Topic: ChReef

To overcome the wide-spread electrical neural excitation associated with electrical cochlear implants (eCI), stimulation of spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs) using light presents an attractive solution, as light can be better confined in space. Using optogenetics, SGNs are rendered light sensitive following a viral delivery of a Channelrhodopsin (ChR) transgene to the cochlea. Our group has provided in vivo evidence to support the clinical potential of the optical CI, but for clinical translation, it is critical to optimize individual components of the gene therapy. To this end, we have employed