"By mimicking the steps involved in the formation of embryonic mouse ears, Stanford scientists have produced stem cells in the laboratory that look and act very much like hair cells, the sensory cells that normally reside in the inner ear. If they can generate hair cells in the millions, it could lead to significant scientific and clinical advances along the path to curing deafness in the future."

"HSCI scientists have discovered which stem cells can become hair cells as well as the molecules that bring about this change. Using this information, our researchers are developing techniques to grow hair cells in the laboratory and implant them into the ear."

"Researchers at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center continue their research into the use of stem cells to reverse hearing loss.  Their current study is the first of its kind on human subjects.  The patients are infants who lost their hearing during the prenatal period or shortly after birth.  Genetically- deafened children are not eligible for this study.  The infants were injected with their own umbilical cord blood, which had been harvested at birth."

"The cochlear hair cells don’t regenerate, so right now, damage to them is permanent — and common among people with some types of hearing loss. But that may not always be the case. A team of Boston-area researchers, including Karp, have developed a technique to stimulate progenitor hair cells in the inner ear — growing 2,000 times more hair cells than previously possible."

"Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) and Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and colleagues from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed an approach to replace damaged sound-sensing hair cells, which eventually may lead to therapies for people who live with disabling hearing loss."

"Cord Blood Registry® (CBR®), the world’s largest and most experienced newborn stem cell company, announces the start of a U.S. Food and Drug (FDA)-regulated study being conducted at Florida Hospital for Children in Orlando to investigate the use of a child’s stem cells from their own stored umbilical cord blood as a treatment for acquired sensorineural hearing loss."