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Development of a Machine Learning Prediction Model for the Detection of Meniere's Disease from Cerumen Chemical Profiles

Award Number: R21DC020565
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: 07/01/2022
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 11/30/2024

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Development of a Machine Learning Prediction Model for the Detection of Meniere's Disease from Cerumen Chemical Profiles - ABSTRACT/PROJECT SUMMARY Ménière’s disease is a chronic, incurable vestibular disorder that produces a recurring set of symptoms as a result of abnormally large amounts of endolymph in the inner ear. Manifestations of the disease include recurrent episodes of vertigo, tinnitus, imbalance, nausea and/or vomiting, a feeling of fullness or pressure in the ear, and fluctuating, progressive low-frequency hearing loss. Diagnosis is difficult because other neurological conditions present some of the same symptoms. Thus, Ménière’s disease diagnosis, which is challenging, imprecise, and time consuming, involves the painstaking process of excluding other diseases with overlapping symptoms. Because it has no known chemical or radiographic markers, diagnosis is based on the observation of a clinical compendium of symptoms, and misdiagnosis is fairly common. If chemical markers of Ménière’s and other relevant neurological disorders could be determined, more rapid and accurate diagnosis could be achieved based on assessment of the presence (or absence) of these relevant compounds. It is hypothesized here that the chemical profile of cerumen can serve as a reporter of the presence of Ménière’s disease and other neurological disorders with overlapping symptoms, and that knowledge of these differential profiles can be leveraged to accurately and rapidly reveal the presence of Ménière’s disease. This hypothesis will be investigated through pursuit of the following specific aims: Specific Aim I: Collection and determination of the mass spectral chemical signatures of cerumen from healthy donors, Ménière’s disease patients, and patients diagnosed with other neurotological disorders with overlapping symptoms. Specific Aim II: Development of machine learning prediction models that enable accurate determination of the presence of Ménière’s disease and/or other neurotological disorders from cerumen chemical profiles, and reveal the presence of the subset of compounds that are important for the ability to distinguish Ménière’s disease samples from others. Specific Aim III: Structural characterization of compounds revealed by the machine learning prediction model(s) developed in Specific Aim II, to be associated with Ménière’s disease. The results of this work will reveal whether there is a correlation between the lipid profile of earwax and the presence of particular disease states. Structural information will be acquired on the molecules that are responsible for the differences in healthy and Ménière’s disease patients. The information revealed would provide the opportunity for development of a potential non-invasive method for the rapid diagnosis of Ménière’s disease.


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 = $0 )
2026	2023	LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY	202 HIMES HALL	BATON ROUGE	LA	70803	EAST BATON ROUGE	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	001	3	11/24/2025	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$191,558
2026	2023	RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, THE	1400 WASHINGTON AVE	ALBANY	NY	12222	ALBANY	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	002	2	11/25/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$372,155
2026	2023	RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, THE	1400 WASHINGTON AVE	ALBANY	NY	12222	ALBANY	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	2	11/21/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$191,558
2026	2023	RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, THE	1400 WASHINGTON AVE	ALBANY	NY	12222	ALBANY	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	003	2	11/25/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$372,155
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2025	2023	RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, THE	1400 WASHINGTON AVE	ALBANY	NY	12222	ALBANY	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	001	2	9/26/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$372,155
2025	2023	RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, THE	1400 WASHINGTON AVE	ALBANY	NY	12222	ALBANY	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	2	9/25/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$372,155
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $424,315 )
2023	2023	RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, THE	1400 WASHINGTON AVE	ALBANY	NY	12222	ALBANY	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	1	3/15/2023	SUPPLEMENT FOR EXPANSION	$232,756
2023	2023	RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, THE	1400 WASHINGTON AVE	ALBANY	NY	12222	ALBANY	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	001	2	6/27/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$191,559
														Subtotal = $424,315

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $230,049 )
2022	2022	RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, THE	1400 WASHINGTON AVE	ALBANY	NY	12222	ALBANY	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	1	6/14/2022	NEW	$230,049
														Subtotal = $230,049

Grand Total All Awards = $654,364

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Development of a Machine Learning Prediction Model for the Detection of Meniere's Disease from Cerumen Chemical Profiles

Award Number: R21DC020565

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: 07/01/2022

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 11/30/2024

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