In this episode, Founding Director of Ear Science Institute Australia, Professor Atlas will unpack the latest research in curing hearing loss and what the future might hold.
But how long do we wait for a cure?
In this episode, you will learn
2.00 | Why is hearing so important, why is hearing loss such a big problem in our community?
2.13 | What has Ear Science been doing to help with hearing loss?
3.05 | What is the prevalence of hearing loss, who does it affect and how has this changed over time?
5.35 | What is the connection between hearing loss and dementia and how can we delay/prevent dementia onset?
6.40 | How has treating hearing loss for a surgeon changed over time?
8.24 | Is age a barrier when it comes to hearing implants?
10.50 | Are we ever going to cure hearing loss?
11.15 | Why did Marcus become a surgeon-scientist?
12.03 | How is Ear Science adapting stem cells to become Organoids to grow an inner ear (Cochlea)?
13.30 | How are organoids helping us understand and develop experiments, medications, treatments, & genetics, to help prevent or cure hearing loss? .
16.20 | How is Ear Science’s research funded?
17.57 | How are Ear Science’s researchers working to treat and prevent middle ear infections. How would this help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) communities who experience higher rates of middle ear disease compared to non-ATSI people?
23.00 | Is there a cure and should I wait?
24.55 | How can the community get involved in finding a cure for hearing loss?
26.10 | Key take-aways
VIEW TRANSCRIPTION FOR THIS EPISODE
Resources mentioned
“1 in 6 Australians experience Hearing Loss, 1 in 4 over the age of 65” | Hearing Care Industry Association. Hearing for life: The value of hearing services for vulnerable Australians Deloitte Access Economics, Canberra, Australia. 2020.
“90% of people who need a Cochlear Implant don’t have one” | Looi V, Bluett C, Boisvert I. Referral rates of postlingually deafened adult hearing aid users for a cochlear implant candidacy assessment. International Journal of Audiology. 56:919-925; 2017.
Ear Science Researcher Dr Elaine Wong
Ear Science Institute Australia Organoid Research
Ear Science Researcher Dr Hani Al Salami
National Health & Medical Research Council
Ear Science Ambassador Justin Langer
Ear Science’s Gift of Hearing Appeal
About Professor Marcus Atlas
More information on finding a cure for hearing loss
Australian Usher Gene Therapy Coalition
Regenerative stem cell research underway
WHO World Report on Hearing March 2021
