Better preservation and imaging of the human inner ear (temporal bone)
Modern Cellular and Molecular Techniques to Study the Human Temporal Bone
This project develops improved ways to preserve and image human inner ear tissue so scientists studying hearing and balance can use high-quality human samples.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11247910 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You may be asked to consider donating your temporal bone after death so researchers can preserve DNA and the delicate inner-ear structures. The team will collect postmortem temporal bones with short postmortem intervals, apply new tissue-processing methods that keep both DNA and morphology intact, and use advanced non‑destructive, high-resolution imaging to visualize tiny inner-ear parts. They will build digital slide libraries and share physical samples and protocols through a national temporal bone registry so other scientists can compare human tissue with animal models. This work is meant to provide better human-based reference material to guide future research on hearing and balance.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal donors are adults willing to donate their temporal bones after death, especially those with a history of hearing loss or balance problems and who can be near a participating recovery center.
Not a fit: This project does not provide direct clinical treatment, so participants should not expect immediate personal medical benefit from donating tissue.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help researchers better understand human inner ear biology and speed development of improved diagnostics and treatments for hearing loss and balance disorders.
How similar studies have performed: Existing temporal bone archives and imaging approaches have yielded valuable insights, but combining DNA-preserving processing with high-resolution non-destructive imaging and broad tissue sharing is a relatively new and expanding effort.
Where this research is happening
Los Angeles, United States
- University of California Los Angeles — Los Angeles, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ishiyama, Akira — University of California Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Ishiyama, Akira
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.