Auditory Mechanics and the Cochlear Amplifier 2020

Project Narrative: Auditory Mechanics and Cochlear Amplification 2020 The ear's ability to discriminate frequencies is fundamental to hearing; this ability is based in the cochlear amplifier, a cell-based, electromechanical engine that is both powerful and fragile. The cochlear amplifier degrades due to aging, illness, from exposure to loud sounds, and following some treatments for infection and cancer. This project uses purpose-built sensors and sensing techniques to probe the constellation of factors that is required for healthy cochlear amplification, and to understand how the amplifier fails -- in order to advance our ability to treat hearing loss and to devise strategies to reduce it.