Meet the 2023 Emerging Research Grants Scientists

With the new grant year starting each October, Hearing Health Foundation (HHF) is thrilled to announce the 15 researchers who earned funding through our Emerging Research Grants (ERG) program. These include first-year projects that are renewable for a second year, as well as second-year funding for researchers who demonstrated compelling progress. We are thankful to our scientific reviewers and Council of Scientific Trustees, who had the very difficult task of deciding whom to fund among an exceptional pool of new proposals and applicants.

Our first-year 2023 grantees are (clockwise from top left): Sharlen Moore, Ph.D., Melissa Polonenko, Ph.D., George Burwood, Ph.D., Carolyn McClaskey, Ph.D., and Francisco Barros-Becker, Ph.D.

Our ERG program remains the preeminent seed funding opportunity for hearing and balance researchers, particularly in early stages of their careers. By earning this competitive grant, they are better poised to earn future major federal funding, thanks to the preliminary data, findings, and experience gained from their HHF grants.

We are deeply grateful for the continued dedication of our generous donors. The advances these scientists will make is only possible because of your support. Thank you and congratulations!

First-Year 2023 Grantees

Francisco Barros-Becker, Ph.D.
University of Washington
Project: Aminoglycoside compartmentalization and its role in hair cell death

George Burwood, Ph.D.
Oregon Health & Science University
Project: Apical cochlear mechanics after cochlear implantation

Carolyn McClaskey, Ph.D.
Medical University of South Carolina
Project: Age and hearing-loss effects on subcortical envelope encoding
Generously funded by Royal Arch Research Assistance

Sharlen Moore, Ph.D.
Johns Hopkins University
Project: Modulation of neuro-glial cortical networks during tinnitus
Generously funded by the Les Paul Foundation

Melissa Polonenko, Ph.D.
University of Minnesota–Twin Cities
Project: Identifying hearing loss through neural responses to engaging stories
Generously funded by Royal Arch Research Assistance

Second-Year 2023 Grantees

Timothy Balmer, Ph.D.
Arizona State University
Project: The role of unipolar brush cells in vestibular circuit processing and in balance

James Dewey, Ph.D.
University of Southern California
Project: Filtering of otoacoustic emissions: a window onto cochlear frequency tuning

James Dias, Ph.D.
Medical University of South Carolina
Project: Neural determinants of age-related change in auditory-visual speech processing
Generously funded by the Meringoff Family Foundation

Mishaela DiNino, Ph.D.
University at Buffalo
Project: Neural mechanisms of speech sound encoding in older adults
Generously funded by the Meringoff Family Foundation

Subong Kim, Ph.D.
Project: Influence of individual pathophysiology and cognitive profiles on noise tolerance and noise reduction outcomes

Manoj Kumar, Ph.D.
University of Pittsburgh
Project: Signaling mechanisms of auditory cortex plasticity after noise-induced hearing loss
Generously funded by Royal Arch Research Assistance

Matthew Masapollo, Ph.D.
University of Florida
Project: Contributions of auditory and somatosensory feedback to speech motor control in congenitally deaf 9- to 10-year-olds and adults

Z. Ellen Peng, Ph.D.
Boys Town National Research Hospital
Project: Investigating cortical processing during comprehension of reverberant speech in adolescents and young adults with cochlear implants
Generously funded by Royal Arch Research Assistance

Megan Beers Wood, Ph.D.
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Project: Type II auditory nerve fibers as instigators of the cochlear immune response after acoustic trauma
Generously funded by Hyperacusis Research

Calvin Wu, Ph.D.
University of Michigan
Project: Development and transmission of the tinnitus neural code
Generously funded by the Les Paul Foundation

Applications are now open for the 2023-2024 Emerging Research Grants cycle. See hhf.org/how-to-apply for more information.

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