Physiology of mammalian cochlear hair cells

The Kros lab is equipped to study the function and development of auditory hair cells – specialized cells in the inner ear that convert sounds such as speech and music into electrical signals that the brain can interpret. Current projects are focused on:

• trying to protect the hair cells from damage by a class of antibiotics, the aminoglycosides, that have irreversible hearing loss as a side effect
• understanding the importance of spontaneous electrical activity in hair cells before the onset of hearing.

Our research is currently funded by grants and studentships from the MRC and the BBSRC