A pioneering genetic biobank could lead to personalised treatments worldwide
A genetic biobank dedicated to hearing loss has been launched in Western Australia – and it could mark the start of a global shift in how we diagnose, treat and even prevent hearing impairment.
The Aussie Ear Bank – officially the Australasian Hearing Registry and Biobank – will collect and store genetic material from people experiencing hearing loss, helping researchers around the world understand why some people lose their hearing more quickly, more severely or without clear external causes.
Based at the Ear Science Institute Australia, the project is supported by more than A$650,000 in funding and has already drawn interest from international researchers and hearing specialists. Its ambition is not just national but global – connecting clinicians, hospitals, geneticists and hearing experts across borders to unlock the genetic secrets of hearing loss.
A global issue, a shared mystery
More than 1.5 billion people worldwide live with some form of hearing loss – and that number is expected to rise to 2.5 billion by 2050. While noise exposure, ageing and illness remain key factors, many cases defy easy explanation. Increasingly, genetics is seen as the missing piece.
“Everyone loses their hearing,” said Vincent Howard, Co-founder of Hearology®. “But some of us lose it faster than others – and with no discernible cause. So it makes sense that genetics is a factor, and it will be fascinating to follow the work of and findings from this Australian hearing biobank.”
Researchers estimate that about 50% of congenital hearing loss is genetic. But more surprising is emerging evidence that genetics could also play a major role in adult-onset hearing loss – even in people with no obvious risk factors.
“The emerging research around the world is that genetics is the big new factor in middle age and older people’s hearing loss,” said Marcus Atlas, founder of Ear Science and one of the world’s leading skull base and hearing surgeons.
From Perth to Philadelphia – the global race for gene therapies
Recent breakthroughs in gene therapy – including a case in Philadelphia where an 11-year-old boy regained hearing through treatment for a single faulty gene – have shown what’s possible when the right genetic data is available.
The Aussie Ear Bank aims to build a similar foundation, offering a structured, large-scale dataset of genetic samples, audiometric results – from tests on a person’s ability to hear sound of different frequencies and intensities – and other assessments that can be accessed by researchers worldwide. The biobank’s digital registry is designed to connect with other national and international databases, vastly increasing the reach and relevance of its findings.
This level of access is vital if hearing care is to move beyond one-size-fits-all solutions. Gene-based therapies could eventually allow clinicians to tailor treatments to each person’s unique genetic profile, predicting, slowing or even reversing hearing loss before it becomes disabling.
Global collaboration, local leadership
The biobank is being led by Ear Science Institute Australia, but its design is rooted in collaboration. “The bringing together of researchers, hospitals, clinics and the community is what Ear Science is known for,” said the organisation’s CEO, adjunct associate professor Sandra Bellekom.
Christo Bester, who leads Ear Science’s Implant Innovation division, said the project is part of a broader global effort to reframe hearing loss as a condition with causes that are biological, personal and – in many cases – potentially treatable. “Pioneering gene therapy offers hope for restoring hearing in patients with genetic hearing loss,” he said.
International institutions and researchers are expected to contribute to and draw from the biobank, enabling a truly global pool of insight into the genetic mechanisms of hearing loss.
Hearing loss is personal – the treatment should be too
While personalised gene therapies are still in development, the groundwork being laid now could radically change the future of hearing care. Early diagnosis, risk prediction and targeted treatment may soon be shaped not just by age or lifestyle, but by a person’s DNA.
The Aussie Ear Bank offers a glimpse of what that the future could look like – and proves that breakthroughs in one part of the world can unlock answers for millions more.
References
- Australian first biobank at Ear Science Institute Australia to store tissue for genetic deafness therapies - This article supports the establishment of the Australasian Hearing Registry and Biobank as the first in Australia to focus on genetic-associated hearing loss, aiming to advance genetic therapies.
- Ear Science Institute Australia Secures Funding to Develop Australasian Biobank for Genetic Hearing Loss - This source corroborates the biobank's goal of advancing personalized care and developing novel treatments for hearing loss by storing genetic tissue.
- Australian-first biobank for genetic hearing loss coming to WA in a bid to develop new therapies and cures - The article confirms the biobank's establishment in Western Australia and its focus on genetic hearing loss treatments.
- Deafness and hearing loss - This World Health Organization page provides global statistics on hearing loss, supporting the claim that over 1.5 billion people are affected worldwide.
- Ear Science Institute Australia - The Ear Science Institute Australia website details their mission and projects, including the biobank initiative.
