Bryan Ward, M.D.

Meet the Researcher

Ward received his medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. A clinician-scientist, he is an assistant professor in the department of otolaryngology – head and neck surgery at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Ward is a 2020 Emerging Research Grants recipient.

Patients with the inner ear disorder called Ménière’s disease have conflicting responses on tests of inner ear balance. Some tests show the inner ear is not functioning well, but others show typical function. Our lab studies a mechanism for dizziness in MRI machines that is a different low frequency stimulus and ought to be present in Ménière’s disease. Our aim is to better understand what’s happening in the inner ear in Ménière’s patients.

The interaction between the MRI’s strong magnetic field and the natural electrical currents in the inner ear creates a movement in the inner ear’s fluid that stimulates the balance sensors. I developed a mouse project and put healthy mice into an MRI machine. The first time I saw nystagmus (back-and-forth beating of the eyes from inner ear stimulation) in a mouse in an MRI machine was a magical scientific moment. I realized that I might be the first person to ever see this phenomenon. It was really satisfying to have predicted not only that it would happen but also the direction the eyes would beat.

At birth, my sister had an intraventricular hemorrhage and has had bilateral sensorineural hearing loss from a young age. She had multiple serious health issues during my childhood. I was the first in my family to graduate from a four-year college and was inspired to enter medicine by our pediatrician; he was a comfort to all of us and a great role model of a family physician. I have learned from watching my sister struggle with imbalance and falls that balance is just as important as hearing and often significantly underappreciated.

I love to run. Research ideas often come while running, particularly when I’m on vacation (taking breaks is also important for perspective). I’ve also found painting to be a great release and a fun complement when you can add an illustration to that book chapter or review paper you’re working on. I was a philosophy major in college and spent a year studying philosophy at Oxford University. Philosophy continues to structure my thinking and writing.

It’s been difficult to get at the causes of inner ear balance disorders because the inner ear is so small and secluded within the skull. I hope to make some inroads into seeing these disorders to eventually help develop effective treatments.

Bryan Ward, M.D., is generously supported by a donor committed to finding treatments and cures for Ménière’s disease, the inner ear and balance disorder. We sincerely thank our community of donors who support our mission of preventing and researching hearing loss and related conditions.

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The Research

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
The effect of fluid volume on vestibular function and adaptation in patients with Ménière’s disease

Individuals with Ménière’s disease experience spontaneous attacks of spinning vertigo, ear fullness, tinnitus, and hearing loss. We do not know the pathophysiology of Ménière’s disease. On some tests of the inner ear, individuals with Ménière’s have responses indicating inner ear balance is not functioning well (absent caloric responses), but other tests suggesting it is (head impulse testing). The reason for this is debated. Strong magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners cause dizziness and nystagmus (back-and-forth beating of the eyes from inner ear stimulation) in all healthy humans due to magnetic vestibular stimulation (MVS). The combination of MVS and MRI imaging provides a unique opportunity to better understand the physiology of patients with Ménière’s disease. This project will assess nystagmus in strong MRI machines in individuals with Ménière’s and compare this to tests of vestibular function and to imaging of the inner ear. 

Long-term goal: To identify novel treatable diseases of inner ear vestibular disorders and to better understand the pathophysiology of diseases such as Ménière’s in order to develop effective treatments.