Detect Ménière's disease using earwax chemical patterns
Official title: Development of a Machine Learning Prediction Model for the Detection of Ménière's Disease from Cerumen Chemical Profiles
Funded at Louisiana State Univ A&m Col Baton Rouge · NIH-11306486 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses computer learning on earwax chemistry to spot Ménière's disease in people who have repeated vertigo, ringing, or hearing changes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Louisiana State Univ A&m Col Baton Rouge NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baton Rouge, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $191,558 |
| NIH project number | 7R21DC020565-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11306486 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People who have recurring episodes of vertigo, tinnitus (ringing), a feeling of fullness in the ear, or fluctuating low-frequency hearing loss are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People who do not produce enough earwax for sampling or whose symptoms stem from conditions that do not affect earwax chemistry may not benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
Researchers will collect small earwax samples from people with Ménière’s symptoms and from people with similar balance or ear problems. Lab tests will measure the chemical makeup of each earwax sample and computer-learning programs will look for patterns linked to Ménière’s. The team will compare profiles across groups to find chemicals that distinguish Ménière’s from other causes of dizziness and hearing change. If promising markers are found, the approach could be tested further as a quick, noninvasive diagnostic aid.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to a faster, noninvasive test for Ménière's disease based on earwax chemistry.
How similar studies have gone: Using chemical markers and machine learning has shown promise in other areas of medicine, but applying earwax chemistry specifically to detect Ménière’s is largely new and experimental.
Where this research is happening
-
Louisiana State Univ A&m Col Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Musah, Rabi a — Louisiana State Univ A&m Col Baton Rouge
- Study coordinator: Musah, Rabi a
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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.