This is an Innovation Seed Fund awarded to Wouter Van der Valk at Leiden University Medical Center, Netherlands. It started in March 2025.
Background
Hearing loss affects over 500 million people around the world, and many cases are linked to changes in the genes within our DNA. While we know about many of these genes, we don’t fully understand their role in the cochlea (the part of the inner ear which contains the cells that are important for hearing). In particular, we don’t know a lot about how the activity of those genes is controlled in the cochlea.
Gaining this knowledge will improve our understanding of hearing loss and the processes that cause it, making it easier to accurately diagnose hearing loss and create treatments that work for everyone who wants them.
Aim
In this project, the researchers will investigate the processes, or ‘switches’, that control how genes in the cochlea are turned ‘on’ or ‘off.’ They will study samples of inner ear tissue collected from people undergoing specific surgeries that naturally result in the loss of hearing. Using a state-of-the-art genetic technique, they will identify gene switches and proteins that are active in the cochlea and involved in hearing, providing important information on how hearing loss develops.
The data they obtain will be added to a new online database called “RegCoch” which will allow other researchers and doctors to use the information in their own research to understand hearing loss better and develop treatments.
Benefit
This research could lead to better tests for diagnosing hearing loss and more personalised treatments for hearing loss. It might also help us predict hearing problems early, giving people more options for prevention or care. Over time, this work could pave the way for new treatments to protect or restore hearing.