European project brings genetic basis of deafness to light
A European project is building on the pioneering work of its top scientist to further understand the workings of the inner ear and find therapies for hearing impairment (HI). With a budget of €12.5 million under the life sciences section of the EU's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6), EuroHear brings together over 250 scientists from 10 different countries. The starting block of the project was the previous work of Professor Christine Petit from the Institut Pasteur in Paris, France. She was able to demonstrate evidence of genetic causes behind deafness by studying the gene otoferlin in mice. By removing the gene from mice, the team found that the animals' deafness was the result of an inability to translate sound stimulation into the release of a chemical nerve messenger, or neurotransmitter, which normally passes information to auditory nerves and on to the brain. Now EuroHear will focus its research on how the inner ear functions, specifically how sound waves are transformed into electrical signals and sent to the brain. The project will also seek to identify the molecular defects underlying hereditary hearing impairment in the hope of developing effective therapies for the 40 million European sufferers. Human geneticists will identify the susceptibility genes for HI, whilst animal geneticists will test the function of these genes in animals and physiologists will dissect the functions of the genes in vitro. Jacques Remacle, Scientific Officer of the European Commission, told Medical News Today: 'The knowledge gained from this project will contribute to the development of better diagnostic tools for the genetic factors causing HI and open new avenues and future therapies. Therefore, EuroHear is an ambitious pan-European effort for which the benefits for society will be considerable in the longer term.'