research
Presenting the 2022 Emerging Research Grantees Through the Emerging Research Grants (ERG) program, Hearing Health Foundation (HHF) provides seed money to scientists working across the entire spectrum of hearing and balance research, including many underfunded areas. Since 1958, ERG grants have played a foundational role in the careers of many academic researchers and clinicians in hearing and balance fields. The competitive ERG program awards grants to only the most promising investigators. Recipients are exceptionally well-positioned to win future grants from the National Institutes of Health and other federal research funders, leading to dramatic innovations in the field. Timothy Balmer, Ph.D.
Arizona State University
Project: The role of unipolar brush cells in vestibular circuit processing and in balance Description: The cerebellum receives vestibular sensory signals and is crucial for balance, posture, and gait. Disruption of the vestibular signals that are processed by the vestibular cerebellum, as in the case of Ménière’s disease, leads to profound disability. Our lack of understanding of the circuitry and physiology of this part of the vestibular system makes developing treatments for vestibular disorders extremely difficult. This project focuses on a cell type in the vestibular cerebellum called the unipolar brush cell (UBC). UBCs process vestibular sensory signals and amplify them to downstream targets. However, the identity of these targets and how they process UBC input is not understood. In addition, the role of UBCs in vestibular function must be clarified. Experiments will identify the targets of UBCs, their synaptic responses, and the role of UBCs in balance. A better understanding of vestibular cerebellar circuitry and function will help us identify causes of vestibular disorders and suggest possible treatments for them.
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hearing health
hhf.org
Long-term goal: To develop a better understanding of the neural circuits that underlie vestibular function. A more complete understanding of the circuitry and physiology of the vestibular cerebellum is necessary to develop therapies for vestibular dysfunction caused by peripheral disorders such as Ménière’s disease. Balmer earned his doctorate in neuroscience from Georgia State University. He is an assistant professor in the School of Life Sciences at Arizona State University. His work investigates how neurons transmit signals to one another through synapses and how networks of neurons process information. His team uses in vitro and in vivo electrophysiology, optogenetics, immunohistochemistry, and computational modeling to understand fundamental mechanisms of sensory processing. Balmer was also a 2017 ERG grantee.
