Te Pātaka Kai | Our Research
The Eisdell Moore Centre advances research on auditory and vestibular disorders, focusing on diagnostics, therapies, technology, and prevention to improve hearing and balance outcomes.
Rangahau kaupapa | Research themes
Understanding Disease
Understanding the changes that occur in the inner ear and central auditory and vestibular pathways that lead to hearing and balance disorders is vital for the development of diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. The groups in the centre are well placed to provide a multidisciplinary platform of research into the mechanisms of auditory and balance disorders.
Diagnostics and Biomarkers
Better and more sensitive diagnostic indicators are essential to identify early injury and disease in the auditory and vestibular systems to enhance therapeutic opportunities for interventions. Our researchers provide multiple approaches that we can capitalise on to identify molecular, structural and functional biomarkers and diagnostic indicators of auditory and vestibular disease or injury.
Therapies and Prevention
The overall objective of the Eisdell Moore Centre under this theme is the development of novel therapies for inner ear disorders and tinnitus, which are not treatable with prosthetic devices, hearing instruments and cochlear or brainstem implants. Here we will combine efforts across the universities and with others within Brain Research New Zealand and the Centre for Brain Research to look at pharmacological and cell-based approaches to prevention of inner ear damage.
Novel Technologies
This research theme will look to build relationships with industry partners to develop and translate technology into clinical practice. It will also examine social factors for the use of assistive devices to identify factors that may prevent the uptake of technologies and it will look to improve the access to assistive devices through the development of mobile technologies that provide clinical, diagnostic and rehabilitative tools for hearing loss.
Auditory and Vestibular Brain Plasticity
The plasticity of the auditory and vestibular systems, that likely underpins the success of many current therapies, like the cochlear implant, is being harnessed in many therapeutic approaches. These are designed to augment the natural plasticity and enhance outcomes through non-invasive stimulation (such as transcranial magnetic stimulation) and specific behavioural training.
Population Studies
The World Health Organisation considers that over 50% of hearing loss is preventable. A significant focus of the centre will be on the prevention of hearing loss and balance disorders, informing health care management which prevents hearing loss and balance disorders as well as increasing the professional and community understanding of these disorders.
Clinical Trials and Population Health Interventions
This research theme will focus on utilising the University and private clinics and DHB audiology and ENT clinics to establish clinical trials for interventions that have been developed in the previous theme areas, including population health interventions in the community and in industry. Research opportunities will extend to new service provision models, which will explore conventional client-centred practice, e-health and pervasive hearing healthcare. In partnership with Māori the centre will explore new models of service delivery that are acceptable and effective for Māori.
Responsiveness to Māori
The Eisdell Moore Centre (EMC) recognises Māori as Tāngata Whenua and has a desire to reduce Māori health inequities in hearing and balance. We are committed to meeting our obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi through supporting EMC funded research activities that improve Māori health and eliminate inequities in hearing and balance.
Responsiveness to Māori is crucial in health research. Health researchers in Aotearoa New Zealand are required to demonstrate research that is responsive to the needs and diversity of Māori. Being responsive to Māori is a call for EMC researchers to critically think about the relationship their research has with Māori. The rights of Māori in research arise from tino rangatiratanga (self-determination). That is the right to be involved in research that aligns with the interests of Māori communities. All health research carried out in Aotearoa is of relevance to Māori. How relevant, is a decision to be made by Māori.
It is strongly recommended that researchers consult with Māori during the planning of research and through the processes of the research. Hudson and Russell (2009) stated that for researchers to improve the relevance and responsiveness of their research project to Māori communities, researchers should consider their role in addressing ethical issues of concern for Māori as part of their consultation process. Thus, research should explicitly involve consultation and practice of reciprocity, equity, and benefit-sharing between researchers and Māori communities.