The American Academy of Audiology?s Academy Research Conference (ARC) 2018 through 2022 will be the 10th -14th meetings of an annual one-day translational research conference which was launched in 2009. The ARC provides clinicians and researchers a unique opportunity to, together, take a day-long ?deep dive? into a clinically important research area. The conferences are equally designed for audiologists who wish to improve their clinical practices by gaining a better understanding of cutting-edge research, and scientists who want to keep abreast of recent developments in translational research and engage in conversations with clinicians that may spur collaborative relationships and inform their future work. Post-doctoral fellows and doctoral students in audiology and the hearing sciences will also have the opportunity to join the thought- provoking discussions at ARC, with some competitively selected to make poster presentations as a means of encouraging our emerging scientists. In keeping with the mission of ARC to make research available to practitioners, the conferences are held each year on the opening day of AudiologyNOW! , the American Academy of Audiology?s annual convention and exposition, which draws an attendance of over 7,000 audiologists, scientists, doctoral students, and representatives from a wide variety of industries, organizations and other agencies of interest to the profession of audiology. ARC 2018 will convene on April 18th, in Nashville, Tennessee with a program on ?Genetics and Hearing Loss? that exemplifies the ARC?s
The American Academy of Audiology?s Academy Research Conferences (ARC) are intended to bridge the gap between clinical practice and academic research by engaging audiologists, scientists, and students in translational presentations and discussions on clinically significant research. The ARC 2018 program on ?Genetics and Hearing Loss? exemplifies the ARC?s public health relevance as it will address an area of auditory science that is already impacting the clinical care of infants and young children and is poised to transform the broader hearing care field. Hearing loss (HL) is the most common congenital sensory impairment and over half of prelingual HL cases are caused by specific mutations in the patient?s genome. In addition to Mendelian determinants of HL, there is evidence that genetic mutations may also contribute to highly prevalent, acquired forms of HL (e.g. presbycusis and noise-induced HL). Given the strong relationship between genetics and HL, there is a substantial need to provide the latest on genetics research as it relates to clinical practice. ARC will bring together scientists and clinicians to initiate collaborative opportunities to further genetics education and research in the audiology community. The ARC 2019-2022 programs will also address critical public health areas for patients with auditory disorders including advances in amplification, auditory neuropathy, teleaudiology and hidden hearing loss.
