Shuohao, S., Babola, T., Pregernig, G., Bergles, D.E., Burns, J.C. & Müller, U. (2018). Hair Cell Mechanotransduction Regulates Spontaneous Activity and Spiral Ganglion Subtype Specification in the Auditory System. Cell, 174(5), 1247-1263.

One of the major challenges to realizing the potential of synaptopathy rodent models is that current clinical audiometric approaches cannot yet reveal the presence of this subtle cochlear pathology in humans. This paper frames the key outstanding translational questions that need to be addressed to develop and realize hearing therapeutics.

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Hickox, A. E., Larsen, E., Heinz, M. G., Shinobu, L., & Whitton, J. P. (2017). Translational issues in cochlear synaptopathy. Hearing research, 349, 164-171.

Synaptopathy is undetectable by current clinical audiometric measurements in rodent models. This review outlines the key translational questions that need answering to diagnose synaptopathy.

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Burns, J. C., & Stone, J. S. (2017). Development and regeneration of vestibular hair cells in mammals. Seminars in cell & developmental biology, 65, 96-105.

Damage to the vestibular system occurs in many different cell types. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge on development, damage, and regeneration of sensory cell types in the mammalian vestibular system and highlights critical information gaps that must be addressed before new therapies for vestibular dysfunction can be defined.

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