Here the gEAR (gene expression for auditory research) portal will be further developed for a second year to perform key gene comparison tasks for the HRP. The gEAR allows for the graphic visualization of gene expression data in an intuitive way: Multiple datasets can be displayed on a single page, all represented by cartoons and dynamically colored based on levels of gene expression. Additional features will be added through dedicated developer time to specifically serve the needs of the consortium, including additional dataset-specific graphics, tools for cross-dataset and cross-species comparisons, and intuitive integration of DNA-structure and gene expression.