Tag: genetics

Summary: Ear Science Institute Australia is launching a biobank for genetic-associated hearing loss, aimed at advancing personalized therapies and treatments. Takeaways: The Aussie Ear Bank will be the first biobank in Australia focused on genetic hearing loss, enabling the storage and analysis of tissue samples to drive personalized treatments. Hearing loss affects over 1.5 billion people globally, with genetic factors playing a significant role in both congenital and age-related deafness, making this biobank crucial for future therapies. The project is supported by significant grants, including $500,000 from the Future Health Research & Innovation Fund, and will connect researchers and clinicians globally to advance gene-based treatments for hearing impairment. Ear Science Institute Australia will develop Australasian first biobank, headquartered in Western Australia, aimed at advancing genetic therapies for childhood and adult hearing loss. Researching Genetic-Associated Hearing Loss The Australasian Hearing Registry and Biobank (The Aussie Ear Bank) will be the first of its kind in Australia to store tissue related to genetic-associated hearing loss with the goal of advancing personalized care and new treatments, according to the institute. This pioneering project will be funded in part by Gift of Hearing donations, a $500,000 Future Health Research & Innovation (FHRI) grant and a $150,000 grant from the Ian Potter Foundation successfully secured by Ear Science in 2024. Global Impact of Hearing Loss Hearing loss is a major contributor to global disability and currently affects over 1.5 billion people with the number projected to rise to 2.5 billion people globally by 2050. About 13% of adults aged 60 years have a disabling hearing loss, with the rate rising to about 60% for those aged 90 years. However, hearing loss doesn’t just impact the older population. Permanent hearing loss is estimated to affect up to two in every 1,000 babies born, and increases during childhood to as many as three per 1,000 children between the ages of 9 to 16 years old. Genes play an important role in congenital hearing loss, contributing to about 50% of cases of deafness. According to Marcus Atlas, Ear Science founder and renowned ear, hearing and skull base surgeon, the modern understanding of hearing loss is showing that the traditional cause of noise and age are not what we thought. “The emerging research around the world and particularly at Ear Science is that genetics is the big new factor in middle age and older people’s hearing loss. This is not what we thought before and it is a game changing finding because it is potentially treatable,” Atlas says. The New Aussie Ear Bank The instituted reflected on the potential impact of an Australian biobank. Last year, an 11-year-old boy In Philadelphia with congenital deafness was able to hear for the first time. He was successfully treated by an Italian team led by Alberto Auricchio, according to the institute. Their treatment focussed on the OTOF/Otoferlin gene, in which the defective gene was replaced with a functioning one. “Ear Science is proud to lead Australia with the first hereditary hearing loss biobank for the nation,” says Ear Science CEO Adjunct Associate Professor Sandra Bellekom. “The bringing together of researchers, hospitals, clinics and the community is what Ear Science is known for. Thanks to Gift of Hearing donations and the grants from the WA Government’s Future Health Research and Innovation (FHRI) Fund and the Ian Potter Foundation we can truly tackle the cause and treatment of genetic hearing loss experienced by millions of children and adults worldwide.” Christo Bester, PhD, head of Implant Innovation added: "Pioneering gene therapy offers hope for restoring hearing in patients with genetic hearing loss. With 155 genes linked to hearing loss and new discoveries every day, navigating this complex genetic landscape presents a monumental challenge. Our breakthrough therapeutics are only possible through a unique collaboration within our biobank, which connects clinicians and community members with cutting-edge diagnostic tools and genetic analysis to pinpoint viable treatments." The Aussie Ear Bank will allow increased access to genetic samples by linking to national and international registries through a network of clinicians, researchers, institutes, and patients. It will enable Ear Science to build research capacity that will lead to improvements in understanding genetic causes of hearing loss and assist with the development of treatments. Further Reading https://hearingreview.com/inside-hearing/research/gene-therapy-trial-shows-restored-hearing-in-children-born-deaf Biobank stakeholders will bring together a large repository of genetic samples, audiometric hearing assessment data, electrophysiological, and genetic analyses in an Australian-first digital registry. The establishment of the registry and biobank will enable Ear Science and collaborators to address the many causes of genetic-associated hearing loss and facilitate clinical trial activity in Western Australia, nationally and internationally. This activity is/has been supported by the Western Australian Future Health Research and Innovation Fund Grant ID FHRIFES2024/2. Photo: Dreamstime

Tag: genetics

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