70387Objective measurements of cochlear health using a cochlear implant: towards a biological therapy for hearing lossActiveStudyUKRI Inn.ScholarThe World Health Organisation reports deafness as the second leading cause of years lived with disability. Half a billion people in the world have disabling hearing loss resulting in enormous personal, social and economic hardship. The current standard of care for hearing loss are hearing devices, including hearing aids and cochlear implants. However, these devices do not address the underlying problem: damage to the inner ear. Currently, no treatments for hearing loss exist. Rinri Therapeutics is developing a new treatment, 'Rincell-1', a cell therapy with the potential to replace dead or damaged nerve cells in the inner ear and restore hearing. In order to conduct clinical trials, Rinri needs to develop measures of safety and effectiveness of this treatment. It is proposed that the first-in-human trials of Rincell-1 will be in combination with a cochlear implant (the current treatment for deaf people who no longer benefit from a hearing aid) as these implants have the capacity to remotely monitor inner ear health and, therefore, to assess the safety and effectiveness of a therapy in a clinical trial. Rinri have been working with global leaders in hearing research based at the University of Nottingham to develop the necessary measurement tools and surgical techniques to conduct a clinical trial of Rincell-1\. We request funds for the secondment of Dr. Faizah Mushtaq, an audiologist and clinically qualified scientist working at the University of Nottingham, to Rinri, in order to manage and accelerate the development and delivery of these tools and techniques. This secondment will prove directly beneficial to Faizah, Rinri, the University of Nottingham and the hearing loss scientific community. Specifically, Faizah will learn about the processes necessary to develop a clinical trial within an industry setting. Along with her existing clinical and research skills, this will provide her with an almost unique skillset in the hearing field that could be applied to the development of other novel hearing therapies in the future, which are desperately needed to address the global burden of hearing loss. Likewise, Rinri will gain from Faizah's extensive knowledge of monitoring hearing health in clinical and research settings, along with her unique understanding of hearing scientists and clinicians, the hearing device industry, and Rincell-1's target population: people with hearing loss. Ultimately, this secondment will enhance the exchange of ideas between Rinri and the University of Nottingham towards the development of a revolutionary new treatment for hearing loss.