Sight + Sound Bites: Restoring Hearing and Regenerating Hair Cells

Peter Santa Maria, MD, PhD and Melissa McGovern, PhD speak about restoring hearing and regenerating hair cells. Dr. Peter Santa Maria is a surgeon scientist subspecializing in disorders affecting hearing, balance and the facial nerve. Along with his role as Director of SPARK Global, he co-leads the CREATES Lab and is Chair Emeritus of the American Academy of Otolaryngology's Medical Device and Drugs Committee. He recently joined the team at UPMC as Division Chief of Otology & Neurotology and Vice Chair of Clinical and Translational Research, moving from Stanford University. Dr. McGovern is a molecular biologist who investigates hearing restoration following loss of sensory cells in the ear. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Illinois College in 2013 and her Ph.D. in Pharmacology and Neuroscience from Southern Illinois University in 2017. Dr. McGovern completed her post-doctoral training at Baylor College of Medicine and joined the faculty of the University of Pittsburgh in May 2023. Dr. McGovern’s lab investigates the genetic barriers restricting hair cell regeneration in the mammalian inner ear. For questions or comments: [email protected] www.eyeandear.org Eye & Ear Foundation 203 Lothrop Street Suite 251 EEI Pittsburgh, PA 15213