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School of Communication Sciences and Disorders

Hearing Research

Hearing Aid Research

Auditory Processing Laboratory

Directed by Deborah Moncrieff, Ph.D., the focus of the Auditory Processing Laboratory is on the diagnosis and treatment of amblyaudia, a common auditory processing difficulty that interferes with communication, language development, learning and reading in individuals across the lifespan.

Dr. Moncrieff and students in lab Check out this lab!

CHIRRP (Consortium for Hearing, Imbalance, Rehabilitation, and Research in Pediatrics) 

Co-directed by Dr. Celine Richard, MD, PhD, and Dr. Thierry Morlet, Ph.D., CHIRRP  is a multidisciplinary pediatric consortium dedicated to improving the lives of children with auditory and vestibular disorders. CHIRRP brings together deep expertise in audiology, otolaryngology, neuroscience, pediatric rehabilitation, and allied health to optimize clinical care, standardize diagnostic practices, and accelerate impactful research for children with hearing and balance disorders—whether congenital, acquired, syndromic, or treatment-related. 

CHIRRP Lab Check out this Lab!

Cochlear Implant Research Laboratory

The Cochlear Implant Research Laboratory is directed by Sarah E. Warren, Au.D., Ph.D., licensed audiologist. The vision of the Cochlear Implant Research Lab is to advance patient outcomes in adults and children with severe-to-profound hearing loss through the use of cochlear implants and other implantable hearing devices.

Dr. Warren in lab with students Check out this lab!

Cognitive Neuroscience of Hearing Lab

Directed by Kelsey Mankel, Ph.D.  research in the Cognitive Neuroscience of Hearing Lab focuses on the dynamic interplay between auditory perception, cognition, and neuroplasticity. Employing a multifaceted approach that spans both basic science and clinical applications, she investigates how the brain encodes complex sounds like speech and music along the auditory hierarchy. Additionally, her work explores how this process changes with diverse experiences (e.g., music training, lifetime noise exposure) and the influence of individual differences in shaping auditory perception abilities.

Research in the lab Check out this Lab!

Hearing Aid Research Laboratory

Directed by Jani Johnson, Au.D., Ph.D., the Hearing Aid Research Laboratory  research involves the development and evaluation of diagnostic and remediation procedures to overcome disablements associated with hearing loss. Issues studied include the improvement of hearing aid fitting protocols, measurement of the help provided by hearing aids, and the development of clinical tools for facilitating rehabilitation.

 

Check out this Lab!

Pediatric Auditory Research Laboratory

Directed by Thierry Morlet, Ph.D., the Pediatric Auditory Research Laboratory (PARL) is dedicated to the study of hearing ability in infants and children of all ages with varying degrees of hearing loss. The lab’s research focuses on improving the detection and diagnosis of different types of hearing loss, specifying individual functional hearing abilities, and developing personalized hearing loss management strategies. A primary goal of PARL is to ensure Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing children have access to the auditory information essential for speech and language development.

PARL Check out this Lab!

 

Vestibular Research Lab

Raghav Jha

Directed by Raghav Jha, Ph.D., The Vestibular Research Laboratory (VRL), directed by Dr. Raghav H. Jha, investigates the functioning of the vestibular system, the sensory system responsible for maintaining balance and spatial orientation. The lab focuses on advancing the understanding of age-related changes in vestibular physiology and balance function, with the long-term goal of reducing fall risk among older adults. An emerging area of research explores whether dance-related neural reorganization can serve as a therapeutic mechanism to mitigate balance impairments and fall risk.

Adult Language, Cognition, and Communication Lab

Jordan Lins

Directed by Dr. Jordan Lins. The Adult Language, Cognition, and Communication (ALC²) Lab investigates how linguistic and cognitive processes support reading and communication in adults and how these abilities may be altered following neurological injury. Our research examines both neurotypical adults and adults with acquired neurogenic communication disorders, particularly aphasia, alexia, and motor speech disorders.
 
A central focus of the lab is understanding the complex relationship between reading fluency and reading comprehension. We are especially interested in how features of fluent reading, including prosody, interact with linguistic and cognitive processes to support comprehension. By examining these relationships across neurotypical adults and individuals with acquired communication disorders, our work aims to better characterize the factors that contribute to successful reading and communication and to understand how neurological injury may disrupt them.
 
The long-term goal of the ALC² Lab is to bridge basic and clinical science by translating a better understanding of these mechanisms into improved approaches to assessment and rehabilitation. This includes the development of objective and automated assessment tools designed to increase diagnostic accuracy, reduce clinician burden, and ultimately improve outcomes for adults with neurogenic communication disorders.

 

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