss and monoallelic mutation of gjb2
Hsiao-Huei Wu, Ph.D., The University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine
Regulation of inner ear development by hgf, the nonsyndromic hearing loss gene, dfnb39
SECOND YEAR HEARING & BALANCE RESEARCH GRANT RECIPIENTS
Edward L. Bartlett, Ph.D., Purdue University
Cellular bases of temporal auditory processing
Soyoun Cho, Ph.D., Oregon Health & Science University
Dynamics of exo- and endocytosis at hair cells
Frances Hannan, Ph.D., New York Medical College
The role of diaphanous in the auditory cytoskeleton
Michelle Hastings, Ph.D., Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
Therapeutic correction of ush1c splicing in a mouse model of usher syndrome
Zhengqing Hu, M.D., Ph.D., Wayne State University School of Medicine
Innervation of in vitro-produced hair cell by neural progenitor-derived glutamatergic neurons
Judith S. Kempfle, M.D., Massachusetts Eye and Ear lnfirmary
Influence of bone morphogenetic protein 4 and retinoic acid on differentiation of inner ear stem cells
Neeliyath A. Ramakrishnan, Ph.D., Wayne State University School of Medicine
Molecular interactions of the hair-cell afferent synapse
DRF CENTURION CLINICAL RESEARCH AWARD RECIPIENT
James E. Saunders, M.D., Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center
Genetic hearing loss in remote Nicaraguan families
This research award is funded by the Centurions of the Deafness Research Foundation. DRF has partnered with CORE Grants Program of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) to offer a one-year DRF Centurion Clinical Research Award (CCRA) for clinical research in hearing and balance science.
DRF C.H.E.A.R. ENDOWMENT GRANT RECIPIENT
Patricia White, Ph.D., University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry
1st year grant recipient
The role of foxo3 in hearing protection
The C.H.E.A.R. endowment was created to support an annual sensory-neural Deafness Research Grant. C.H.E.A.R. (Children Hearing Education and Research) was absorbed into DRF in 1991, and we are very proud to continue their legacy of funding research in sensory-neural deafness.
COLLETTE RAMSEY BAKER RESEARCH AWARD RECIPIENT
Kirill Vadimovich Nourski, Ph.D., M.D., University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
1st year grant recipient
Temporal processing in human auditory cortex
This research award is made in memory of Deafness Research Foundation’s founder, Collette Ramsey Baker.
THE TODD M. BADER RESEARCH GRANT OF THE BARBARA EPSTEIN FOUNDATION, INC., RECIPIENT
Marcello Peppi, Ph.D., Massachusetts Eye and Ear lnfirmary
2nd year grant recipient
Molecular mechanisms of dexamethasone-mediated protection from acoustic trauma
This research award is funded by The Todd M. Bader Research Grant of The Barbara Epstein Foundation, Inc.
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Deafness Research Foundation is the leading national source of private funding for research in hearing and balance science. Research made possible by DRF grants has resulted in dramatic innovations that have increased options for those living with hearing and balance disorders, as well as protected those at risk. Since our inception in 1958, we have awarded over $26.6 million through more than 2,000 scientific research grants to researchers who are dedicated to exploring new avenues of hearing and balance science. With the potential of hearing restoration through regeneration biology, the scope of DRF-funded research has expanded enormously. Since 1972, DRF has funded close to 40 research grants that have been instrumental in the development, evaluation and improvement of cochlear implants. Approximately, 188,000 implant procedures have been completed worldwide with beneficial results, particularly when the procedure is undertaken in infants. DRF also publishes the award-winning Hearing HealthMagazine.
www.drf.org
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