Deafness Project
Advancing therapies through functional characterization of hearing loss-associated genes
Yoshiaki Kikkawa has been leading the Deafness Project since 2020. Dr. Kikkawa completed his Ph.D. on animal genetics and evolution in 1998 from the Tokyo University of Agriculture. He then worked in mouse genetics and genomics under the supervision of Dr. Hiromichi Yonekawa at TMIMS where he identified key genes involved in several diseases by positional cloning. In particular, he focused on using mouse models to elucidate the molecular basis for genetic deafness, and identified Sans, one of the few genes identified to date that are associated with human deafness. Subsequently he conducted research on protein-protein interactions associated with deafness with Prof. Steve Brown at the MRC, Harwell, UK, where he discovered protein complexes associated with stereocilia elongation in hair cells in the inner ear.
Backgrounds
Hearing loss is a very common sensory disorder that severely affects human quality of life. In order to develop effective therapeutic strategies for deafness, it is critical to understand the mechanisms regulating its onset. Our aim is to discover novel genes associated with deafness. In particular, we are focused on identifying genes responsible for age-related hearing loss. While genes responsible for congenital hearing loss have been identified, genes associated with ARHL, which affects a far greater number of people, have not.
Objectives
- To identify genes associated with age-related and noise-induced hearing loss in humans and mice.
- To develop new mouse and zebrafish models to elucidate molecular mechanisms involved in hearing and to develop plausible preventive and therapeutic measures for deafness.
- To elucidate the pathogenic interactions between deafness and other diseases, such as dementia and diabetes.
Members
Project Leader Yoshiaki Kikkawa
- Shumpei Yasuda
- Tetsuya Hirabayashi
- Yuta Seki