2011 Marion Downs Lecture Features Karen Avraham, PhD
Dr. Avraham is Full Professor at the Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry at the Sackler School of Medicine at Tel Aviv University and the Director of the Tel Aviv University Center for Middle Eastern Genetic Diseases. Her presentation will address the remarkable advances in our understanding of the mechanisms governing auditory function through the identification of genetic mutations leading to hearing loss. Recent research has uncovered information about the DNA sequences of 50 different genes responsible for hereditary deafness, and Dr. Avraham will address the implications of these discoveries on genetic counseling, the prediction of progression and onset of syndromic features, and how advances can guide the choice of therapy. Born in Canada and raised in the U.S., Dr. Avraham received her BA from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri and her PhD at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel. Her first breakthrough in the field of hereditary impairment came in 1995, when she discovered a gene for deafness in a model for this sensory defect in humans. Since joining the faculty at Tel Aviv University in 1996, Avraham’s work has centered on the discovery of disease genes, focusing on hereditary hearing loss. Her team uses a multidisciplinary approach, using genetic, developmental, biochemical, cellular, and bioinformatic tools to decipher the molecular basis of hearing loss. Dr. Avraham is leading the field in elucidating mechanisms by which mutations lead to auditory and vestibular dysfunction, using state-of-the-art technology. The tools acquired in studying the genes involved in deafness and deciphering their regulation are now being used in the Avraham laboratory for the development of therapeutic techniques for the treatment of hearing impairment. |
Dr. Avraham has mentored over 50 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows and has published over 100 manuscripts in high profile journals such as Science, Nature Genetics, and The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. She is an elected member of EMBO, the European Molecular Biology Organization, and the international Collegium ORLAS, limited to 10 scientists and physicians per country who have contributed to research in otolaryngology. She has received the Burt Evans Young Investigator Award, the Sir Bernard Katz Prize, and the Bruno Memorial Award from the Rothschild Foundation. She is Associate Editor of the journals JARO, EMBO Molecular Medicine, and the European Journal of Human Genetics. Dr. Avraham is currently President of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology (ARO). Avraham’s team is highly active within the community, and she is on the board of ‘Na Lagaat’ (Do Touch), a theatre group of hearing impaired and blind actors. She is actively involved in providing education about the genetics of hearing loss to support groups and associations for the hearing impaired, as well as training of hearing impaired graduate students at Tel Aviv University. The AAA Foundation is honored to offer a presentation by such an esteemed researcher at AudiologyNOW! The 2011 Lecture will also be available via a live Webcast through eAudiology, the Academy’s online educational forum, and will be available on-demand at no charge through March 2012. Funding for the Marion Downs Lecture in all of its formats is made possible with a grant from The Oticon Foundation through its generous ongoing partnership with the AAA Foundation. The AAA Foundation Board of Trustees appreciates The Oticon Foundation’s philanthropic support which allows international access to this important information that advances quality audiology care and treatment for the community of those with hearing impairment. |
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The American Academy of Audiology Foundation is pleased to announce that Karen Avraham, PhD, will present the 2011 Marion Downs Lecture in Pediatric Audiology. Dr. Avraham’s presentation,