Research interests

• Neuroscience
• Hearing
• Deafness
• Auditory neurobiology
• Neuroprotection
• Molecular neuroscience
• Purinergic signalling
• Neuroimmunology

My principal research interest is in the field of Auditory Neuroscience. I investigate cellular and molecular basis of cochlear homeostasis, and the mechanisms of noise-induced hearing loss. Primary focus is on the role of extracellular nucleotides and nucleosides as molecular messengers that are integral to the function of the inner ear.

Significance of research

The mechanisms of the sensorineural hearing loss are often poorly understood and appear to be associated with environmentally-induced changes in normal regulatory mechanisms. Understanding how ATP, ectonucleotidases and adenosine are involved in cochlear injury will likely reveal novel mechanisms of adaptation to oxidative stress and underpin some forms of acquired deafness.

Research collaborations

• Principle collaboration with Professors PR Thorne and GD Housley
• International collaborators: Dr Detlev Boison (Portland, USA), Professors Simon Robson  (Harvard University) and Herbert Zimmermann (Germany),