Hearing loss affects millions of people worldwide and can result from genetic mutations, aging, noise exposure, or other environmental factors. While hearing aids and cochlear implants can improve hearing, they cannot repair damage to the highly specialized cells involved in hearing and, thus, often cannot fully restore normal auditory function. As a result, many individuals with hearing loss continue to experience difficulties achieving high-quality hearing in their daily lives. Our research focuses on developing next generation adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based gene therapies to protect and restore hearing by targeting those highly specialized cells. AAV vectors can deliver therapeutic genes to cells of the inner ear, including sensory hair cells and auditory neurons. However, efficient delivery to these cells remains challenging, a challenge we address be capsid engineering.

We use directed evolution and rational capsid design strategies to develop AAV vectors with improved cell-type specificity and transduction efficiency. In parallel, we investigate the fundamental biology of AAV vectors to elucidate the mechanisms underlying efficient gene delivery and advancing our understanding of AAV biology. Our goal is to combine optimized AAV vectors with therapeutic approaches targeting genetic defects and acquired hearing loss.

Through close collaborations with leading national and international research groups as well as clinical partners, we aim to translate our findings into new therapeutic strategies for hearing loss.

EKFZ-OT:

https://ekfz.uni-goettingen.de/portfolio/plattform-2/

SPARK-BIH:

https://www.spark-bih.de/fileadmin/spark/program/SPARK-BIH_National_GCT_Booklet_2026_.pdf

Hearing4all:

https://hearing4all.de/forschung/forschungsschwerpunkte/researach-area-1-de/