UCL Ear Institute

In 2000 an £11 million grant from the Wellcome Trust was awarded to UCL to fund the creation of a new Centre for Auditory Research bringing together auditory research scientists and clinicians from across the university. The new centre was linked to the long-standing Institute of Laryngology and Otology (ILO) and its incorporated School of Audiology. In order to provide this cross-faculty, multidisciplinary group with a unifying identity the ILO was disestablished and the UCL Ear Institute created on 1 January 2005. Prof Tony Wright was its first director, followed by Prof David McAlpine from June 2006 and (as interim co-directors) Dr Jennifer Linden and Dr Jonathan Gale from September 2015. In January 2019 Prof Jonathan Gale was appointed as the Director of the Institute.{{Cite web |last=UCL |date=2017-12-19 |title=History of the Ear Institute |url=https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ear/about-the-ear-institute/history |access-date=2022-10-02 |website=UCL Ear Institute |language=en}}

In December 2006 the results of tests carried out at the institute were published which showed that many children's toys available that Christmas could damage a child's hearing.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6162451.stm| title=Christmas toys 'are hearing risk'|access-date=19 November 2010|publisher=BBC News|date=12 December 2006}}{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/health/article751160.ece|title=Ear-splitting presents 'could do permanent damage to children'|access-date=20 June 2011|work=The Times|date=12 December 2006}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} In February 2007 the Widex Noise Report, a major survey of noise levels in 41 English towns and cities authored by Deepak Prasher of the UCL Ear Institute, was published.{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/health/article1312757.ece|archive-url=https://archive.today/20070208125208/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/health/article1312757.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=8 February 2007|title=Listen up, the traffic noise may damage your health|access-date=21 June 2011|work=The Times|date=2 February 2007}}{{cite news|url=http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Noisiest-Place-In-The-UK-Revealed/Article/200702113566151?chooseNews=stories|title=Noisiest Place In The UK Revealed|access-date=21 June 2011|publisher=Sky News|date=2 February 2007}} In July 2008 the UCL Ear Institute participated in an architectural jelly competition, with the sound of the competing structures being recorded in one of the institute's anechoic chambers.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/3346191/Sound-of-jelly-wobbling-recorded-for-architects-competition.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130421080531/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/3346191/Sound-of-jelly-wobbling-recorded-for-architects-competition.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=21 April 2013| title=Sound of jelly wobbling recorded for architects' competition|access-date=20 June 2011|publisher=The Telegraph|date=2 July 2008}}

In March 2010 a team including Professor Martin Birchall, Paolo Macchiarini of the UCL Ear Institute performed the first windpipe transplant using a whole tissue engineered windpipe organ crafted from a patient's own stem cells.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8576493.stm|title=Windpipe transplant success in UK child|access-date=20 June 2011|publisher=BBC News|date=19 March 2010}}{{cite web|url=http://www.ucl.ac.uk/silva/ear/news/100319|title=Stem cell windpipe transplant in child is a success for a team including Prof Birchall|access-date=20 June 2011|publisher=UCL Ear Institute}} In the 5-year follow up study, authors claimed that transplatation was a success and patient had "had a normal social and working life”. In reality, the patient had undergone multiple operation since the transplation, one of which removed the implanted trachea. {{cite web |last1=Frizzell |first1=Nell |title=Fatal experiments: a maverick surgeon strikes back |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/oct/25/fatal-experiments-maverick-surgeon-paolo-macchiarini-strikes-back |website=The Guardian |date=25 October 2016}} The fraudulent papers were finally retracted in 2023, after public call for retraction by Karolinska Institutet.{{cite web |last1=Oransky |first1=Ivan |title=Lancet retracts two more papers by convicted surgeon Paolo Macchiarini |url=https://retractionwatch.com/2023/10/27/lancet-retracts-two-more-papers-by-convicted-surgeon-paolo-macchiarini/ |website=Retraction Watch |date=27 October 2023}} Richard Horton, the editor of medical journal The Lancet, in which the papers were published, resisted the retractions for over a decade. {{cite web |last1=Torjesen |first1=Ingrid |title=Lancet will not retract discredited paper on tissue engineered trachea transplants |url=https://www.bmj.com/content/376/bmj.o600 |website=BMJ |pages=o600 |language=en |doi=10.1136/bmj.o600 |date=7 March 2022}}

