Research Overview

There are multiple organs concealed in the bony labyrinth. In those organs, sensory hair cells, with the synergistic work of other cell types, convert mechanical movement into neuroelectric signals for hearing and balance functions. Different cell types express different sets of genes to fulfill their functions, and dysfunction of any part of the inner ear system leads to hearing loss or balance problems.

What:

• What transcription factors regulate hair cell genes for the mechanoperception function? Can we regenerate sensory hair cells via manipulating those transcription factors?

• Is epigenetic silencing the mechanism blocking sensory hair cell regeneration in mammals? How to remove such epigenetic hurdles?

• How genes are transcriptional regulated in different cell types in the inner ear? What are the molecular pathogenetic mechanisms underlying deafness gene mutations?

• Can we annotate distal enhancers for genes essential for the mechanotransduction function? How to utilize the regulatory roles of distal elements to diagnose and treat deafness?

How:

• Bulk and single cell RNA&ATAC

• Cut&Run, Cut&Tag

• Hi-C (Micro-C)

• AAV viral gene delivery

• Functional test with animal models

So what:

We are hoping to find new ways/strategies to:

• Regenerate sensory hair cells for acquired hearing loss.

• Diagnose and treat hereditary deafness