In this project, Alice Zanella at the University of Sheffield explores whether it is possible to use gene therapy to repair or slow down progressive hearing loss.
Project start date: October 2023
Project end date: September 2026
About the project
Age-related progressive hearing loss can be caused by changes that happen in hair cells (the sound-sensing cells in the inner ear) over time. This includes changes in key genes, which are important for the function and maintenance of the structures hair cells need to sense sounds.
In this project, Alice will investigate whether gene therapy can deliver normal corrected genes into malfunctioning hair cells to prevent or even rescue progressive hearing loss.
How it works
Using gene therapy techniques, Alice will try to restore normal hair cell function in mice with mutations in genes linked to age-related hearing loss. These techniques are safe and have been previously used in clinical trials in people of gene therapy treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.
Alice will measure changes in the structure and function of the hair cells, and changes in the hearing of the mice to determine the effectiveness of the treatment.
How will this research benefit people with hearing loss?
Currently, the only options available to treat age-related hearing loss are hearing aids and cochlear implants, which bring benefit to many people, but are unable to restore natural hearing. There is therefore an urgent need to develop effective treatments that either prevent or slow down hearing loss or restore hearing.
The results from this project will determine whether gene therapy is a suitable approach to target progressive hearing loss.
About the researcher
Alice Zanella is a PhD student in Professor Walter Marcotti’s lab at the University of Sheffield.
I hope my research will provide important evidence to support the suitability and benefits of gene therapy as a treatment for age-related hearing loss, which has not been studied yet. This would be a critical milestone towards translating this research into clinics, helping to greatly improve the quality of life of patients affected by progressive loss of hearing.”
