We fund research to understand what causes hearing loss so we can develop and test ways to prevent it.
Our research goals
We know many of the causes of hearing loss, such as ageing and loud noise. But we don’t fully understand the processes that cause damage to our hearing and the biology behind it. We need this knowledge to develop treatments that can prevent this damage from occurring in the first place – and protect people’s hearing.
We fund research to:
- find out what causes hearing loss
- help us understand more about the biology behind different types of hearing loss
- improve how we measure and monitor hearing loss so that we can diagnose it more accurately
- develop and test ways and treatments to prevent it from happening.
Stay up to date with research progress
Our progress
Discovering new genes for hearing loss
In 2019, our funding led to the identification of 44 new genes linked to age-related hearing loss. Helena Wells, a PhD student we funded in Professor Frances William’s lab at King’s College London, used data from the UK Biobank to find these new genes. The UK Biobank is tracking different health characteristics in 500,000 people aged between 40 and 69 over time. Before this study, only five genes had been found. These new genes can help develop new treatments to prevent or treat hearing loss.
Protecting hearing in newborn babies
Drugs called aminoglycosides are antibiotics that are crucial for treating serious infections. They can be life-saving for premature babies, but can also cause hearing loss.
In 2016, we helped fund the development of a quick genetic test to identify if someone was at risk of developing hearing loss from these drugs. Dr Bill Newman, at the University of Manchester, developed the test that is currently being clinically tested. If successful, it could protect around 180 babies a year from losing their hearing.
Find out more about our research achievements
What we’re funding now
Improving our understanding of how cisplatin damages hearing
- Researcher
- Dr James O’Sullivan
- Where
- King’s College London
Read more about Dr James O’Sullivan’s research project
A new approach to preventing hearing loss caused by the anti-cancer drug cisplatin
- Researcher
- Dr Benjamin Delprat
- Where
- Université de Montpellier, France
Read more about Dr Benjamin Delprat’s research project
Improving diagnosis of hidden hearing loss
- Researcher
- Professor Stefan Bleeck
- Where
- University of Southampton
Read more about Professor Stefan Bleeck’s research project
The role of stress granules in antibiotic-induced hearing loss
- Researcher
- Professor Jonathan Gale
- Where
- University College London
Read more about Professor Jonathan Gale’s research project
Understanding the link between hearing loss and dementia
- Researcher
- Dr Fabiola Paciello
- Where
- Universitá Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy
Read more about Dr Fabiola Paciello’s research project.
How the immune system interacts with hearing in the inner ear
- Researcher
- Dr Elisa Martelletti
- Where
- King’s College London
Read more about Dr Elisa Martelletti’s research project.
Can improving blood supply to the inner ear prevent hearing loss?
- Researcher
- Dr Dan Jagger
- Where
- UCL Ear Institute
Read more about Dr Dan Jagger’s project
Understanding how changes in inner ear supporting cells are involved in age-related hearing loss
- Student
- Sarah Hool
- Where
- University of Sheffield
Read more about Sarah Hool’s project
Understanding the role of mitochondria in hearing loss
- Researcher
- Thomas Smith
- Where
- University of Manchester
Read more about Thomas Smith’s project
Understanding the impact of noise exposure on age-related hearing loss
- Researcher
- Dr Stuart Johnson
- Where
- University of Sheffield
Read more about Dr Stuart Johnson’s research project
Silence, solitude, and serotonin: How hearing loss and social isolation affect serotonin signalling in the auditory brain
- Researcher
- Dr Laura Hurley
- Where
- Indiana University, USA
Read more about Dr Laura Hurley’s research project
Investigating the role of VRAC proteins in how ototoxic medicines cause hearing loss
- Researcher
- Professor Corné Kros
- Where
- University of Sussex
Read more about Professor Corné Kros’ project
Developing a gene therapy for DFNA21 hearing loss
- Researcher
- Professor Hannie Kremer
- Where
- Radboud University Medical Center, Netherlands
Read more about Professor Hannie Kremer’s research project
Development of a genetic therapy for DFNA9 adult-onset hearing loss
- Researcher
- Dr Erik de Vrieze
- Where
- Radboud University Medical Center, Netherlands
Read more about Dr Erik de Vrieze’s research project
Developing new aminoglycoside antibiotics to prevent hearing loss
- Researcher
- Dr Alan Cheng
- Where
- Stanford University, USA
Read more about Dr Alan Cheng’s research project
Past projects we’ve funded
How the connections between the ear and the brain change with age
- Student
- Andrew O’Connor
- Where
- University of Sheffield
Read more about Andrew O’Connor’s project
How the brain adapts to hearing loss in 1 ear only
- Student
- Ana Isabel Sanchez Jimenez
- Where
- University of Oxford
Read more about Ana Isabel Sanchez Jiminez’s project
How does hearing loss affect cognition?
- Researcher
- Dr Emma Holmes
- Where
- University College London
Read more about Dr Emma Holmes’ project
Does the brain’s blood supply underlie the link between hearing loss and dementia?
- Researcher
- Dr Nicolas Michalski
- Where
- Institut Pasteur
Read more about Dr Nicolas Michalski’s project.
Improving the diagnosis of age-related hearing loss
- Researcher
- Professor Karen Steel
- Where
- King’s College London
Read more about Professor Karen Steel’s project
Developing more accurate and specific tests to diagnose hearing loss
- Researcher
- Dr Torsten Marquardt
- Where
- University College London
Read more about Dr Torsten Marquardt’s project
Understanding the links between hearing loss, cognitive decline and dementia
- Researcher
- Dr Piers Dawes
- Where
- University of Manchester
Read more about Dr Piers Dawe’s research project
Discovering more about how hair cells turn sound waves into a message the brain can understand
- Researcher
- Professor Walter Marcotti
- Where
- University of Sheffield
Read more about Professor Walter Marcotti’s research project
Investigating whether brain inflammation underlies the link between hearing loss and dementia
- Researcher
- Dr Brian Allman
- Where
- University of Western Ontario, Canada
Read more about Dr Brian Allman’s research project
Hearing loss and dementia: finding the link
- Researcher
- Dr Sally Dawson
- Where
- University College London
Read more about Dr Sally Dawson’s project
Understanding the role of a gene called MIR96 in age-related hearing loss
- Researcher
- Dr Morag Lewis
- Where
- King’s College London
Read more about Dr Morag Lewis’ research project
The role of the protein CLIC5 in hearing and deafness
- Researcher
- Dr Bo Zhao
- Where
- Indiana University
Read more about Dr Bo Zhao’s research project