Andy Groves

Andy Groves is a Professor and Vivian L. Smith Endowed Chair in Neuroscience at Baylor College of Medicine, affiliated with the Departments of Neuroscience and Molecular and Human Genetics. He directs the Graduate Program in Development, Disease Models and Therapeutics. His research focuses on inner ear development, regeneration of sensory hair cells, and genetic basis of deafness. Groves earned a PhD from the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research at University College London (1992), an MA from the University of Cambridge (1991), and conducted postdoctoral work at the California Institute of Technology (1999).

His lab investigates how inner ear structures form during embryonic development, why sensory hair cells fail to regenerate in mammals, and genetic causes of hereditary deafness. Collaborations include work with Shinya Yamamoto (fruit fly models) and Huda Zoghbi (transcription factor targets). Key projects involve Foxi3 transcription factors in craniofacial development and Atoh1-driven hair cell regeneration strategies.

Recent research highlights include identifying epigenetic barriers to hair cell regeneration, Yap/Tead signaling's role in cochlear size, and Foxi3's role in placodal development. His work combines mouse models, Drosophila genetics, and transcriptomic analyses to bridge developmental mechanisms with therapeutic applications for hearing loss.