Yan Li, Ph.D.

The Research

New York University School of Medicine

Mouse models of human syndromic hearing loss linked to mutant MYH9 alleles

Mutations within the nonmuscle myosin heavy chain type IIA (MYH9) have been linked to human hearing loss. The study will examine the biological role of MYH9 in hearing and the role of its mutant alleles MYH9R702C in hearing loss with the goal of developing and characterizing transgenic mouse models that express the mutant alleles MYH9R702C which is linked to syndromic hereditary hearing loss in humans. Characterizing these mice models will lead to elucidation of the role of MYH9 in hearing and help to development of therapeutic strategies for circumventing hearing loss due to MYH9 mutation.