Kolling Institute Special Research Feature

NEUROSCIENCE AND PAIN PRIORITY RESEARCH AREA A SNAPSHOT OF ACTIVITY

World leading Meniere’s disease expert joins the Kolling

In a sign of the growing neuroscience expertise at the Kolling Institute, internationally recognised Meniere’s disease expert Professor Jose Antonio Lopez Escamez relocated from Spain to the institute in 2023. Professor Lopez Escamez launched a new international research program into the disease, extending his body of work in Europe. Meniere’s disease is a rare disease of the inner ear that causes vertigo, sensory neural hearing loss and tinnitus. Professor Lopez Escamez will continue to collaborate with international partners in Europe, the US and the Centre for Genomics at the University of Granada, as well as new Australian-based partners. He established the Meniere’s Disease Neuroscience Laboratory at the Kolling Institute, where he is investigating the cellular and molecular basis of the disease, as well as the genetic factors contributing to severe tinnitus. His team is also working to identify molecular targets for personalised treatment. Professor Lopez Escamez said his research focused on the influence of family heritage in Meniere’s disease and new genes linked to the disease. His current project aimed to broaden understanding of the genetic and inflammatory basis of the disease and tinnitus by combining multi-omic data and 3D cellular models, he said. “I am pleased to be starting this exciting international program to extend our understanding of the disease by studying new families with Meniere’s disease in Australia and East Asia. It’s hoped our work will ultimately help many people experiencing this condition.” Professor Lopez Escamez came to the Kolling Institute with a wealth of experience. He founded the Otology and Neurotology Group in Spain and

is an international leader in the neurotology and genetics of Meniere’s disease and tinnitus. His research has been disseminated through major international meetings including the Association for Research in Otolaryngology, and he is the recipient of several prestigious awards including the Frontiers Spotlight 2018 Award. He is one of many from the Kolling ranked among the top two per cent of researchers in the world according to the latest Stanford University study, and he has published more than 150 papers in top scientific journals in several categories including audiology, genetics and heredity, medicine, clinical and experimental and otorhinolaryngology.

Professor Jose Antonio Lopez Escamez

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