About the Cochlear Implant & Hearing Aid Research Laboratory

We have three focus areas:

How does the brain change due to experience with hearing aids and cochlear implants? It is not just the device type and program settings that determine patient outcome. The plasticity of the brain and the listening situations that the individual is exposed to also influence how well a person can hear and understand speech.
How can we improve hearing device programming to optimize speech perception? One area in need of clinical guidelines is programming of cochlear implants and hearing aids for people who wear both types of devices. Our goal is to determine how the hearing aid and the cochlear implant should be programmed to derive optimal synergy and benefit from the combination of the two.
How can we improve residual hearing preservation in cochlear implantation, for Hybrid electro-acoustic stimulation? Improved hearing preservation has been shown to improve outcomes in cochlear implant patients, especially for speech perception in noise. We use both clinical and basic science approaches to understand the mechanisms of hearing loss after cochlear implantation, and develop new electrode designs, surgery techniques, or therapeutics to improve hearing preservation.