Leading researchers in hearing health to gather at NEOMED
Jan. 27, 2025
The Hearing Research Focus Area (HRFA) is set to host the Midwest Auditory Research Conference (MARC) on June 19-21, 2025.
The MARC will gather leading researchers in hearing health to present and discuss cutting-edge auditory and vestibular research. NEOMED students are encouraged to attend and present their relevant research to learn about current advances in the field and network with clinicians and basic science researchers.
This will mark the 10th meeting of the MARC, with NEOMED hosting for the first time. The HRFA was awarded a $60,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health to host the conference. The MARC was last hosted by the Kresge Hearing Research Institute at the University of Michigan in 2022.
The MARC will highlight translational research and challenges in bringing basic research to clinical practice. Session topics include Genetics of Hearing Loss and Gene Therapy, Neural Elements of Human Hearing, Brainstem and Forebrain Processing, and Inner Ear and Hair Cells. Seven keynote speakers who are leaders in the field will be featured from Harvard University, Indiana University, New York University, Western University and the University of Maryland.
“Gathering researchers of this caliber leads to collaboration and discovery,” said Merri Rosen, Ph.D., director of the HRFA and associate professor of biomedical sciences. “The MARC will help advance hearing health as some of the top auditory and vestibular researchers in the world converge at NEOMED to present and share ideas.”
“This is a tremendous opportunity for students, postdoctoral fellows, clinicians and faculty members to learn from many of the most notable names in our field,” added Jeffrey Wenstrup, Ph.D., professor of biomedical sciences and founding director of the HRFA. “NEOMED is a leader in auditory neuroscience, and we’re proud to be able to host a marquee event to showcase groundbreaking research.”
This conference coincides with the 20th anniversary of the Hearing Research Focus Area, founded in 2005 by Drs. Wenstrup, Alex Galazyuk, Brett Schofield and Yong Lu. The group has eight laboratories with more than 30 researchers, all funded by the National Institutes of Deafness and Communication Disorders. The group has recently formed a consortium with University Hospitals auditory clinicians: the University Hospitals | NEOMED Hearing Research Center. The MARC will feature presentations from UH and NEOMED faculty from this Center.
Further details, including registration and itinerary for the MARC, will be announced later this spring. Please reach out to MARCConvention2025@neomed.edu with questions and to be added to the mailing list for updates.