“There is currently no proven prevention or cure for this hearing loss, so this new research will test the effectiveness of a nano-gel that is injected into the ear before chemotherapy to prevent the possible side effect of cancer treatment among children,” Associate Professor Al-Salami, lead researcher said.
“The bile acid-based nano-gel has been developed at Curtin by a group of clinicians, pharmaceutical scientists, ENT surgeons, cochlea physiologists and synthetic chemists using cutting-edge technologies.
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“Human bile extract is put through specialized systems to produce a gel, which is capable of being injected into the human ear and can potentially protect children from the side effects of chemotherapy, which targets and destroys cancer tissues and can also kill other healthy tissues resulting in problems including hearing loss.
“The Telethon grant will allow Ear Science to further develop an established and proven nano-gel, improving efficacy and making it safer for use in our children,” Ms Bellekom said.
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Al-Salami is involved in various projects also funded by Telethon and led by scientists at Ear Science Institute Australia and Lions Eye Institute, to develop an inner ear cell culture system that will benefit children with Usher syndrome, a scaffold to repair perforated eardrums in children and new systems for eye drug and gene delivery.
Source: Medindia
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