The Auditory Physiology Laboratory conducts basic and applied research to better understand how the cochlea and auditory nerve function, as well as how cochlear implants function. We do so by measuring electrical responses generated by the ear and nerve in response to stimulation. Our research primarily focuses on how the auditory nerve (part of the eighth cranial nerve) responds to electric stimulation (i.e., cochlear-implant stimulation) and acoustic stimulation (i.e., natural stimuli). Much of our work focuses on measuring neural responses to electrical stimulation.

We serve several missions:

• Our work is often aimed at improving cochlear-implant performance by studying new stimulation strategies or testing hypotheses about how the auditory nerve responds to various electric stimuli.
• In conjunction with our clinical research efforts, we strive to better understand the nature of electrically evoked signals that are produced by the nerve in response to cochlear-implant stimulation.
• We also evaluate novel electrode or stimulus regimes to determine their safety and effectiveness for future cochlear implant users.
• We also serve an education mission, providing research opportunities for graduate students and residents here and abroad, interested in the physiology of hearing and cochlear-implant research.