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New technologies for imaging of the human cochlea

Award Number: R01DC023511
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 07/01/2026
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 04/30/2031

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New technologies for imaging of the human cochlea - Inner ear diseases like Meniere's disease can significantly affect a person's quality of life, causing vertigo, hearing loss, and ringing in the ears (tinnitus). One key feature of Meniere's disease is a buildup of fluid in the inner ear, called endolymphatic hydrops (EH). Right now, doctors can only confirm EH after death by observing distension of Reissner's membrane in histopathology. This illustrates how limited our current tools are for diagnosing and managing inner ear problems. Doctors commonly use MRI and CT scans to look at the inner ear. But these imaging tools do not have enough resolution to clearly show the tiny structures inside the cochlea, and they cannot measure how the ear moves or functions. Despite these limits, MRI and CT are the main tools used today to look inside the inner ear because of a lack of better optins. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a newer imaging method that can help solve this problem. OCT provides very detailed images, showing tiny structures in the inner ear and measuring how they move in response to sound. Our research, and work by others, has shown that OCT can image the inner ear in living animals. It can also measure vibrations, blood flow, and even detect fluid buildup like EH. The challenge is that in humans, the bone around the inner ear (called the otic capsule) is much thicker than in animals. OCT can only see through about 400 microns of bone, but in people, this bone can be over 800 microns thick. This makes imaging the inner ear in humans very difficult. One option is to thin the bone using a surgical drill, but this is risky. If the drill goes too deep, it can damage the cochlea and cause permanent hearing loss. It also requires surgery, which isn't ideal. Instead, we propose using a precise laser technique called two-photon ablation. This type of laser is already used in eye surgeries like LASIK. It can remove thin layers of bone with great accuracy and minimal damage to surrounding tissues. We can guide this laser using OCT to carefully remove just enough bone to allow imaging of the inner ear. This can be done through the ear canal, without surgery and without touching the eardrum. Our early studies show that this approach can be used to thin the porcine otic capsule bone allowing us to see inside the cochlea. This approach could lead to a new way of imaging the inner ear in living people, both its structure and function, without the need for open surgery. This could greatly improve how we diagnose and treat inner ear diseases, allowing earlier detection and better treatment decisions.


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 = $773,199 )
2026	2026	UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA	3720 S FLOWER ST FL 3	LOS ANGELES	CA	90033	LOS ANGELES	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	1	7/6/2026	NEW	$773,199
														Subtotal = $773,199

Grand Total All Awards = $773,199

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New technologies for imaging of the human cochlea

Award Number: R01DC023511

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 07/01/2026

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 04/30/2031

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