hearing

Explosive Blasts Wreak Havoc in Inner Ear

New Study Hones in on Causes of Hearing and Balance Problems

explosion

The US military presence in Afghanistan is coming to an end, yet the soldiers involved in the conflict will continue to experience its repercussions well into the future. Among other health effects, encountering the explosive devices widely deployed in the conflict can cause long-lasting hearing and balance difficulties. A recent collaboration between IRP researchers and scientists at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research has produced important insights into the biological basis of those disabilities, which could eventually lead to better methods of preventing and treating them.

Three-Minute Talks Pit Researchers Against the Clock

IRP Scientists Keep it Short and Sweet in Competition’s Final Round

timer

Science is so closely associated with long, jargon-laden lectures that scientists like Neil deGrasse Tyson and the IRP’s own Anthony Fauci have become celebrities for their ability to explain complex scientific concepts in a succinct and understandable way. On June 25, 17 postbacs, graduate students, and postdocs from across NIH showcased their own communication chops in the final round of the IRP’s annual Three-Minute Talks (TmT) competition.

Statins May Guard Hearing from Deafening Cancer Chemotherapy

Mouse Study Suggests Approach to Protect Cancer Patients’ Hearing

ear

The internet is filled with lists of ‘life hacks’ that provide instructions on how to re-purpose common items, from turning glass jars into flower vases to using sticky notes to remove dust or crumbs from the crevices of a computer keyboard. On occasion, this kind of inventive spirit can be used to improve human health as well. IRP researchers have found evidence in mice that a statin medication originally created to lower cholesterol might also reduce hearing loss caused by a common cancer therapy.

A Friendly Bet Turned Major Scientific Discovery

IRP Investigator Bevil Conway Discusses the Science Behind the Headlines

pitch processing in the brain

What started as a friendly bet between investigators soon produced a major scientific discovery that calls into question the long-standing notion that non-human primates serve as accurate models for the way human brains function. The study, conducted by IRP investigator Bevil Conway, Ph.D., made headlines recently with reports in outlets such as NPR and U.S. News and World Report. We’re going Behind the Headlines with Dr. Conway to dive deeper into the story, understand the significance of his findings, and see where his work could lead.

Lab-Designed Virus Shows Promise for Inner Ear Gene Therapy

Delivery Method Could Eventually Help Correct Mutations That Cause Hearing Loss

inner ear cells infected by a lab-designed virus with a gene that produces a glowing green protein

Most people probably think of viruses as villains that bring illnesses like measles, HIV, and the flu, but some viruses are proving to be valuable allies in the fight against genetic diseases. In a new study, a team of scientists from the NIH IRP and their colleagues showed the promise of a lab-designed virus for delivering gene therapies aimed at correcting hereditary hearing loss.

Meet Children's Inn Resident Connor O’Brien

Reblog via The Children's Inn at NIH: Family Stories.

Connor, Childrens Inn at NIH

In the words of Connor: “A lot of times treatment for cancer and chronic diseases is very difficult to sustain. A lot of times it hurts. A lot of times you have to be given anesthesia, invasive things like that. The Inn gives you somewhere to come home to, somewhere to end your day, a place where you can have closure. Thank you all for making sure we have The Inn to come home to.”

NIH’s Undiagnosed Diseases Program Gives 6-year-old Hope

Reblog from Children's Inn at NIH: Family Stories.

Annaleise Knight

Annaleise Knight is an active, outgoing six-year-old. In her hometown of Grayslake, Illinois, she loves riding her bike, swimming, taking ballet and tap lessons, and playing outside on the swings and trampoline with her three siblings, Nicholas, 16, Braden, 7, and Catherine, 4. Although Annaleise has an exuberant personality, she did not always have the energy and strength to do her favorite activities.