Happy New Year from the Translational Ear Physiology Team

Happy New Year to everyone from the Translational Ear Physiology Team. We are back in action at the University of Auckland and looking forward to an exciting year of research, learning, and connection.

In 2026, we have several key milestones to aim for, including the completion of Master’s theses and a PhD thesis. It is always a rewarding time in the lab when projects move from data collection to pulling the story together, and we are excited to support our students and trainees through these final stages.

We are also planning to take part in conferences and outreach activities throughout the year. We will share details of upcoming events on our website as soon as dates and plans are confirmed, so please keep an eye out and watch this space.

One important date already on the calendar is World Hearing Day on 3 March. This is a global initiative that brings attention to hearing loss, hearing health, and the importance of research and advocacy. Our team will be supporting the kaupapa in our own way, alongside hearing health and research communities around the world.

Thank you very much for your ongoing support. We look forward to sharing updates as the year unfolds.

Haruna Suzuki-Kerr, Translational Ear Physiology Team

TEP alumna Prakansha N. Kumar’s new first-author paper: “Expression of the P2X1 receptor remains in the type II spiral ganglion neurons in the mature rat cochlea”

We’re delighted to share a new publication led by our TEP alumna Prakansha N. Kumar , based on research from her Master of Audiology : “Expression of the P2X1 receptor remains in the type II spiral ganglion neurons in the mature rat cochlea” ( Purinergic Signalling , Brief Report, open access; published 24 January 2026 ). Article available online: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11302-026-10129-7 A special congratulations to Prakansha - this project was done during her Master of Audiology thesis project , and the paper has continued steadily through the publication process after she moved on. Seeing it now published is a real credit to Prakansha's hard work from MAud, and a fantastic example of thesis work making it into the peer-reviewed literature. From Figure 1F, Kumar et al. 2026 What the paper is about Hearing begins in the cochlea , where sound is turned into signals that travel to the brain through spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs) . Most SGNs are type I...

Welcome to our summer students 2025-2026!!

Welcome to our summer students 2025-2026!! Each summer, the Translational Ear Physiology Team aims to host undergraduate summer students, and we are delighted to welcome three students for this year’s programme. We are excited to host Sherlly Christine (University of Auckland Summer Research Scholarship), Alizée Fisher (University of Auckland Summer Research Scholarship), and Jude Anderson (Te Titoki Mataora Pacific Summer Studentship Scholarship). Summer studentships are a fantastic way for undergraduate students to gain hands-on experience in research, learn how a lab team works day to day, and contribute to projects that support our wider goals in hearing and inner ear biology. All three students will be embedded in team-based research projects at the University of Auckland. Sherlly’s project focuses on the cochlear aqueduct, including identifying and characterising this structure. Alizée’s project will explore the shape and anatomical features of the oval window. Jude’s project ...

Update: Translational Ear Physiology Blog & Facebook Live

Update: Translational Ear Physiology Blog & Facebook Live To help public visibilty and open sharing of science, we have setup a blog and facebook page for the translational ear physiology lab and team. We hope this will help us share exciting progress we are making, and celebrate the progress of science with broader audience. We hope to provide some updates, celebrations, upcoming events (e.g. open seminars, outreach or conferences we might be participating), recruitment opportunities (e.g. new postgraduate students project and scholarship opportunities when available through the University) through the blog and website. Websites: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Translational-Ear-Physiology-Lab/61581392826252/ Blog: www.earphysiology.com

Translational Ear Physiology Laboratory

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