The Someya Lab studies the molecular mechanisms that underlie cochlear aging and gender differences in hearing in the Department of Aging & Geriatric Research, Institute on Aging at the University of Florida. Our work employs molecular genetics tools to identify the genes and pathways involved in aging, detoxification, mitochondrial dysfunction, and estrogen receptor signaling. These studies are complemented by the use of electrophysiology and histology to assess hearing function and cochlear pathology. We use mice as a model system because the mouse’s inner ear is anatomically similar to that of humans and the homologies between the mouse and human genomes are well-established.
We are also actively engaged in training the next generation of scientists at the undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral levels. In addition to the UF Institute on Aging, the Someya lab is affiliated with several departments and centers on campus, including the Department of Speech, Languages and Hearing Sciences and the Claude D. Pepper Older American Independence Center.
Work in our lab is generously supported by the University of Florida, the National Institutes on Deafness and Communication Disorders, the National Institute on Aging, and the American Cancer Society.