Prof Jose Antonio Lopez Escamez research program with us
A Novel Sustained Release Dexamethasone Gel Formulation Administered to the Round Window Under Endoscopic Visualization in Patients with Meniere's Disease
The University of Sydney are seeking volunteer research participants to investigate
the role of genetics in Meniere’s disease (MD) in Australia..
This is a clinical study to determine the involvement of viruses in the symptoms of Meniere’s Disease.
See below
There was a two hour session dedicated to Meniere’s disease
See below for live video with captions of November 2018 Meniere's Research Symposium
Presentation links by Prof Jose Antonio Lopez Escamez as follows:
A Novel Sustained Release Dexamethasone Gel Formulation Administered to the Round Window Under Endoscopic Visualization in Patients with Meniere's Disease
Who can enrol?
· 18-85 years old
· Diagnosed with unilateral definite Meniere’s Disease
· At least one definite vertigo episode ≥ 20 minutes in three months prior to screening
See video for full details:
Researchers at The University of Sydney are seeking volunteer research participants to investigate
the role of genetics in Meniere’s disease (MD) in Australia.
Am I eligible to participate in the study?
You are eligible to participate in the study if you meet ONE of the following criteria:
- You have a confirmed diagnosed of MD by your doctor with a minimum follow-up of 2 years,
and symptoms starting before 35 years old. Both of your parents should have no familial
history of hearing loss or MD-like vertigo.
- You have a familial history of MD (at least 2 individuals with MD) and 1 or more relatives
without auditory or vestibular symptoms. Additional family members could be invited to
participate to define the type of inheritance.
What will the study involve for me?
If you decide to take part, you would:
- Attend the Healthy Hearing & Balance Care – Meniere’s & Tinnitus Clinic in Bondi Junction.
- Provide a copy of a past hearing test, if applicable.
- Answer a survey regarding your symptoms and general health.
- Have blood and/or saliva samples taken for the purposes of extracting genetic information.
This information will be de-identified and anonymised. This protects your personal
information.
If you are interested in being a part of the study, or would like more information, please contact:
Healthy Hearing & Balance Care – Meniere’s & Tinnitus Clinic
Email: admin@healthyhearing.com.au
Phone: (02) 9387 3599
Support Meniere's Research Fund
This clinical study is to determine the involvement of viruses in the symptoms of Meniere’s Disease.
For full details of this study, please see the attached letter written by Professor Bill Gibson and Associate Professor Payal Mukherjee.
See also a recent report written by Christphoner Pastras.
Dr Pastras is a second-year early career researcher at the University of Sydney. His main area of research is inner ear physiology and mechanics, with a particular focus on the mammalian vestibular system and Meniere’s disease. His work involves specialized electrophysiological and mechanical recordings from the inner ear of anaesthetized guinea pigs and mice, as well as various experimental manipulations, mathematical modelling, and morphological techniques. In 2019, Dr Pastras was awarded a Postdoctoral Fellowship by the Garnett Passe and Rodney Williams Memorial Foundation, to further develop tools to assess peripheral vestibular function, in vivo. Following this, Dr Pastras was awarded the highly competitive and prestigious, Macquarie University Research Fellowship (MQRF), and will continue his work at MQU in collaboration with the School of Engineering, Australian Hearing Hub, Cochlear Pty, and Macquarie University Hospital. Dr Pastras is also the Chief Investigator on projects to investigate the pathophysiology of endolymphatic hydrops in Meniere’s disease. Using a systems physiology and engineering approach across various mammalian models, Dr Pastras hopes to uncover the basic physiology of vestibular transduction, involving mechanics, hair cells and neurons, as well as to understand the root cause of vertigo attacks in Meniere’s disease, among other things.
What is the trial?
CINGT (Cochlear Implant Neurotrophin Gene Therapy) Clinical Trial:
A first-in-human study of a new UNSW-developed medical technology for directed gene delivery (BaDGE® – Bionic array Directed Gene Electrotransfer), engineered by Cochlear Ltd into a new medical device (a ‘Gene Delivery Array’ for creating an ‘electric field lens’ that focuses DNA delivery to targeted cells in the cochlea); within a new field of DNA therapeutics to regenerate the ‘hearing nerve’. This is based on evolution of the most successful medical bionics device – the cochlear implant – to improve hearing outcomes by using ‘naked’ DNA coding nerve growth factors delivered to targeted cells within the cochlea during cochlear implant surgery, where those cells read the DNA code to produce neurotrophins that stimulate local regrowth of the cochlear nerve in the days and weeks following surgery, to ‘close the neural gap’ with the cochlear implant electrode array, thereby improving the neural interface.
A ‘first-in-human’ clinical trial of cochlear implant recipients directed to regrow the hearing nerve gathered together to share experiences of the rediscovery of their hearing with other trial participants and the research team.
The clinical trial research team includes researchers from UNSW Sydney, University of Sydney, University of Melbourne (Bionics Inst) and Macquarie University, with clinicians from NextSense and the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPAH), Cochlear Ltd, and collaborators in France and the UK.
The clinical trial participants volunteered to receive ‘naked’ DNA encoding ‘neurotrophin’ genes during their cochlear implant surgery. It’s a great example of Australian biomedical ‘bench-to-bedside’ research, highlighting the collaboration of university research, biotech industry and clinical teams, with broad national and international support.
For more information on this trial see:
There was a 2hs session dedicated to Meniere’s disease with 6 speakers presenting their
perspective according to their profession, followed by round table with Q&A.
Invited speakers were: Prof Charles Della Santina (USA), Dr Danial Brown (Curtin University,
WA), Prof Jose Antonio Lopez-Escamez (Sydney Uni), Dr Mohsen Asadnia (Macquarie Uni),
Dr Celene McNeill (Healthy Hearing & Balance Care, NSW) and a male patient with MD
https://vimeopro.com/pascoeberry/menieres18
Speakers:
Mr Leo Tutt - President of Meniere’s Research Fund Inc
Dr Celene McNeil – Hearing rehabilitation to improve the quality of life for patients with Meniere’s Disease
Professor Payal Mukerjee – Tissue culture and nanotechnology – The possibilities for Meniere’s Disease
Professor WPR Gibson – Research project to determine whether there is a possible viral cause of Meniere’s Disease
Dr Daniel Brown – Lead of Meniere's Research to end 2020.
Mr Bruce Kirkpatrick – Founding President, Meniere’s Research Fund Inc.
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