Network Labs

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  Johns Hopkins University

  Founded in 1924 by Samuel J. Crowe, MD and Stacy R. Guild, PhD, the temporal bone laboratory at Johns Hopkins University was the first of its kind in the United States. Together, Dr. Crowe and Dr. Guild collected more than 1,800 temporal bones between 1924 and 1938, enabling the development of histological techniques for decalcification, embedding, staining, and analysis of cochlear structures—methods still in use today. Their pioneering work made possible the correlation of histological findings with audiometric tests—a groundbreaking technology at the time—and vestibular function in patients. This advancement led to major discoveries such as the first explanations of cochlear tonotopy, the cellular basis of presbycusis, and one of the earliest classifications of hearing loss severity. Today, with support from the National Institutes on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD/NIH), the otopathology laboratory at Johns Hopkins is being reactivated to support continued study into (human) temporal bones.

  Johns Hopkins dPT. of otolaryngology

  Johns Hopkins lauer lab

  Specialties

  • Collection

    01
    • Otologic disease
      • Vestibular disorders 
      • Superior Semicircular Canal Dehiscence Syndrome
      • Aging 
      • Eustachian tube disorders
      • Rare conditions
    • Inner ear efferents
    • Brainstem

  • Processing / Other

    02
    • Comparative Otopathology in animal models (traditional and non-traditional)
    • Surgical tissue harvest
    • Robotic surgery/machine learning applications
    • History and bioethics
    • Education & outreach

  Leadership

  • PIs
    • John P. Carey, MD
    • Amanda M. Lauer, PhD
  • Co-PIs
    • Bryan Ward, MD
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  Massachusetts Eye and Ear

  The Massachusetts Eye and Ear (MEE) Otopathology Laboratory, founded in 1961 by Dr. Harold F. Schuknecht, is a leading basic and translational research center dedicated to understanding and improving the diagnosis and treatment of hearing loss, balance disorders, and facial paralysis. Now co-directed by Drs. Alicia M. Quesnel and Andreas Eckhard, with key investigators Drs. Felipe Santos and M. Charles Liberman, the lab houses one of the world’s largest collections of human temporal bone specimens—over 5,000 in total, including more than 2,600 from MEE and additional collections from collaborating institutions. The laboratory has been a pioneer in histologic and immunohistochemical techniques, digital microscopy, and now in developing new protocols that enable molecular and genetic analyses of human temporal bone tissue. Current research spans topics such as cochlear implant pathology, 3D modeling, machine learning applications, age-related and genetic hearing loss, Meniere’s disease, and otosclerosis, while continuing to welcome collaborations and trainees interested in human inner ear pathology.

  Mass Eye & Ear otopathology lab

  Specialties

  • Collection and studies

    01
    • Cochlear implants
    • Meniere's disease
    • Genetic hearing loss
    • Age-related hearing loss
    • Otosclerosis
    • Vestibular schwannomas

  • Processing / other

    02
    • Celloidin embedding
    • Technovit embedding
    • Immunohistochemistry
    • Genetic sequencing
    • Differential interference contrast and confocal microscopy
    • Micro-computed tomography
    • High resolution temporal bone computed tomography

  Leadership

  • Lab leadership
    • Andrea Eckhard, MD
    • Alicia M. Quesnel, MD
    • Felipe Santos, MD
    • Charles Liberman, PhD
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  Stanford University

  The temporal bone research laboratory at Stanford University is committed to removing barriers and creating new pathways for the field of hearing and balance research. Ongoing activities include 1) defining the molecular makeup of normal, live human inner ear tissues; 2) mapping the three-dimensional (3D) cellular architecture of unprocessed human inner ears; 3) training new and established otopathology investigators, and; 4) enhancing awareness of human inner ear research.

  Currently the Laboratory is under the leadership of Dr. Alan Cheng, MD and Dr. Konstantina Stankovic, MD, PhD, FACS.

  stanford Medicine otolaryngology

  Leadership

  • PIs
    • Alan Cheng, MD
    • Konstantina Stankovic, MD, PhD, FACS
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  The Temporal Bone Laboratory at UCLA

  The Temporal Bone Laboratory at UCLA was established in the mid-sixties with the support of the first UCLA Otologist, Dr Victor Goodhill MD. At this time, the laboratory was headed by Dr Ruth Gussen MD, a board-certified pathologist, and under her direction, the laboratory began to establish modern protocols to study human temporal bone, including histochemistry and microdissection of temporal bones. With NIH/NIDCD grant support, Dr. Akira Ishiyama, MD, joined the lab and became a pioneer in the application of unbiased stereological quantitative techniques to reliably estimate inner ear cell numbers. In 2014 the House Ear institute moved its operations to UCLA, merging with the existing UCLA Temporal Bone Laboratory. This large merger resulted in 1300 temporal bones processed. Currently the Laboratory processes temporal bones obtained at autopsy by the traditional methods of celloidin embedding and used microdissection technique.

  Additionally, the Temporal Bone Laboratory at UCLA offers on-site training to any individual in the health field interested in learning the technique of processing tissues for celloidin embedding and any other technique offered at the facility.

  temporal bone lab at UCLA

  Specialties

  • Specialties

    01
    • Otosclerosis
    • Cochlear Implant
    • Meniere’s disease
    • Otitis media

  • Processing / Other

    02
    • Celloidin, plastic, and paraffin embedding
    • Microdissection
    • Immunohistochemistry
    • Immunofluorescence
    • Histochemistry and RNA in situ hybridization
    • 3D Cochlea Imaging
    • DNA and RNA extraction
    • Quantitative Design bases stereology
    • Laser Confocal Microscopy
    • Electron Microscopy

  Leadership

  • PI
    • Akira Ishiyama, MD
  • Co-PIs
    • Ivan A. Lopez, PhD
    • Gail Ishiyama, MD
• 

  University of Minnesota

  Founded in 1963, the University of Minnesota’s Paparella Otopathology & Ear Pathogenesis Laboratory is home to one of the largest collections of human temporal bones in the world. Specializing in cases of Otitis Media, the Laboratory is responsible for the publication of over 800 groundbreaking scientific papers on a diverse set of topics related to the human ear. Additionally, the Laboratory has also hosted over 200 research fellows from all around the world, from Japan to Turkey, to India, to Brazil (and everywhere in-between).

  Currently, the Laboratory is under the leadership of Dr. Sebahattin Cureoglu, MD, Dr. Meredith Adams, MD and Dr. Rafael Monsanto, MD, PhD.

  University of Minnesota's Paparella Lab

  Specialties

  • Collection

    01
    • Otitis Media
    • Meniere's disease
    • Otosclerosis
    • Inner ear malformations

  • Processing / Other

    02
    • Temporal bone processing for histology
    • Decalcification of temporal bones
    • Celloidin, plastic, and paraffin embedding
    • Serial sectioning
    • Laser microtome sectioning
    • Staining with a variety of dyes
    • Immunohistochemistry
    • Morphological and quantitative analysis of temporal bones
    • Education and training

  Leadership

  • PI
    • Sebahattin Cureoglu, MD
  • Co-PI
    • Meredith Adams, MD (University of Michigan)
  • Co-I
    • Rafael Monsanto, MD, PhD