Research projects

DB-OTO-001 (Gene therapy)

About the study:

DB-OTO is a gene therapy being developed to treat children who have hearing loss due to changes in their otoferlin gene. The Otoferlin gene is the blueprint for the otoferlin protein which can be found in inner ear hair cells, the cells that detect sound. People with this diagnosis may be born with profound hearing loss and are not expected to improve without treatment.

All potential participants will need to go through a thorough a screening process to confirm eligibility. The trial involves injecting the gene therapy into the inner ear during surgery. Children in the study will be seen after surgery for 5 years, with follow up appointment periods lengthening over time, eventually become yearly.

Why is this important:

This is an important study, establishing the safety and effectiveness of BB-OTO gene therapy in children.

You may be eligible to join if you:

• Are under 16 years old
• Have profound hearing loss due to changes in the Otoferlin Gene

Please contact Sophie in the research team if you are interested to learn more.

• DB-OTO Gene Therapy for Inherited Deafness | New England Journal of Medicine (opens in a new tab)
• Study Details | NCT05821959 | Gene Therapy Trial for Otoferlin Gene-mediated Hearing Loss | ClinicalTrials.gov (opens in a new tab)

The first in Human Trial of Rincell-1 (Stem Cells) - Not yet recruiting

About the study:

We are part of an exciting study investigating if a new stem cell therapy called Rincell-1, given at the same time as a cochlear implant, helps people with hearing loss hear better. Previous non-human studies have shown Rincell-1 to be safe and effective. If you are eligible, you will be the first human recipients.

Every patient will go through an intensive screening process for the trial, including hearing and physical tests to ensure you are well enough to take part. We will be randomly dividing our participants into 2 groups; one group will receive standard care (a cochlear implant but no stem cells), and the other group will receive Rincell-1 stem cells and a cochlear implant. The Rincell-1 group will also need to take additional medication. You will be looked after by a specialist team. There are many visits and ongoing tests that are required throughout the study period. The study will last for 52 weeks.

Why is this important:

Stem Cells are a completely new treatment for hearing loss, and it is essential to determine how effective and safe they are in humans, like any other new treatment. There is currently no alternative treatment for damaged hearing cells.

You may be eligible to join if you:

• Are 18-75 years old
• Are found suitable for cochlear implant surgery with an Advanced Bionics device
• Have ANSD (Auditory Neruopathy Spectrum Disorder)
• Have progressive hearing loss

Please contact Sophie in the research team if you are interested to learn more

• Study Details | NCT07032038 | First In Human Randomised Trial of Rincell-1 in Adults With a Cochlear Implant | ClinicalTrials.gov (opens in a new tab)
• Our Clinical Research - Rinri Therapeutics (opens in a new tab)

About the study:

We are leading an international study investigating if new techniques for monitoring inner ear hearing changes during cochlear implant surgery can improve the preservation of natural low-frequency hearing.

Everyone who takes part will have their hearing monitored during surgery. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups. In one group, the surgery proceeds as usual. In the other, if a change in hearing is detected during electrode insertion that may indicate damage, the surgeon will make a small adjustment the way the implant electrode is being inserted to see if hearing can be recovered.

Why is this important:

The study will help us understand if responding to monitoring during surgery leads to better hearing outcomes once the implant is switched on.

Preserving natural low-frequency hearing may also allow more people to benefit from combined electric acoustic stimulation (EAS), which can provide a fuller and more natural sound quality.

You may be eligible to join if you:

• Are 18 years or older
• Are awaiting surgery for an Advanced Bionics cochlear implant
• Have good low-frequency hearing

Please contact Sophie or Susan to learn more

Study Details | NCT06268340 | Hearing and Structure Preservation Via ECochG | ClinicalTrials.gov (opens in a new tab)

Cochlear implant research at the MRC Cognition & Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge.

About the study:

Do you use a cochlear implant (CI) to hear? If so, you may wonder why sounds such as speech or music can be hard to make out when there are other people talking or when interfering sounds are present. Our study explores the reasons for this and aims to develop solutions. To do so we use special software and equipment to bypass the normal CI speech processor and present carefully designed sounds to the participant. To work out how your ear and brain process these sounds, we ask you to make simple judgements (such as “which sound has the highest pitch?”) or record your brain responses using electrodes that we painlessly place on your head (a bit like wearing a shower cap).

Why is this important:

The study will help us understand why speech and music is sometimes difficult to understand through a cochlear implant, and to design new solutions that we hope will allow patients to hear better.

You may be eligible to join if you:

• Are 18 years or older
• Have a cochlear implant in one or both ears

Please contact the research team to learn more

Speech & Music study: Effect of frequency-to-place factors on sound quality.

