Project Grant R21DC024044

The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders awarded Northeast Ohio Medical University (Neomed) $440,000 on July 20, 2026, under the Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders program (CFDA 93.173) to develop genetically modified Mongolian gerbil strains for auditory neuroscience research.

The project will create new gerbil lines with targeted fluorophore or recombinase expression in specific neuron types of the lateral superior olive, a brainstem region critical for sound localization. These strains will enable selective monitoring and manipulation of glycinergic inhibitory and glutamatergic excitatory neurons ex vivo and in vivo to advance understanding of cellular diversity in auditory processing circuits. The research employs recently developed viral vector-based CRISPR-Cas9 methods for embryo modification in the oviduct, a technique that, once established in gerbils, will accelerate production of additional genetically modified strains. Gerbils serve as a superior model to mice and rats for human hearing because they detect lower frequencies relevant to human speech and exhibit sound-localization mechanisms more analogous to human auditory function.

Work is performed in Rootstown, Ohio, with performance running through June 30, 2028. The award is classified as a Project Grant, the primary assistance type under NIDCD's research portfolio, funding salaries, equipment, supplies, and allowable direct and indirect costs of the research.