Dr. Aaron Remenschneider Awarded $3 Million R01 Grant From NIH

Aaron K. Remenschneider, MD, MPH, Associate Professor of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery at Harvard Medical School, has been named principal investigator on a $3.7 million R01 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The project is focused on developing and validating high‑frequency bone conduction testing to better distinguish middle‑ear from inner‑ear causes of hearing loss. The translational research team includes co-investigators Jeffrey Tao Cheng, PhD and Amanda Griffin AuD, PhD as well as consultants John Rosowski, PhD and Barbara Herrmann, PhD. 

Currently, clinicians lack reliable tools to determine the origin of hearing loss at high frequencies, limiting diagnostic accuracy and treatment options. This project addresses that gap by using novel bone conduction transducers capable of accurately measuring high‑frequency hearing, allowing researchers to directly compare air and bone conduction sensitivity in both healthy individuals and patients with ear disease.

The research will include populations such as children with otitis media, patients receiving ototoxic medications, and individuals undergoing middle‑ear surgery, and will also examine how anatomical factors like skin and soft‑tissue thickness influence test results. By advancing high‑frequency bone conduction testing toward clinical use, Dr. Remenschneider aims to increase the accuracy of hearing loss diagnosis and monitoring and improve surgical decision‑making, ultimately leading to better patient outcomes.