How human inner‑ear sensory cells develop in lab‑grown mini‑cochleas
Sensory Development in Human Cochlear Organoids
This project grows miniature human cochleas in the lab to learn how hearing cells and their nerves form and mature.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Indiana University Indianapolis NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Indianapolis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11234317 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you or a family member has sensorineural hearing loss, this research grows tiny human cochlea‑like tissues (organoids) to watch how fragile hair cells and their sensory neurons form over time. Researchers will sample these organoids at several time points and use single‑cell RNA and ATAC sequencing to map gene activity and chromatin changes in each cell type. They will build new computational tools using graph‑based neural networks to combine the time‑series data and find the signals that drive better hair‑cell formation. Those insights will be used to change lab methods so organoids produce more mature, functional hair cells and sensory neurons for testing future treatments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with sensorineural hearing loss, including genetic forms of deafness, would be the most relevant group for sample donation or future related clinical participation.
Not a fit: Patients whose hearing loss is conductive (middle‑ear problems) or not related to damaged cochlear hair cells are unlikely to benefit directly from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could produce more mature human hair cells in organoids, giving better models to speed up development of therapies for sensorineural hearing loss.
How similar studies have performed: Related inner‑ear organoid efforts have produced hair‑cell–like cells but generally suffer low yield and immaturity, so this approach is promising but still early.
Where this research is happening
Indianapolis, United States
- Indiana University Indianapolis — Indianapolis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hashino, Eri — Indiana University Indianapolis
- Study coordinator: Hashino, Eri
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.