About the study:

Hearing may differ between people with cochlear implants, for example in terms of sound quality and music perception. Some studies suggest that these differences may be related to the position of the electrodes within the cochlea and how the auditory nerve responds to cochlear implant stimulation. As part of this research project, we are interested in understanding how these factors relates to perceived sound quality, for speech and music, using innovative testing procedures.

Why is this important:

Understanding these factors can help clinicians better identify and address the specific challenges each patient faces in daily life - including the often-overlooked challenge of music appreciation.

The ultimate goal is to support more personalised cochlear implant care, helping users get the most from their implant and, for some, rediscover the pleasure of listening to music.

You may be eligible to join if you:

• Are 18 years of age or older
• Are a cochlear implant user

Please contact the research team to learn more

SoundLab (opens in a new tab)

Steroid Administration Route for Idiopathic Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (ISSNHL)

Why is this important:

This study aims to establish the most effective first line and cost-effective steroid treatment route for patients with sudden hearing loss. The trial investigates three methods of steroid delivery; oral, intratympanic injection or a combination of both. The trial seeks to improve hearing recovery rates and establish the best care pathway for patients facing sudden deafness.

You may be eligible to join if you:

• Are 18 years of age or older
• Have recently experienced sudden sensorineural hearing loss

Please contact Sophie in the research team if you are interested to learn more

• Hunts Post (opens in a new tab)
• ISRCTN (opens in a new tab)
• National Library of Medicine (opens in a new tab)
• NHS Health Research Authority (opens in a new tab)

Oticon Medical's Sentio System: The smallest transcutaneous hearing implant - Hearing Practitioner Australia (opens in a new tab)

About the study:

Bone conduction devices (BCDs) are hearing aids which are given to people with a mixed or conductive hearing loss to improve their hearing. These devices deliver sounds to the patient by sending vibrations through the skull to stimulate the hearing organ. This study is looking to see if patients with a smaller degree of mixed or conductive hearing loss than would normally be considered for a BCD also benefit from a BCD when we compare their speech understanding with their conventional hearing aid.

Why is this important:

This study will help us understand the best management for patients with a small conductive component to their hearing loss.

You may be eligible if you:

• Are 18 years of age or older
• Currently use air conduction hearing aids

Please contact Sophie in the research team if you are interested to learn more.

• ISRCTN - ISRCTN84707929: Bone conduction devices in minimal air-bone gaps (opens in a new tab)

There are many groups exploring hearing research at the University of Cambridge. Use the links below to find out more about hearing research and getting involved.

• Cambridge Hearing Group (opens in a new tab)
• MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit (opens in a new tab)
• SOUND Lab (opens in a new tab)

We explored if people with a cochlear implant could check their hearing at home using a secure website. We used the same sentence test that is routinely used in clinic to monitor hearing.

All participants were able to complete the sentence tests at home, and the results were similar to their in-clinic measurements. This suggests that hearing checks using sentence tests may be possible outside the hospital settings.

What Happens Next?

We are now piloting at-home hearing checks as part of our routine clinical care. In collaboration with the University of Cambridge, we are using the AUDITO (opens in a new tab) platform to provide secure, remote sentence testing for patients attending routine clinic appointments

Publications:

Submitted: out for peer review 2026

We took simple non-invasive measurements during cochlear implant surgery to look at the position of the cochlear implant. We tested if this measurement could identify when electrodes were positioned outside of the cochlea (extra-cochlear). This test did not require the patient to respond in any way, and used standard equipment used to test cochlear implants. It was easy to use, effective and reliable for determining the number of extra-cochlear electrodes.

What Happens Next?

This simple measurement is now a standard test during cochlear implant surgery because it is very effective at helping us identify when an electrode is extra-cochlear. We also use this measurement during programming after surgery.

It is helpful to check if electrodes are migrating out of the cochlea. Electrode migration is rare, but can happen during or after surgery. In cases where lots of electrode become extra-cochlear, it may require a revision surgery to correct the position.

Importantly, this measurement has helped reduce the number of revision surgeries and reduced the need for intra-operative x-ray.

Publications:

Accepted: Ear & Hearing 2026 (awaiting final publication)

Intraoperative Detection of Extracochlear Electrodes Using Stimulation Current Induced Non-Stimulating Electrode Voltage (SCINSEV) Measures (Transimpedance Measures)-A Case Series - PubMed (opens in a new tab)

This study involved trialling the Sentio system, a newly developed Bone Anchored Hearing System (BAHS) before it became available on the NHS. The results of this study showed that this new Sentio system was a safe and effective treatment option.

What happens next?

Sentio was demonstrated to be an effective Bone Anchored Hearing System and is now available on the NHS for eligible patients.

Publication:

A Prospective, Multicenter Clinical Investigation on the Safety and Performance of a New Active Transcutaneous Bone-Anchored Implant System - PubMed (opens in a new tab)