• The functional anatomy of hair cells and supporting cells in the inner ear.
• Entry of ototoxic drugs into the inner ear fluids that induce hearing loss (ototoxicity)
• In addition, the Steyger lab is dedicated to
  1. Teaching medical and neuroscience graduate students.
  2. Public outreach.
  3. Education of health care professionals about the mental health effects of hearing loss.

Vertebrates detect sound, gravity, vibration and motion via specialized sensory hair cells within their inner ear.  Hair cells (HC) have an apical hair bundle of many stereocilia and (sometimes) a single kinocilium. The hair bundle is mechanically deflected by sound pressure waves, gravity, vibrations, or motion, mechano-electrically transducing the physical stimulus into neuro-electric action potentials.

Inner ear sensory epithelia have a specific cytoarchitectural organization, in that each hair cell is separated from its neighboring by supporting cells (SC). Each cell type has a specific organization  and expresses a variety of cytoskeletal proteins. The cartoon (left) shows a generalized layout of the cytoskeletal structures within the hair cells  and supporting cells of the inner ear.

To conduct our anatomical research, we utilize electron microscopy and confocal imaging to view labeled proteins in hair cells from a variety of vertebrate inner ears  These tools allow both high power magnification and fluorescent imaging to image target organelles, proteins, and intracellular locations of ototoxic drugs.

In addition, biochemical and molecular biological techniques are employed to confirm the activation of relevant signal transduction pathways within cells.