Pathology of the Inner Ear: Mechanisms and Treatment

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): In the last decade we have witnessed exciting advances in the prevention and rehabilitation of otopathologies. An increased understanding of underlying mechanisms is rapidly leading to the development of novel and effective interventions. For the first time, clinical trials on the prevention of drug- and noise-induced hearing loss have either been recently concluded or are under way. The most effective current rehabilitation, cochlear prostheses, has matured and is expanding to new horizons, while alternate treatment paradigms, involving molecular medicine, begin to show promise in animal experiments. It is therefore timely to have a meeting bringing together basic, translational and clinical researchers as well as clinicians to critically review these developments and look to the future. We propose a two day meeting with platform presentations, posters and time for formal and informal discussions to: 1) Provide an understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying widespread and unresolved otopathologies; 2) analyze these mechanisms for common themes as well as differences; 3) explore how an understanding of basic principles can be used to develop targeted treatments; 4) familiarize researchers and clinicians with each others' goals and problems, 5) discuss opportunities to accelerate the translation of basic research to the clinic and 6) create awareness in students, residents and trainees about inner ear disorders and the state of the art of research and clinical endeavors to establish a basis for future careers and collaborations. A primary objective of this conference is to increase the dialogue and cross-fertilization across disciplines and pathologies. The speakers, therefore, represent and will present basic research, translational research and clinical considerations. Furthermore, in addition to a multidisciplinary presentation of recent and relevant results, a purpose of the meeting will be to encourage discussions with the wider auditory, vestibular and clinical community, for which the poster sessions will be an appropriate vehicle. Together with a later publication of reviews and articles by speakers and selected poster presenters in a special issue of Hearing Research, the conference will identify areas of consensus and disagreement, generate new ideas and areas for future development, provide opportunity for cooperation and stimulate translation of research results to clinical and even potential commercial application. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Recent developments in our understanding of the mechanisms underlying some of the most common inner ear pathologies, their prevention and their treatment have made it timely to have a meeting bringing together basic, translational and clinical researchers as well as clinicians to critically review these developments and look to the future. We propose a two day meeting to provide an understanding of molecular mechanisms, to analyze mechanisms for common themes across different inner ear pathologies as well as differences and to examine developments in targeted interventions for prevention and treatment across inner ear disorders.