On the 26th of June, students and researchers from the Medical University of Innsbruck (MUI) had the opportunity to participate in the Eurolife Distinguished Lecture of Prof. Tobias Moser. Prof. Moser gave an interactive presentation on the optogenetic techniques, which he developed, which constitute a hope for optical cochlear implants.  Upon the completion of his lecture, Prof. Moser was awarded the Eurolife Medal, as an expression of the Network’s recognition of his achievements. The lecture was received with a great enthusiasm from the Innsbruck students, and Prof. Moser himself stressed that he hopes to be back.

The distinguished lecture was part of the academic visit of Prof. Moser to MUI in the frame of the ERASMUS+ program. It followed Prof. Moser’s 3-day lecture series on Clinical Sensory Neuroscience as part of a graduate program for PhD students from MUI. Topics included: “Optogenetics, Methods in Cellular Neurophysiology”, “Ion Channels in Sensory Hair Cells” and “Audition”.

About. Prof. Tobias Moser:

Major Research Interests

Auditory Neuroscience – Synaptic Physiology and Pathophysiology – Audiology and Neuroprosthetics

Our work focuses on the molecular anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology of sound encoding and information processing in the auditory system as well as the restoration of hearing by gene replacement therapy and optogenetic stimulation. We combine various techniques to characterize synapses of hair cells and the auditory brainstem from the molecular to the systems level. This way we have contributed to the understanding of structure and function of auditory synapses and initiated the concept of auditory synaptopathy. Towards restoration of hearing we aim to establish virus-mediated gene replacement therapy of auditory synaptopathy and pursue the optogenetic stimulation of auditory nerve for improving the performance of the cochlear implant.