Wednesday, August 20, 2025 8/20/2025

Multisensory Integration and Cortical Plasticity in Cochlear Implant Users

Award Number: F30DC020917
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/01/2022
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 08/31/2027

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Multisensory Integration and Cortical Plasticity in Cochlear Implant Users - ABSTRACT Hearing loss is a major cause of disability that affects over 48 million Americans. Cochlear implants (CIs) are neuroprosthetic devices that allow people with profound hearing loss to recover hearing and speech comprehension. However, CI surgery outcomes are highly variable and difficult to predict, which creates a challenge for clinicians to guide patient decisions and expectations. Speech recognition is a multisensory process. Although it is known that visual speech cues can improve auditory speech recognition, the visual and audiovisual abilities of CI users have not been well characterized before and after cochlear implantation. In my preliminary data, I show that pre-implantation visual and audiovisual speech recognition predicts post- implantation auditory speech recognition, suggesting that multisensory integration may play an underappreciated role in CI outcomes. In the proposed experiments, I will explore changes in visual and audiovisual performance following CI surgery through a battery of sensory experiments (Aim 1). I will also assess the neural correlates of any behavioral changes using an innovative approach by simultaneously recording electroencephalography (EEG) and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) responses over time (Aim 2). Finally, I will identify pre-implantation factors that predict post-implantation speech recognition and synthesize these data into a prediction model using machine learning (Aim 3). Through the experiments proposed in this fellowship application, I will comprehensively characterize the longitudinal changes in sensory perception and cortical organization following cochlear implantation. I will also use these findings to develop a novel clinical tool for predicting CI outcomes. The proposed plan integrates my research interests in auditory neuroscience with my clinical interests in otolaryngology, and it will set me up for success as a future physician-scientist.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $54,538 )
2025	2025	VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY	110 21ST AVE S	NASHVILLE	TN	37203	DAVIDSON	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	4	8/12/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$54,538
														Subtotal = $54,538

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $34,126 )
2024	2024	VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY	110 21ST AVE S	NASHVILLE	TN	37203	DAVIDSON	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	3	8/8/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$34,126
														Subtotal = $34,126

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $32,846 )
2023	2023	VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY	110 21ST AVE S	NASHVILLE	TN	37203	DAVIDSON	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	2	8/14/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$32,846
														Subtotal = $32,846

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $31,904 )
2022	2022	VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY, THE	110 21ST AVENUE S STE 800	NASHVILLE	TN	37203	DAVIDSON	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	1	8/10/2022	NEW	$31,904
2022	2022	VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY, THE	110 21ST AVENUE S STE 800	NASHVILLE	TN	37203	DAVIDSON	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	001	1	8/10/2022	NEW	$0
														Subtotal = $31,904

Grand Total All Awards = $153,414

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Multisensory Integration and Cortical Plasticity in Cochlear Implant Users

Award Number: F30DC020917

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/01/2022

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 08/31/2027

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