Eaton-Peabody Laboratories

Eckhard LAB

We explore the causes of balance and hearing disorders, leveraging a wide range of techniques, including animal models, human tissue studies, and biomedical imaging, to revolutionize diagnostics and therapies
- to benefit patients.

our Research

Meniere's disease

Bilateral Vestibulopathy

Otosclerosis

Technique Development

Otoconia of the human saccule imaged using super-resolution microscopy.

research SPOTLIGHT

Otoconia, “ear crystals”, are integral components within the inner ear’s balance organs, playing a pivotal role in conveying signals on head/body motion and gravity to the brain. Dislodged and degenerating otoconia cause benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) and contribute to the age-related decline of balance function – the two most prevalent balance disorders.

We developed a ground-breaking new technique allowing for the first time to study otoconia in healthy and diseased human inner ears – a critical advancement towards unraveling the underlying causes of these balance disorders.