York scientist joins charity to help find a cure for deafness

26 April 2007

Deafness Research UK has appointed a York scientist to be its new chief research adviser and help the charity in its mission to find a cure for hearing loss, the second most common disability in the UK, affecting over nine million people.

Deafness Research UK, the only national charity dedicated to supporting medical research into deafness and other hearing problems, has appointed Professor Quentin Summerfield from the University of York to be its new chief research adviser.

Formerly Deputy Director of the MRC's Institute for Hearing Research in Nottingham, Professor Summerfield led the national evaluation of the benefits of cochlear implants, so-called "bionic ears" for profoundly deaf people, which led to these revolutionary devices becoming available on the NHS.

Professor Summerfield is currently carrying out research to help parents of deaf children and their doctors work out whether they could benefit from having two implants instead of one. Throughout the world, about 50,000 children are able to hear thanks to cochlear implants. All but a handful of these children use a single implant in one ear but providing children with two implants could have many benefits. Two-eared listening improves the ability to locate sources of sound and to track their movements. These advantages should help children to know where to look to see who is talking at home and at school, and to know where to move to avoid hazards when outdoors.

Vivienne Michael, Chief Executive of Deafness Research UK, said of Professor Summerfield’s appointment, "Identifying the most exciting and promising research into deafness is vital if we are going to develop better treatments, cures, or therapies for the UK’s nine million deaf or hard of hearing people. We’re delighted that Professor Summerfield has agreed to become our new chief research adviser and help towards this important goal.”

The charity’s chief research adviser plays a vital role in ensuring that Deafness Research UK supports the best and most promising research into finding a cure for deafness. Professor Summerfield joins the charity as they put into practice a new research strategy which aims to secure the sustainability of hearing research in the UK: supporting young scientists early in their careers to improve the number of people within the field and prevent losses to related branches of research.

Professor Summerfield said: “Hearing research is entering a very exciting period –never before have there been so many promising lines of research which could lead to new therapies, treatments, or even cures that will transform the lives of millions of sufferers. I’m looking forward to working with Deafness Research UK to help ensure a flourishing future for hearing research in the UK.”

If you suspect you have a hearing problem or tinnitus and would like to find out how to get help call the Deafness Research UK Information Helpline on 0808 808 2222 or visit the website www.deafnessresearch.org.uk

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For further information or interviews contact: Georgina Vincent: phone 020 7679 8973 / email

Notes to editors

About Deafness Research UK

• Deafness Research UK is the country’s only charity dedicated to finding new cures, treatments, and technologies for the nine million deaf or hard of hearing people.
• Deafness Research UK was founded in 1985 by Lord and Lady Ashley of Stoke.
• Deafness Research UK is the medical research charity for deaf and hard of hearing people and supports high quality research to engineer rapid improvements in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of all forms of hearing impairment.
• Deafness Research UK’s Information Service provides free information and advice based on the latest scientific evidence and informed by leading experts.

Biography of Professor Quentin Summerfield

Quentin Summerfield is the Anniversary Professor of Psychology at the University of York. He has BA and MA degrees in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge and a PhD in Experimental Psychology from the Queen’s University of Belfast.

Between 1975 and 1977 he was a NATO post-doctoral fellow at Yale. He worked for the Medical Research Council at the Institute of Hearing Research between 1977 and 2004, when he moved to York.

He conducts fundamental research on the processes in the ear and the brain by which adults and children separate speech from competing sounds, and applied research on candidature for cochlear implantation.

His scientific contributions have been recognised by election as a fellow of the Acoustical Society of America and by prizes from the American Auditory Society, the University of London, and the Royal Society of Medicine.