High-resolution inner-ear imaging to visualize tiny cochlear cells
Multimodality Micro-Optical Coherence Tomography for Imaging the Functional Microanatomy of the Human Cochlea
This project will build a tiny, high-resolution imaging tool that looks at the cells and their metabolism inside the inner ear to help people with sensorineural hearing loss.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Stanford University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stanford, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11256758 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be offered a new approach that uses a thin intracochlear catheter with micro-optical coherence tomography (µOCT) to take micron-scale cross-sectional pictures of the cochlea. The device combines dynamic µOCT to detect very small intracellular motions and metabolic autofluorescence imaging (AFI) to read signals from molecules like NADH and FAD. The team will first refine and validate the technology on mouse cochlear explants and whole excised mouse cochleae and then move toward testing on human temporal bone specimens before adapting the device for safe use in people. The combined images aim to show both cellular structure and metabolic function to indicate which cochlear cells are intact or damaged.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults with sensorineural hearing loss who want detailed cochlear evaluation or are considering advanced therapies and can attend testing at participating centers.
Not a fit: People with conductive hearing loss, outer or middle ear problems only, or those who cannot undergo intracochlear procedures are unlikely to receive direct benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could let doctors see which cochlear cells are damaged or metabolically active, improving diagnosis and helping match patients to targeted treatments like gene or cell therapy.
How similar studies have performed: High-resolution optical imaging has shown promise in lab and animal work, but cellular-level imaging inside the living human cochlea is largely novel.
Where this research is happening
Stanford, United States
- Stanford University — Stanford, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Stankovic, Konstantina M — Stanford University
- Study coordinator: Stankovic, Konstantina M
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.