Meet Our 2026 Emerging Research Grants Scientists
Each October Hearing Health Foundation announces our newly funded Emerging Research Grants scientists. We are thankful to our scientific reviewers and Council of Scientific Trustees for their role determining the awardees. Our ERG program continues to be the leading seed funding opportunity for hearing and balance researchers.
The Elizabeth M. Keithley, Ph.D. Early Stage Investigator Awards honor the impact of our former board chair on the field, including her service to HHF with the awards’ focus on supporting the next generation.
Supporting hearing and balance research is crucial, as it receives only a small fraction of federal funding compared with other chronic conditions, and despite the widespread prevalence of hearing conditions. We are deeply grateful for the continued dedication of our generous donors who make these grants possible.
Congratulations to our 2026 ERG scientists, eight first-year grantees and six second-year grantees!
ERG scientist Xiying Guan, Ph.D., created a computer model of the human middle ear to better understand bone conduction. His 2016 grant was generously funded by Hyperacusis Research.
Plus:
A Legacy Gift Kicks Off a New Planned Giving Matching Challenge
Nearly 2 out of 3 American adults do not have an updated will. That’s why National Estate Planning Awareness Week (the third week of October) is so important. It’s a reminder to take a simple yet powerful step to protect your loved ones, plan for the future, and support the causes that matter to you.
We’ve partnered with FreeWill to make this step easier than ever. In just 20 minutes, you can create or update your will for free and find additional resources to plan wisely. Please click here to get started!
And right now we are kicking off a new planned giving matching challenge, thanks to a generous legacy gift from Shirley Jean Lane. Learn more here.
In this hourlong webinar, “Unusual Protagonists: Cochlear Supporting Cells,” 2018 Emerging Research Grants scientist A. Catalina Vélez-Ortega, Ph.D., describes how, after noise exposure, several types of cochlear supporting cells are involved in detecting tissue damage and in regulating hearing sensitivity. Click here to register for the free webinar.
Around the Web:
Researchers keep a mammalian cochlea alive outside the body for the first time (Rockefeller University), novel gene therapy for hereditary hearing loss developed at Tel Aviv University (EurekAlert), walking tunes the brain to sounds, sharpens auditory awareness (Neuroscience News), and how your brain conducts the symphony of speech (Psychology Today)
Alzheimer’s drugs are finally tackling the disease itself, here’s how (Scientific American), 9 habits that’ll help you live to 100, according to longevity experts (Real Simple), and scientists say this common midlife health issue could increase your risk of dementia (Good Housekeeping), based on this study using U.K. longitudinal data (Nature Aging)
Here’s what can happen if you clear your ear with a cotton swab (Stuff), and sound detox: why “listening breaks” are the next big self-care trend (News 18)
Can stress cause tinnitus and hyperacusis? (Canadian Audiologist), and 2025 Veterans Affairs tinnitus changes (Veterans Help Group)
Apple unveils AirPods Pro 3 with breakthrough audio and hearing-related features, Amazon adds new accessibility features to Fire TVs for hearing aid and cochlear implant users, and “Conversation Focus”: AI speech enhancement in Meta Ray-Ban Gen 2 offers new hearing help (Hearing Tracker)
A new twist in British thrillers: forensic lipreading (Katherine Bouton), and Eurotrak data reveals that the U.K. population is still not protecting its hearing (BIHIMA)
Pediatric audiology—wow, how things have changed (The Hearing Review), and a unique community collaboration brings hearing loss to a popular museum (HLAA)
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