By Nadine Dehgan

We recognize with profound sadness the recent passing of David J. Lim, M.D., who was pivotal to the establishment of Hearing Health Foundation (HHF) and remained committed to our research throughout his life.

As a member of our Council of Scientific Trustees (CST)—the governing body of HHF’s Emerging Research Grants (ERG) program—and as a Centurion donor, Lim worked tirelessly to ensure the most promising auditory and vestibular science was championed.

Prior to his appointment to the CST, “Lim contributed to our understanding of the mechanics of hearing through his excellent scanning electron micrographs of the inner ear,” says Elizabeth Keithley, Ph.D, Chair of the Board of HHF. Lim pursued this critical work in 1970 through his first of many ERG grants.

“Lim was also one of the founding members of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology (ARO) and served as the historian of this esteemed scientific organization,” says Judy Dubno, Ph.D., of HHF’s Board of Directors. “Along with HHF, he cared deeply about ARO and will be missed by many.”

Most recently, Lim was a surgeon-scientist and a director of the UCLA Pathogenesis of Ear Diseases Laboratory, where he was considered an authority on temporal bone histopathology, morphology and cell biology of the ear, and the innate immunity of the middle and inner ear.

We, the HHF community, are grateful to have known and to have benefited from Lim’s wisdom, good humor, and kind spirit. HHF will honor his legacy by continuing our mission, knowing we are indebted to his leadership and dedication to advancements in hearing health.