معرفی
Dr. Hainan Lang is a Professor in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina. Her research focuses on cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying sensorineural hearing loss, auditory nerve degeneration, and the role of inflammation and glial dysfunction in auditory impairment. She leads the Lang Lab, which investigates novel therapies for hearing restoration, including stem cell-based approaches and gene therapy. Her work is supported by NIH/NIDCD grants and the Simmons Foundation. Dr. Lang's lab also explores links between auditory deficits and neurodevelopmental disorders like autism, particularly through studies of macrophage activity and genetic mutations (e.g., MEF2C).
Key areas of expertise include auditory electrophysiology, cochlear pathology, and molecular biology of age-related hearing loss. Her research uses mouse models and human temporal bone studies to analyze neural crest cell-derived glial cells, complement system dysregulation, and immune responses in the cochlea. Current projects aim to understand how macrophage dysfunction contributes to sensory deficits in autism and to develop regenerative strategies for auditory nerve repair.
- Grants: NIH/NIDCD (20+ years), Simmons Foundation (SFARI Pilot Award)
- Labs/Teams: Lang Lab (includes collaborations with Dr. Christopher Cowan)
- Future Work: Translational studies on stem cell therapies, auditory immune modulation, and autism-linked hearing deficits.
