Virginia Merrill Bloedel Hearing Research Center

Rubinstein Lab

The Rubinstein lab aims to understand the inner ear – both the auditory and vestibular side, with an emphasis on basic and translational research. Questions aimed at the characterization of normal and abnormal auditory development, examination of biological therapies for inner ear hair cell damage, investigation of neural mechanisms of the balance system in humans and non-human primates, are being asked in order to help people who have difficulty with hearing and balance. By performing behavioral measures of hearing and balance in human subjects, investigators also examine infant development of auditory abilities, the impact of hearing and balance disorders, and the optimization of a cochlear implant devices for children and adults who are cochlear implant recipients.

 

These studies include:

  • Prevention and treatments for patients with hearing loss and balance disorders
  • Outcome measures of adults and children with cochlear implants
  • Models of signal processing in, and perception with, cochlear implants
  • Development of a vestibular implant

The laboratory is active with undergraduate and graduate students, visiting scholars, engineers, research scientists and research subjects.

CONTACT INFO

Primary Investigator:
Jay T. Rubinstein, MD, PhD
rubinj@uw.edu
206.616.6655