Molecular Biology of Hearing and Deafness

We are pleased to announce the 10th Molecular Biology of Hearing and
Deafness conference. Hearing impairment affects many millions of people
throughout the world. Its causes are numerous: genetic mutations,
environmental insults, infections, certain commonly used medications and
the ageing process can all cause deafness. These factors can interact
with one another and can impinge upon the auditory system at many
different levels, and at many stages during its development and
maturation.

This year’s meeting will highlight and discuss recent discoveries in the
field: new genes involved in deafness and new pathways that underlie the
development, function, repair and regeneration of the auditory system.
There will be a strong focus on approaches, currently being developed,
for treating or preventing deafness caused by noise, drugs and mutations.

The conference will bring together research scientists and clinicians,
working in different disciplines and employing different approaches, in
the quest to achieve a better understanding of the causes, prevention and
cure of hearing impairment. This event has been approved for CPD by the
Royal College of Physicians (London) (credit 8 points).

The conference will start at approximately 13.00 on Tuesday 17 May and
close at approximately 14.00 on Friday 20 May 2016.

Topics wil cover:

• Genetics of deafness
• Development of the auditory system
• Molecular basis of mechanotransduction
• Cochlear damage
• Pathological mechanisms underlying deafness
• Repair and regeneration
• Molecular diagnostics
• Otologic disease
• Translational approaches to hearing loss
• Genetics and ageing

Scientific programme committee
David Corey Harvard Medical School, USA
Stefan Heller Stanford University, USA
Cynthia Morton Brigham and Women’s Hospital, USA
Guy Richardson University of Sussex, UK
Allen Ryan University of California, San Diego, USA
Karen Steel King’s College London, UK

Confirmed speakers
Zubair Ahmed University of Maryland, USA
Kumar Alagramam Case Western Reserve University,
USA
Maria Bitner-Glindzicz University College London,
UK
Michael Bowl MRC Harwell, UK
Zheng-Yi Chen Harvard Medical School,
USA
Gabriel Corfas University of Michigan, USA
Lisa Cunningham National Institute of Health, USA
Sally Dawson University College London, UK
Michelle Hastings Rosalind Franklin University,
USA
Jeffrey Holt Harvard Medical School, USA
Gary Housley University of New South Wales, Australia
Matt Kelley National Institute of Health, USA
Christine Petit Institut Pasteur, France
Xiaorui Shi Oregon Health & Science University,
USA
Philine Wangemann Kansas State University, USA
Donna Whitlon Northwestern University,
USA
Huijun Yuan Medical Genetics Center in Southwest
Hospital, China

Further speakers will be announced shortly

Conference organiser
Emily Rees Wellcome Genome Campus, UK

Registration Fees:

The registration fee includes entrance to the lectures and poster
sessions, an abstract book, meals (lunch and dinner) and refreshments
during the conference. Breakfast will be provided for delegates who have
booked accommodation.

Day Delegate rate for Clinicians
A day delegate rate for Clinicians is available at £110. Please
note that dinner is not included in the clinician day delegate
rate.

Registration deadline: Closed

Accommodation
Accommodation is provided for the nights of 17, 18 & 19 May
2016. Please note: there is limited on-site accommodation and this will
be allocated on a first-come first-served basis. Therefore, early
registration is recommended.

If you wish to book onsite accommodation either side of the conference
dates, please contact the Conference Centre directly.

Travel visas
Contact the conference organiser if you require a letter to support a
travel visa application. Note that letters will be provided to confirmed
registrants.

Non-European Economic Area or Swiss nationals may be required to have a
visa to enter the UK.
Early application is strongly advised, as this process can take 6-8 weeks
or longer.

Please visit the following websites for further information:
UK Border Agency website: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/

Information for general visitors and business visitors: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/visiting/business/business-activities/

A limited number of registration bursaries are available for PhD students
and junior post docs kindly funded by Action on Hearing Loss.

The following documents will need to be provided:

• Abstract
• CV
• Covering letter
• Letter from supervisor

To apply, please contact the conference organiser.

Bursary deadline: Closed

We welcome abstracts from all areas relevant to the main themes of the
meeting, for both oral and poster presentations. Several oral
presentations will be chosen from the abstracts submitted.

Please register prior to submitting your abstract. Please note: abstracts will only be considered from registered delegates.

The scientific programme committee will assess your abstract after the
deadline has passed and you will be notified whether you have been
selected for an oral or poster presentation.

Poster boards onsite will accommodate 118 cm high by 84 cm wide (A0-
portrait) of printed material. Accepted abstracts will appear in the
conference programme book and poster boards will be allocated at the
conference.

Abstract deadline: Closed

Abstract guidelines

• Format & Font: Prepare your abstract in Microsoft Word in 11-point Ariel Font.
• Title: The title should be concise and be in bold, sentence case.
• Author names: The presenting author’s name must be the first name to appear on the list of authors. Underline the name of the presenting author. For each author give the forename followed by the surname.
• Affiliations: Please list the authors and affiliations directly under the title, separated by one empty line, and followed on additional lines as necessary. Indicate each author’s affiliation with a superscript numeral following the surname.
• Abstract length: should not exceed one 1.5-spaced page. The total word limit is 400 words (to include title, authors, affiliations and abstract narrative).
• Abstract narrative: must be clear and concise. Clearly describe the problem you are addressing, the results to date and any conclusions you can draw from them, so that your abstract can be evaluated by the programme committee. Avoid saying in effect ‘a solution to XYZ problem will be presented’. Please ensure that your abstract is checked for correctness of spelling and grammar in advance of submission.
• Subheadings: Please avoid the use of subheadings in the abstract narrative.
• References: A separate list of references at the end of the abstract is not necessary.
• File name: should be the same as the surname of the presenting author.
• Download a sample abstract document (Microsoft Word), which can be used for formatting purposes.