Mapping the cells of the human inner ear
Human Ear Cellular Atlas
This project will create a detailed map of the different cell types in the human inner ear to help people with hearing and balance problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Stanford University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stanford, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11159446 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The team will collect live inner ear tissues from deceased organ donors and from patients having inner ear surgery, then use single-cell RNA sequencing and high-resolution 3D imaging to identify cell types and their organization. They will build a registry that links medical records, tissue samples, and images so researchers can use the data. The project also includes training for new investigators and outreach to increase awareness of human inner ear research.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants include people undergoing surgery for vestibular schwannoma who agree to donate removed inner ear tissue and families of deceased organ donors who consent to tissue donation.
Not a fit: People with hearing loss who are not surgical patients or tissue donors are unlikely to directly benefit from participating in this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the atlas could reveal human-specific targets and guide development of new drug or cell therapies for hearing and balance loss.
How similar studies have performed: Single-cell and 3D mapping have helped identify targets in other organs and animal inner-ear studies show promise, but a comprehensive live human inner ear atlas is largely novel.
Where this research is happening
Stanford, United States
- Stanford University — Stanford, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cheng, Alan Gi-Lun — Stanford University
- Study coordinator: Cheng, Alan Gi-Lun
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.