1. Transcriptional targeting of adult mammalian cochlear supporting cells: We have validated new adult cochlear supporting cell-specific genes in both adult mouse and human temporal bone tissue. We have validated are larger set of these adult cochlear supporting cell-specific genes in the adult mouse and are working on the publication of these extensively validated data as a resource to the wider scientific community. 2. Systems approach to understanding the development, structure and function of the stria vascularis: Our initial goal is to generate transcriptome profiles for isolated strial cells at specific ages relevant to the endocochlear potential. We have accumulated single cell transcriptomes from adult stria vascularis and from stria vascularis during the period of endocochlear potential development. We have adapted nucleus isolation methods for single cell RNA-sequencing for the stria vascularis. We are investigating the potential of novel imaging modalities to characterize the cell surface interactions between marginal and intermediate cells in the stria vascularis. We are in the process of validating new transgenic cell type-specific fluorescent reporter lines for stria vascularis cell types.
