Lead investigators: Dr Kathryn Fackrell and Professor Michael Akeroyd

We are established international leaders in involving patients and clinicians in determining core outcome sets for single-sided deafness, tinnitus, and validating imaging markers of brain development in cochlear-implanted children. We are now in process of establishing a core outcome set for hearing loss and dementia trials.

Our researchers have also led research on long-term hearing outcomes of patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 through the CHEAR study. With this post-Covid research, we will refine the existing index questions for the prevalence, severity, and the impact of audiovestibular symptoms.

Our current work includes evaluating efficacy and neural mechanisms of parent-implemented therapies for children with cochlear implants (IMPACT).

Other projects include developing the world-first and paediatric hyperacusis questionnaire (HICQ) and evaluating psychometric properties of our world-first paediatric tinnitus questionnaire (iTICQ).

Another significant programme is our work to repurpose hearing implant technology to monitor cochlear health and evaluate capabilities with a clinical trial. This research will inform use of implantations to monitor adjunctive drug, cell or gene therapies for deafness.

Our work with infants who have been admitted to neonatal intensive care is investigating how serum biomarkers predict neurodevelopmental outcomes at two years of age.

Using data from the NEAT database, machine learning and statistical models is being used to identify key serum biomarker-risk factor interactions. The goal of this work is to improve early detection, guide interventions, and personalise care for infants with hearing loss.