Our research is focused on two tightly coupled processes involved in the development of the mammalian auditory organ, the organ of Corti. The first emphasis is to study the molecular mechanisms regulating cellular differentiation during the development of the organ of Corti. In particular, we are interested at how individual cells in the cochlea are singled out to become the precursors of the sensory epithelium, and how the precursor cells subsequently know either to terminally differentiate into sensory hair cells or supporting cells. In addition, we examine the cellular and molecular mechanisms that establish the relative position and orientation of sensory hair cells and supporting cells in the organ of Corti during terminal differentiation to shape the unique features of the mammalian auditory organ.
