The 34th ARO MidWinter Meeting flew by, packed with symposiums, podium sessions, poster sessions, workshops and of course, crab cakes with Old Bay seasoning. We were lucky with an unusually mild few days in Baltimore and the weather cooperated with regards to getting to and from the meeting. A highlight for me was the Presidential Symposium. The Director of the NIDCD, James Battey, gave a superb opening and introduction to the rest of the morning, filled by a stellar list of world-renowned speakers (including some of our very own ARO members) on topics ranging from mechanosensation in C. elegans, mouse models for deafness, personalized medicine, genetic variation, new technologies for gene discovery and therapy. The impact of genomics on otolaryngology could not have been better demonstrated. But I cannot say that this was the best part of the meeting, since so many excellent talks and events followed! You all know how difficult it was to choose between different events, since despite the effort to minimize overlap, there is just so much excellent science going on at ARO. And whenever I walked into the poster sessions, there was a "buzz" that is rarely seen at other meetings, with very dynamic ongoing discussions.

A special thank you to ARO Council and committee chairs and members, whom it was a pleasure working with in the last year. These are the people who make ARO "tick," with the many tasks assigned to keep ARO active and productive. And to Talley Management, for keeping the meeting running smoothly at all levels.

I ended my term as the first international ARO President with the feeling that we are truly an international group, with about 30% of the members from abroad. ARO will continue to keep things moving and active. See our new web site (including photos from the meeting) and the new option for support for ARO members to speak at conferences. spARO continues to be active and generate an energy that adds a tremendous

amount at ARO.

Incoming President, Debara Tucci presented a service award to outgoing President, Karen Avraham

Next year we will be trying San Diego for the first time. I think it is safe for me to guarantee that we will not have snow there. Debara Tucci has already begun her work as President and I wish her lots of success.

I end my term with nostalgia, as I truly enjoyed the year as President. ARO is a wonderful organization, and I have many friends and colleagues among ARO members and meeting attendees. I look forward to continued involvement and interaction with ARO.

Karen Avraham

Requirements:  applicants must be ARO members, and lectures/events must include a slide and/or other materials that acknowledge ARO support. The ARO will fund up to three grants per year.

This year's deadline for submission of application is October 1, 2011, for activities to take place in the 2012 calendar year.  Notification will take place by December 1, 2011.

Please send proposals to Darla Eastlack ([email protected]). 

Biology of the Inner Ear: 

Experimental and Analytical Approaches

August 7 - 27, 2011

The Marine Biological Laboratory announces the third offering of the Biology of the Inner Ear (BIE) course. The BIE course will provide students with instruction and hands-on experience in the application of specialized strategies and methods for overcoming the challenges of experimental and analytical research on the inner ear, its cells, and the systems to which it interfaces. Through research seminars, roundtable discussions, lectures, and laboratory exercises where students and instructors work side-by-side, this interdisciplinary course offers students the tools they need to address important problems in auditory and vestibular research. In addition, the BIE course will help students develop as investigators, emphasizing opportunities for important discoveries, innovative approaches, and the potential for translating discoveries into meaningful improvements in health care.

This three-week course is ideal for students with backgrounds in the biological or physical/computational sciences; individuals new to investigations of the inner ear are particularly encouraged to apply.

Course Directors:

Jeffrey T. Corwin, University of Virginia, School of Medicine

Jeffrey R. Holt, University of Virginia, School of Medicine

Assistant Director:

Jennifer M. Jones, Washington University, School of Medicine

Distinguished Scholar:

James Pickles, University of Queensland

For more information about the course, the participating faculty, and the application process, visit:

http://courses.mbl.edu/bie/

Substantial financial aid for students will be available.

Supported by a grant from the NIDCD

Confirmed Course Faculty: 

Course website at http://www.mbl.edu/education/courses/special_topics/bie.html

Application Deadline: April 25, 2011

Molecular Biology of Hearing and Deafness

6-9 July 2011

Wellcome Trust Conference Centre, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK

This Wellcome Trust Scientific Conference aims to present and discuss the latest findings relating to the molecular basis of hearing and deafness. We aim to facilitate interaction between laboratories carrying out relevant research, and to foster links between basic scientists and clinicians with a research interest in the field. In particular, we hope to encourage research that integrates different approaches to understanding hearing and deafness by facilitating greater understanding of these approaches and increased collaboration between scientists working in different disciplines.

Approaches to be discussed will include genetics of deafness, developmental biology, molecular basis of sensory function, cochlear damage, repair and regeneration, expression analysis, molecular diagnostics, otologic disease and approaches to treatments.

Scientific Organising Committee:

David Corey, Harvard Medical School, USA

Cynthia Morton, Brigham and Women's Hospital, USA

Guy Richardson, University of Sussex, UK

Allen Ryan, University of California, USA

Karen Steel, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, UK

Registration is now open

For more information please click here

Student Bursary Application Deadline: Wednesday 13 April 2011

Abstract Deadline: Friday, 29 April 2011

Registration Deadline: Friday, 10 June 2011