The next EARssentials course will be held July 17-21, 2023. The course will be held in a hybrid format, with all interested participants able to participate virtually, and in-person attendance limited to those working at NIH. We will post the final class schedule in the late spring, but the lecture format and topics will be similar to the 2022 course. If you are interested in attending the course virtually, please email Elyssa Monzack, Ph.D.
Source: Tessa Sanders, Ph.D.
Source: Ivan Rebustini, Ph.D.
Source: Natalie Mosqueda
Join us for EARssentials 2022, to be held online July 18-22! EARssentials provides students with an overall conceptual view of the auditory system as well as exposure to laboratory techniques unique to research on the inner ear. In the ninth year of this free, week-long course, hosted and taught primarily by scientists at the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), all sessions will be conducted virtually. Live captioning will be available. Limited in-person attendance (RSVP required) is available for those at NIH.
The primary audience for this course is new intramural NIDCD trainees at all levels. Attendees from other institutions are welcome to attend virtually in 2022. The course is also useful for others who want to learn about concepts related to the auditory system.
This year, we will try a new format with introductory mini-lectures in the morning and live virtual lunchtime discussions (Eastern time) with course faculty. Participants who would like more in-depth information can individually watch archived lectures from the 2016 EARssentials course, either in advance to inform the live discussions or following the course. There will not be a hands-on laboratory component in 2022, but there will be a virtual mouse genetics lab and a workshop on the gEAR (gene Expression Analysis Resource) portal. The week will end with a live panel that explores current treatments for hearing loss and the careers of some of the clinician-scientists at the NIDCD.
If you would like to participate in this year’s virtual EARssentials course, please e-mail Karen Fischer before July 10 to register.
Course Schedule
Monday, July 18
10:15 – 11:25 a.m. Eastern: Morning mini-lectures.
- Course introduction: Elyssa Monzack, 10:15 – 10:35 a.m.
- Introduction to the auditory system: Kelly King, 10:40 – 11:00 a.m.
- Auditory mechanics and traveling wave: Kelly King, 11:05 – 11:25 a.m.
Noon – 1:30 p.m. Eastern: Discussion session.
2:30 – 4:00 p.m. Workshop: Introduction to gEAR: Ronna Hertzano.
Tuesday, July 19
10:15 – 11:25 a.m. Eastern: Morning mini-lectures.
- Introduction to the vestibular system: Christopher Zalewski, 10:15 – 10:35 a.m.
- Development of the inner ear: Doris Wu, 10:40 – 11:00 a.m.
- Spiral ganglion: Kirupa Suthakar, 11:05 – 11:25 a.m.
Noon – 1:30 p.m. Eastern: Discussion session.
2:00 – 3:15 p.m. Eastern: Pre-lab lecture for the Introduction to Mouse Genetics lab: Isabelle Roux.
Wednesday, July 20
10:15 – 11:20 a.m. Eastern: Morning mini-lectures.
- The stereocilia bundle and mechanotransduction: Gwenaëlle Géléoc, 10:15 – 10:55 a.m.
- Hair cell death: Lisa Cunningham, 11:00 – 11:20 a.m.
Noon – 1:30 p.m. Eastern: Discussion session.
Thursday, July 21
10:15 – 11:25 a.m. Eastern: Morning mini-lectures.
- Hair cell regeneration: Matt Kelley, 10:15 – 10:35 a.m.
- Electrophysiology basics: Paul Fuchs, 10:40 – 11:00 a.m.
- The hair cell synapse: Catherine Weisz, 11:05 – 11:25 a.m.
Noon – 1:30 p.m. Eastern: Discussion session, including Q&A with Paul Fuchs on efferent regulation of auditory function.
2:30 – 4:30 p.m. Eastern: Virtual laboratory session: Introduction to mouse genetics. Space is limited; all interested participants must register with Dr. Elyssa Monzack to attend this lab. If needed, a second session of this lab may be held on Friday afternoon.
Friday, July 22
10:15 – 11:25 a.m. Eastern: Morning mini-lectures.
- Lateral line: Katie Kindt, 10:15 – 10:35 a.m.
- Genetics of hearing loss: Tom Friedman, 10:40 – 11:00 a.m.
- Gene profiling and bioinformatics: Rob Morell, 11:05 – 11:25 a.m.
Noon – 12:45 p.m. Eastern: Discussion session.
12:50 – 1:50 p.m. Eastern: Clinical panel: Carmen Brewer, Wade Chien, Michael Hoa.
2:30 – 4:30 p.m. Eastern: Laboratory session: Introduction to mouse genetics. (Possible overflow session.)