Award
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders 5R21DC021755-03
Avian-inspired Regenerative Therapies for Hearing Loss
Recipient
Stanford University, Department of Otolaryngology
Award Amount
$193,000.00
Ceiling
$193,000.00
Awarded
February 27, 2026
Identifier
5R21DC021755-03
The project funded by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders focuses on understanding and inducing regenerative potential in mammalian auditory supporting cells to develop therapies for hearing loss. It uses advanced molecular profiling and gene transfer techniques to explore cell cycle re-entry and hair cell regeneration.
Description
This project aims to develop regenerative therapies for hearing loss by understanding supporting cell biology and gene regulation. It involves deciphering mechanisms for inducing S-phase entry in adult mammalian supporting cells and investigating their regenerative potential for sensory hair cell regeneration in the auditory system. The study uses innovative techniques such as multi-omics low-depth single-cell RNA-seq and single-nucleus ATAC-seq, and employs inducible gene expression strategies using AAV-mediated gene transfer. The outcomes will shed light on molecular and epigenetic identity of supporting cells, identify potential therapeutic targets, and refine strategies for hair cell regeneration.