Chief, Neurotology Branch
Dr. Hertzano is an otolaryngologist surgeon-scientist. Her clinical practice focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the ear, with a specific emphasis on hearing restoration. Toward hearing restoration, Dr. Hertzano works to unravel the regulatory signaling cascades that lead to the proper development of the ear, and specifically the hair cells. A second main interest is in developing therapeutics to prevent age-related and noise-induced hearing loss. To accomplish these goals, her team uses cutting-edge functional genomics approaches coupled with validation using model systems. To facilitate dissemination, sharing, and analysis of multi-omic data Dr. Hertzano developed the gEAR portal – gene Expression Analysis Resource. Finally, Dr. Hertzano has a strong interest in mentorship.
Dr. Hertzano received an M.D. and Ph.D. from Sackler School of Medicine at Tel Aviv University, Israel. Her doctoral thesis, which was performed both at Tel Aviv University and NIDCD, focused on elucidating the signaling pathway downstream of the deafness-causing gene POU4F3 in the mouse inner ear. She then performed her residency training in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery and a fellowship in otology and neurotology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM). Dr. Hertzano worked as a full tenured professor at the UMSOM until 2022.
Dr. Hertzano is the recipient of several awards, including the Burt Evans Young Investigator Award from the National Organization of Hearing Research; the Brian E. Emery, M.D., Outstanding Teaching Award, UMSOM; the Distinction Award in Alternative/Basic Science for the Triological Society Thesis; and the 2021 UMB Researcher of the Year Award. She is a member of the American Society of Clinical Investigation.
Functional genomics of hearing