Massachusetts Eye and Ear joins a national network to study human ear pathology
Official title: Massachusetts Eye and Ear/ Harvard Initiative for the NIDCD National Human Ear Resource Network
Funded at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary · NIH-11397011 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A national, collaborative effort will collect and study human ear tissue from autopsies to better understand deafness and balance disorders, and to share images and data with researchers.
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 start | September 16, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $595,000 |
| NIH project number | 5U24DC020849-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11397011 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with a history or current condition of hearing or balance disorders, or researchers who study ear pathology and might access tissue resources.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose conditions are not related to the ear or balance, or who are not researchers/clinicians in otology, may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project connects international experts to curate and study human temporal-bone specimens from autopsies, creating a searchable database of histology and medical history. Researchers will preserve and analyze tissue using advanced embedding and laser-based sectioning methods, then share digitized images and data for broader collaboration. The initiative also distributes unstained tissue sections to researchers for additional morphological, molecular, or genetic studies related to ear disorders. By building a larger, well-documented resource, the effort aims to accelerate discoveries about the diseases that affect hearing and balance.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients with hearing and balance disorders could benefit from faster scientific advances and new insights leading to better diagnostics and treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Previous efforts with large tissue collections and histopathology have enabled important discoveries in ear disease, and expanding access could amplify impact.
Where this research is happening
-
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.