In the same month a team from the institute began a major study to investigate the role of the brain rather than the ear in contributing to hearing difficulties.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/brain-plays-role-in-hearing--difficulties-1921424.html| title=Brain plays role in hearing difficulties|access-date=19 November 2010|publisher=The Independent|date=15 March 2010}}{{cite news|url=http://news.scotsman.com/science/Pardon-me--My-brain.6151132.jp| title=Pardon me? My brain can't quite hear you…|access-date=20 June 2011|publisher=The Scotsman|date=15 March 2010}} In August 2010 Aura Satz, the UCL Ear Institute's artist-in-residence, exhibited the results of her work at the institute in 'Location, location, location' at the Jerwood Space gallery in London.{{cite news|url=http://www.timeout.com/london/art/event/81943/locate|title=Art:Galleries: South Bank to Deptford|access-date=20 June 2011|publisher=Time Out|date=26 August 2010}}

Image:UCL Portico Building.jpg]]

At postgraduate level the institute currently offers the following courses:{{cite web|url=http://www.ucl.ac.uk/ear/training/postgraduate|title=Postgraduate|access-date=5 September 2010|publisher=UCL Ear Institute }}

• Advanced Audiology (MSc, PGDip, PGCert)
• Audiological Science (MSc, PGDip)
• Audiological Science with Clinical Practice (MSc, PGDip)
• Otology and Audiology (MSc, PGDip, PGCert)
• Sensory Systems, Technologies & Therapies (MRes)

Three- and four-year PhD programmes are available in a wide range of basic and clinical disciplines, including genetics, cell and molecular biology, auditory neuroscience and human auditory function.

The UCL Ear Institute and Action on Hearing Loss Libraries are a collaborative venture between UCL, Action on Hearing Loss (RNID) and the NHS.{{cite book|title=Directory of special libraries and information centers, Volume 1, Part 5|first1=Cengage|last1=Gale|first2=Matthew|last2=Miskelly|publisher=Gale Research Co|year=2010|isbn=9781414465500|page=2827|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vHxBAQAAIAAJ&q=Directory+of+special+libraries+and+information+centers+Volume+1,+Part+5}} The libraries are based at the Royal National Throat Nose & Ear Hospital and together constitute the largest specialist collection for audiology, Deaf studies, and otorhinolaryngologic medicine in Europe.{{cite web|url=http://www.ucl.ac.uk/library/rnidlib.shtml|title=The UCL Ear Institute and Action on Hearing Loss Libraries|access-date=5 September 2010|publisher=UCL Library Services}}{{cite web|url=http://www.rnid.org.uk/information_resources/rnid_library/|title=RNID Library|access-date=19 November 2010|publisher=Royal National Institute for Deaf People}} As well as providing services to staff and students at UCL, and the University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, the libraries are open to the public and provide reference and enquiry services to anyone conducting relevant research.

• UCL Neuroscience
• UCL Partners

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.ear.ucl.ac.uk/ UCL Ear Institute]
• [https://www.ucl.ac.uk/brain-sciences/ UCL Faculty of Brain Sciences]
• [http://www.ucl.ac.uk/slms/ UCL School of Life and Medical Sciences]
• [http://www.ucl.ac.uk/ University College London]
• [http://www.royalfree.org.uk/default.aspx?top_nav_id=3&sel_left_nav=40&tab_id=121 Royal National Throat Nose and Ear Hospital]
• [http://www.rnid.org.uk/ The Royal National Institute for Deaf People]
• [http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/ The Wellcome Trust]

{{University College London|academics}}

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Category:Medical research institutes in the United Kingdom

Category:Departments of University College London

Category:2005 establishments in England