Image: Hearing Restoration Project scientists identified gene "switches" (enhancers) that activate exclusively in the ear’s supporting cells. This marks an essential first step toward targeted gene therapies for human hearing loss. Credit: Seist et al./Hearing Research
By now the world has learned that a rare, genetic cause of hearing loss can be successfully reversed by gene therapy. With this breakthrough, gene therapy for hearing loss has transitioned from a theoretical concept into a transformative clinical reality that hopefully will extend beyond reversing a single gene variant. Hearing Health Foundation is proud to have funded many of the scientists involved, early in their careers, and our researchers continue to make inroads in this area.
Hearing Restoration Project member John Brigande, Ph.D., recaps research on gene therapy for hearing loss.
2020 and 2022 Emerging Research Grants scientist Pei-Ciao Tang, Ph.D., and team created an “organoid-on-a-chip” system to model inner ear development and explore how damaged sensory hair cells might be regenerated.
A high school student with tinnitus and hearing loss who volunteers on behalf of veterans shares a narrative review of tinnitus research among veterans, finding that veteran tinnitus is distinct from civilian tinnitus.
Plus:
Your legacy gift supports the top-tier scientists in Hearing Health Foundation’s research programs, the Hearing Restoration Project and Emerging Research Grants. Right now your planned gift to HHF—such as a bequest or beneficiary designation of a retirement fund or life insurance policy—will be matched with our $1 million match challenge.
Around the Web:
Brain prioritizes “sound offsets” during hearing repair (Neuroscience News), the creepy feeling in old buildings might have a surprising cause (Science Daily), and a brain-controlled system may help listeners with hearing loss cut through the noise (NPR)
Opera singer who hid deafness for 30 years hails “life-changing” surgery (The Guardian) and Jane Lynch’s dad suffered silently. Then hearing loss came for her too (USA Today)
Air pollution may elevate tinnitus risk (EMJ), ringing in the ears may be linked to a vitamin D deficiency (Verywell Health), and therapeutic app for tinnitus improves tinnitus-related distress (HealthDay)
Frequent earbud use linked to early hearing problems in young adults (WFTV9) and a historic day for aviation (Quiet Communities)
Walking slower? Why your ears, not your knees, might be the problem (Wall Street Journal), via the latest Apple Hearing Study results (University of Michigan), and Apple’s camera-equipped airpods could open new possibilities for hearing accessibility (HearingTracker)
My path into tinnitus and hyperacusis research (ENT & Audiology News) and a single question about sound sensitivity can predict teenage anxiety (PsyPost)
Deafness should be allowed to be unremarkable (LitHub), my experience with sudden sensorineural hearing loss (Action News Jax), and meet the deaf teen helping to make the tech world more accessible for her peers (People)
Hormones affect hearing in varying ways over the course of a person’s life (EurekAlert) and results show racial differences in hearing, vestibular problems among breast cancer survivors (Cancer Therapy Advisor)
A new film makes my hearing condition a superpower. It’s not. (The New York Times) and Leo Woodall discusses his role as a piano tuner with hyperacusis in the movie “Tuner” (TPR)
It’s one of the best hearing aid features. Many still aren’t using it. (Consumer Reports), OTC hearing aids can help, but professional fitting still matters, says JAMA study (HearingTracker), they reinvented hearing aids (Founders Inc. via YouTube), a step forward for hearing aid battery packaging (HLAA), and InnoCaption launches video calling app with real-time captions (The Hearing Review)
What we risk losing when we wait to treat hearing loss (NJ.com) and as my hearing fades away, what I am missing the most (Sacramento Bee)
Auracast showcased at World Congress of Audiology featuring Big Ocean and modular wall design aims to improve speech clarity for people with hearing loss (The Hearing Review)
Brain changes linked with speech-in-noise impairment (MedPage Today), the brain amplifies faint sounds we generate ourselves (University of Barcelona), and speech memories depend on sensation and sound over motor control (Neuroscience News)
Why hearing loss can be so tiring—and what to do about it (HearingTracker) and wearable headband combines AI and mindfulness to alleviate car sickness (Advanced Science News)
The acoustic worlds of Radiolab creator Jad Abumrad (Twenty Thousand Hertz) and why do we like the music we like? (Psychology Today)
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