Hair cells in the inner ear are responsible for the sense of hearing, transducing mechanical stimuli (sound waves) into electrical signals that can be interpreted by the brain. In humans these cells are not regenerated if damaged or destroyed, leading to progressive hearing loss with noise exposure or aging. Non-mammalian vertebrates including birds, fish, and reptiles, unlike humans, can naturally regenerate these cells. The Steiner lab uses the zebrafish as a model system to study hair cell regeneration and the regrowth of progenitor cells that produce new hair cells. This seminar will explain how studying zebrafish may contribute to the development of therapies for hearing loss.
Dr. Aaron Steiner is an assistant professor of biology at Pace University in Pleasantville, NY. He has a B.S. in Biology from Brandeis University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania where he studied early embryonic development in the African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis. He did postdoctoral research with Dr. A. James Hudspeth at the Rockefeller University where he transitioned to working with zebrafish and developed an interest in hair cell regeneration. His current work focuses on molecular regulators of hair cell regeneration in the zebrafish lateral line, and on the behaviors of a hair-cell progenitor cell type called interneuromast cells.
This virtual event is part of the Science Seminar Series, and is free and open to the public. At the time of the event, please join this Zoom meeting.