Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Harvard Human Ear Tissue Network
Massachusetts Eye and Ear/ Harvard Initiative for the NIDCD National Human Ear Resource Network
This project gathers and shares donated human inner-ear tissue and linked medical records to help researchers understand hearing and balance problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11141178 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From my perspective as a patient, this effort collects temporal bones (the part of the skull that holds the inner ear) removed at autopsy and preserves detailed medical and hearing history alongside high-resolution images of tissue slides. The team digitizes stained slide sets and uploads de-identified images and records to a searchable database so scientists everywhere can study them. They also send unstained tissue sections to researchers who need them for molecular or genetic tests, and they are improving faster, cheaper ways to prepare and cut the tissue for study. This work helps researchers look at ear cells directly — something that can't be done safely while a person is alive.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with hearing or balance disorders (or their families) who are willing to donate temporal-bone tissue and medical/otologic records after death, or researchers needing access to these archived materials.
Not a fit: People seeking immediate clinical treatment or on-the-spot therapy will not receive direct medical benefit from this archival tissue resource.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this resource could speed discoveries about the cellular causes of deafness and balance disorders and help lead to better diagnostics and treatments.
How similar studies have performed: Researchers have used temporal-bone archives and histopathology for decades to learn about ear diseases, and this project builds on those established approaches while expanding access.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Quesnel, Alicia M — Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
- Study coordinator: Quesnel, Alicia 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.