Audiology and Speech Pathology

With an ageing population, the prevalence of both hearing loss and dementia are increasing. Hearing loss has many physical and mental co-morbidities and has been identified as the largest potentially modifiable risk factor for dementia.

Research under this theme covers basic and pre-clinical auditory anatomy and physiology. We are interested in normal function and pathology of the inner ear.

Specifically, the program of research is interested in understanding the development of inner ear hair cells, using patient-derived stem cells to model both normal hearing and disease mechanisms.

Working with bioengineers, electrochemists and materials scientists, we are developing novel ways to use these three-dimensional, inner ear cell models to investigate platinum dissolution from cochlear implant electrode arrays (ARC Linkage Project LP190101139). We lead additional projects in auditory brainstem neuroanatomy and structural MRI of the auditory brainstem.

Meet the team leader: A/Professor Bryony Nayagam

The Neuroscience of Speech (NEUS) research group undertakes discovery, clinical and translational research into communication and swallowing deficits. The multidisciplinary team in NeuS work to improve how we recognise, measure and treat speech, language and swallowing  dysfunction in people with progressive and acquired neurological conditions including Dementia, Parkinson’s Disease and Huntington’s Disease, depression and fatigue.

Clinical research is embedded in leading health and medical institutions across Australia including clinics at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, Eastern Health, Queensland Children’s Hospital,  Monash Health and Calvary Health – Bethlehem, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute. The group has strong ties to industry, supporting large multi-national, multi-language natural history studies. International collaborator sites include the Hertie Institute of Clinical Brain Research (Tubingen, Germany), University of California – San Francisco, Boston Children’s Hospital, and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

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The work of the NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Speech and Language focuses on: (i) identification of new gene pathways leading to child speech disorders, (ii) conducting genotype- speech phenotype studies for rare genetic syndromes leading to more targeted therapies, and (iii) elucidating the neurobiology of genetic-based speech and language disorders using quantitative brain imaging techniques.

The team consults on speech outcome measures for pharmacological trials in children with rare genetic conditions. They lead the phenotyping arm of a large genome wide association study examining biological contributions to stuttering.

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The other area of focus for the group is the development of a digital speech assessment tool for improving diagnosis and prognosis of child speech disorder, funded by an NHMRC development grant.

Meet the team leader: Professor Angela Morgan

Research under this theme focuses on: (i) epidemiological studies to understand the developmental trajectories of childhood stuttering with a particular emphasis on recovery from stuttering; (ii) intervention studies to develop novel treatments and improve management of people who stutter and (iii) exploration of psychosocial impacts of stuttering.

This research group collaborates with other leading national and international research institutions and universities. The team has also established a recent collaboration with Australia’s first national not for profit organization supporting young people who stutter (Stuttering Association for the Young: Australia).

Meet the team leader: Dr Elaina Kefalianos