Vincent Lin

Research Synopsis

The vast majority of hearing loss is caused by a loss of auditory hair cells, which are contained in the cochlea or the organ of hearing. Hair cells help convert sound (acoustic) energy into neural (electrical) signals, which then travel via the auditory nerve to the brain where sound is interpreted. It was recently discovered that some types of birds, after going deaf, were able to regenerate hair cells spontaneously and fully restore hearing function. This discovery led many scientists and otologists (ear surgeons) to conclude that understanding this process and triggering the same response in humans will ultimately lead to a cure for hearing loss.

The department of otolaryngology, head and neck surgery at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre is home to Canada's only research laboratory in hearing regeneration. The overall goal of Dr. Lin's research is to develop therapeutic interventions that will regenerate and restore normal hearing to those affected with hearing loss. The three specific aims of his laboratory include the following:

• to further the understanding of the cell pathways that trigger and control hair cell regeneration in the avian species
• to identify the "stem cells" in adult hearing impaired birds and mice as models of human hearing loss (the goal is to manipulate these stem cells in mammalian models to repopulate the lost hair cells)
• to develop effective techniques for sustained drug delivery directly and selectively to the human inner ear using the mouse as a model organism.