Hearing but not listening: Using behavioural training in pre-clinical studies to test the ability to listen to complex sounds

Summary Behavioural training of animals allows the testing of perception of complex sounds. When applied to animals with cochlear implants or treated with hearing therapeutics, this provides important information on the performance of the intervention. This can provide more clinically relevant information than is obtained with traditional functional measurements or from histology. This added information is important, as many treatments or stimulation techniques look promising in pre-clinical models but fail in the clinic. Using behavioural training, we aim to reduce the gap between pre-clinical and clinical studies.

Project Details

Behavioural training of animals allows the testing of perception of complex sounds. When applied to animals with cochlear implants or treated with hearing therapeutics, this provides important information on the performance of the intervention. This can provide more clinically relevant information than is obtained with traditional functional measurements or from histology. This added information is important, as many treatments or stimulation techniques look promising in pre-clinical models but fail in the clinic. Using behavioural training, we aim to reduce the gap between pre-clinical and clinical studies. This project will develop new techniques for behavioural training of animals and test responses to complex stimuli. Results will be compared against traditional electrophysiological recordings and histology.

General methods to be used in the project:
behavioural training, signal processing, electrical engineering, electrophysiology.

Suitable background of students:
This PhD project would suit a student with background in science (e.g. biomedical) or engineering (biomedical, electrical)