Collaborations

Working together in hearing research

We are part of a network of scientists and clinicians in Halifax and around the world that work on hearing and balance disorders.

Dalhousie collaborations

At Dalhousie, we partner with:

• School of Human Communication Disorders (Dr. Steve Aiken, Dr. Jian Wang, Dr. Michael Kiefte, Dr. Rachael Cassie)
• Neurocognitive scientists (Dr. Aaron Newman, Dr. Lauren Sculthorpe-Petley)
• Psychoacousticians (Dr. Dennis Phillips)
• Imaging and radiological scientists (Dr. Sharon Clarke, Dr. Chris Bowen)
• Molecular biologists and pharmacologists (Dr. George Robertson)

Nova Scotia Hearing and Speech collaborations

We also collaborate and partner extensively with Nova Scotia Hearing and Speech (NSHS) on patient-centred research projects, particularly with:

• the cochlear implant team (Heather Maessen, Adrienne Comeau-Gandy)
• bone conduction hearing and tinnitus (Mark Gulliver)
• tensor tympani and stapedial disorders (Duncan Floyd)
• vestibular disorders (Janine Verge)

Expanded breadth and depth of research

These extensive collaborations allow us to explore the full breadth and depth of the physiology and pathology of the ear, including:

• the transduction process at the peripheral ear level
• the molecular mechanisms behind damage to hearing and balance
• the inner ear perception of hearing and balance
• how the brain recognizes sound and speech

These mechanisms all interact with each other, and we need to be able to understand the full patient experience.