Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

The overall focus of Lauer Lab research is to understand how acoustic experience (noise, hearing loss) changes the afferent and efferent circuits connecting the ear with the brain. Our laboratory is part of the David M. Rubenstein Hearing Research Center at Johns Hopkins. We study the consequences of various forms of acquired hearing dysfunction on the cochlea and auditory brainstem (especially noise and age-related), and the role of auditory efferent systems in hearing and hearing loss. These studies investigate how peripheral and central components of auditory nerve and brainstem synapses change in response to noise and hearing loss, and how efferent processes work to protect against hearing dysfunction and compensate for abnormal hearing conditions. We integrate behavioral, optogenetic, gene therapy, non-invasive physiology, and quantitative anatomical approaches. We collaborate with several e-phys and molecular biology labs to achieve both broad and deep analysis of the auditory system. We also take a comparative approach to study the auditory and vestibular systems in a wide range of species, including humans, to better understand the range of normal structure-function and why soe species are more resistant to environmental challenges such as noise pollution. We also assist other labs with auditory phenotype characterization of mouse models of rare diseases, neurological disorders, and developmental perturbations.

 

The Lauer Lab takes prides in the intellectual, cultural, career path, and species diversity represented in our lab. Past and present lab members include people from a range of disciplines including medicine, biology, biopsychology, audiology, etc. Dr. Lauer also co-directs the R25-funded Research Training Program in Otolaryngology and serves as a mentor for several summer undergraduate and medical student training programs.