Using Phage Display Evolution for Drug Delivery to the Inner Ear

• Applicant: Dr. Marlen Bernhardt
• Subject Area: Otolaryngology, Phoniatrics and Audiology
• Term: from 2011 to 2012
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 189454396

Damage to cochlear hair cells and spiral ganglion neurons is the most common cause of hearing loss, and can occur for a variety of reasons. Recent research has identified biological processes and pathways that participate in disorders of the inner ear and that contribute to the loss of cochlear cells. It has been shown that manipulating these pathways can prevent damage to hair cells and spiral ganglion neurons. These processes may be amenable to pharmacological manipulation that could prevent cell damage. However, inner ear drug treatments are limited by the necessity for either systemic delivery, or diffusion across the round window membrane after middle ear injection. Improved strategies for delivery of drugs to the inner ear are clearly needed. It will be necessary to deliver bioactive molecules more effectively and practically to the cells and tissues of the inner ear. To accomplish this, it is proposed to employ a drug delivery model phage-display evolution strategy. By combining the methods phage display and phage evolution in an animal model it will be possible to identify peptides that can deliver drugs across the intact round window membrane and into the inner ear. The resulting delivery methods will advance both basic research and clinical applications. The laboratories of Drs. A.F. Ryan and A. Baird are well funded and both have ongoing phage display projects.

• DFG Programme: Research Fellowships
• International Connection: USA
• Host: Professor Allen F. Ryan, Ph.D.