Finding New Genetic Causes for Deafness Not Linked to Other Conditions
Official title: A Collaborative Search for New Genes for Non-Syndromic Deafness
Funded at University of Miami School of Medicine · NIH-11097372 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research aims to discover new genetic causes for hearing loss that is present at birth or develops early in life and is not part of a larger syndrome.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Miami School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Coral Gables, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2010 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $652,249 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DC009645-15 |
| Project ID | NIH-11097372 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals and families with non-syndromic hearing loss, especially those with a suspected genetic cause that has not yet been identified.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with hearing loss that is part of a known syndrome or those who already have a molecular diagnosis for their deafness may not directly benefit from this specific gene discovery effort.
What this research studies
Many infants are born with significant hearing loss, and for most, the cause is genetic. While some forms of genetic deafness are part of a syndrome, many cases involve only hearing loss, known as non-syndromic hearing loss (NSHL). Even with current knowledge, a large number of families with NSHL do not have a clear genetic diagnosis. This project uses advanced genome sequencing to look for new genetic changes in families with NSHL whose cases remain unsolved, using a large collection of biological samples and clinical information.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could provide molecular diagnoses for many families, leading to better understanding, counseling, and potentially new treatment approaches for non-syndromic deafness.
How similar studies have gone: Genetic sequencing and the use of family repositories have been successful in identifying genes for various conditions, and this approach builds on those established methods to find new deafness genes.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Miami School of Medicine
Coral Gables, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tekin, Mustafa — University of Miami School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Tekin, Mustafa
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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.