NEWS
For media enquiries please contact a member of the Public Relations Department at (03) 9667 7500
Professor Hugh McDermott appointed Deputy Director
In February Professor Hugh McDermott was appointed Deputy Director of The Bionic Ear Institute. Professor McDermott has had a very distinctive and successful career with the Department Otolaryngology, University of Melbourne, working in the fields of Cochlear Implants and Hearing Aid development . He has devised and developed a number of commercially successful devices that help restore hearing for deaf and hearing impaired people.
These include a widely used speech processing software that has provided improved communication for over 150,000 cochlear implant users worldwide, and leading the team that devised and evaluated highly successful and widely used technologies for hearing aids.
(l-r) Prof Tony Burkitt, Prof Iven Mareels, Prof Peter Seligman, Prof Robert Shepherd
and Dr David Grayden
Professor Peter Seligman awarded an Honorary Doctorate
Professor Peter Seligman was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Engineering from the University of Melbourne in December- one of only 22 D. Eng (Hon) ever awarded from the University.
The award was in recognition of Professor Seligman's outstanding contribution to the development of the cochlear implant (bionic ear) and was presented to him by the Chancellor of the University, the Hon. Alex Chernov. In attendance was the Dean of Engineering, and BEI Board Member, Professor Iven Mareels who nominated Professor Seligman for the award.
Professor Peter Seligman designed the first portable speech processor for the University of Melbourne bionic ear device and was a key member of Professor Graeme Clark's team that developed the Bionic Ear. Professor Seligman has joined The Bionic Ear Institute and will help guide staff in research, development and commercialisation.
In the News
>> Researchers race to develop bionic eye
The Australian - April 23, 2009
>> Implants for babies could help
deaf learn to speak
New Scientist - January 4, 2009
>> Implant Hope for Paraplegics to Walk Again
The Sydney Morning Herald - November 17, 2008
>> Implant could buzz sufferers to beat epileptic seizures.
Herald Sun - June 17, 2008
>> Bionic hero wins 2008 Premier's Award.
Herald Sun - June 05, 2008
Cell based therapy protects auditory nerves
Neurotrophins can protect auditory nerves from dying in the deaf cochlea. However, a safe and effective technique to administer the neurotrophins to the cochlea is yet to be found. Recent studies at the BEI using a cell-based therapy has taken a major step to overcome this problem. In a collaborative project between the BEI and Living Cell Technologies, we have shown that by implanting a bionic ear along with small capsules that contain tiny cells that produce and release neurotrophins into the cochlea, we can protect the auditory nerves from dying following deafness.
These exciting findings provide hope that in the future we can provide new strategies to protect auditory nerves in cochlear implant recipients. Image courtesy of LCT.
Bionic eye in sight thanks to $42 million
Leading Australian researchers have welcomed an announcement today by the Australian Government of $42M in funding to Bionic Vision Australia for the development of a bionic eye capable of restoring vision to the blind. The BEI is undertaking safety studies as part of this consortium. [press release]
Early cochlear implantation affects the brain's auditory cortex and speech development
Recent research at the BEI has demonstrated that early use of a cochlear implant can restore the organisation of the auditory area and pathways of the brain, which are impaired with profound hearing loss. This area of the brain perceives sound and is critical to developing speech.
This research from our Auditory Neurobiology program was published in the Journal of Comparative Neurology [manuscript] and the New Scientist. [article]
The ICT for Life Sciences Forum launched
NICTA has launched the ICT for Life Sciences Forum which aims to facilitate collaboration and networking between the engineering, computing and medical science research fields.
The Bionic Ear Institute is a foundation sponsor of this initiative and our work in medical bionics is an example of the multidisciplinary research the forum aims to develop.
Medical Bionics Conference held in Lorne
On the 16-19 of November The Bionic Ear Institute hosted the inaugural conference 'Medical Bionics - a new paradigm for human health'.
Researchers in a range of disciplines as diverse as biotechnology, engineering, ICT, polymer science, nanotechnology and medicine presented their research. [more]
New Board members for BEI
Former Premier Steve Bracks and leading Medical Research Counsel Christina Hardy join the Bionic Ear Institute [press release]
Dr Ben Wei - winner of the 2008 Premiers Award
Each year the Premier's Award for Health and Medical Research is awarded to an outstanding Victorian postgraduate health or medical research scholar.
Ben's PhD investigated pneumococcal meningitis post cochlear implantation: assessing the risks and prevention and has received worldwide recognition with publications in several highly respected journals.
See Ben's articles in.. [BMJ] [Lancet] (subscription required to see full text)
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