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Immune Mechanisms of Cochlear Injury in Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection

Award Number: K08DC023954
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: TRAINING/TRAINEESHIP
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 07/10/2026
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 06/30/2031

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Immune Mechanisms of Cochlear Injury in Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection - PROJECT SUMMARY Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is the leading non-genetic cause of sensorineural hearing loss in children, affecting approximately one in 200 live births worldwide. Despite this high prevalence, the mechanisms linking CMV infection to auditory injury remain poorly understood, and no existing therapy reliably prevents hearing loss. Evidence from neonatal murine models suggests that immune-mediated inflammation contributes significantly to cochlear damage, yet the specific pathways remain undefined. Natural killer (NK) cells – early innate responders critical for controlling CMV – release interferon gamma (IFN-), a cytokine essential for antiviral defense but also capable of causing collateral tissue injury in sensitive organs such as the cochlea. This proposal investigates how NK cells and IFN- contribute to cochlear inflammation and hearing loss during congenital CMV infection. Using a neonatal murine CMV (MCMV) model, Aim 1 will define the timing and extent of NK cell infiltration, cytokine production, and auditory injury. Aim 2 will determine whether NK cells are required for this pathology using complementary depletion models that assess effects on inflammation, cochlear structure, and hearing function. Aim 3 will identify how IFN- signaling independent of NK cells alters the health of cochlear cells and test whether pharmacologic inhibition of this pathway can prevent auditory injury. This work bridges viral immunology and auditory neuroscience to uncover the mechanisms by which antiviral immune responses contribute to congenital hearing loss. Findings will establish a foundation for future studies dissecting the molecular mechanisms of cochlear injury and for developing targeted immunomodulatory strategies to preserve hearing in affected infants. The proposed research directly aligns with the NIDCD mission to understand, treat, and prevent disorders of hearing and communication.


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: 2026 ( Subtotal = $196,992 )
2026	2026	THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY	450 JANE STANFORD WAY	STANFORD	CA	94305	SANTA CLARA	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	1	7/10/2026	NEW	$196,992
														Subtotal = $196,992

Grand Total All Awards = $196,992

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Immune Mechanisms of Cochlear Injury in Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection

Award Number: K08DC023954

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: TRAINING/TRAINEESHIP

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 07/10/2026

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 06/30/2031

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