2011-present: Royal Society University Research Fellow, University of Sheffield, UK. 2009-2011: RNID Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Sheffield, UK. 2006-2009: Wellcome Trust Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Sheffield, UK. 2003-2005: MRC Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Sussex, UK. 1998-2003: D.Phil, University of Sussex, UK. 1995-1998: BSc Hons Biological Sciences (Animal Physiology), University of Leicester, UK.

Auditory neuroscience, Sensory coding, Synaptic transmission

Mammalian cochlear inner hair cells (IHCs) are the primary sensory cells of the auditory pathway. Their job is to convert sound vibrations into an electrical signal that can be interpreted by the brain. As such, it is vital that the information encoded by IHCs is accurately preserved at this initial stage. One of the major causes of deafness/hearing loss is associated with IHCs losing their ability to function normally.

The aim of my research is to find out how IHCs are able to accurately encode sounds over a wide frequency and intensity range and how the information is processed on its way to the brain. Knowledge of how the ear processes sound will be informative to develop improved hearing aids, including cochlear implants. An additional aspect of my research applies directly to define how stem cells are able to replace damaged nerve fibres in order to restore hearing (in collaboration with Prof Marcelo Rivolta).

In order to achieve this I will study IHCs in the isolated cochlea using a combination of electrophysiological, cell imaging and molecular biological techniques.

Buniello A, Ingham NJ, Lewis MA, Huma AC, Martinez-Vega R, Varela-Nieto I, Vizcay-Barrena G, Fleck RA, Houston O, Bardhan T, Johnson SL, White JK, Yuan H, Marcotti W & Steel KP (2016) Wbp2 is required for normal glutamatergic synapses in the cochlea and is crucial for hearing. EMBO Molecular Medicine, 8(3), 191-207. Carrott L, Bowl MR, Aguilar C, Johnson SL, Chessum L, West M, Morse S, Dorning J, Smart E, Hardisty-Hughes R, Ball G, Parker A, Barnard AR, MacLaren RE, Wells S, Marcotti W & Brown SDM (2016) Absence of Neuroplastin-65 Affects Synaptogenesis in Mouse Inner Hair Cells and Causes Profound Hearing Loss. Journal of Neuroscience, 36(1), 222-234. Corns LF, Johnson SL, Kros CJ & Marcotti W (2016) Tmc1 Point Mutation Affects Ca2+ Sensitivity and Block by Dihydrostreptomycin of the Mechanoelectrical Transducer Current of Mouse Outer Hair Cells. Journal of Neuroscience, 36(2), 336-349. Buniello A, Ingham NJ, Lewis MA, Huma AC, Martinez-Vega R, Varela-Nieto I, Vizcay-Barrena G, Fleck RA, Houston O, Bardhan T, Johnson SL, White JK, Yuan H, Marcotti W & Steel KP (2016) Wbp2 is required for normal glutamatergic synapses in the cochlea and is crucial for hearing. EMBO Molecular Medicine, 8(3), 191-207. Johnson SL (2015) Membrane properties specialize mammalian inner hair cells for frequency or intensity encoding. eLife, 4. Magistretti J, Spaiardi P, Johnson SL & Masetto S (2015) Elementary properties of Ca2+ channels and their influence on multivesicular release and phase-locking at auditory hair cell ribbon synapses. FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE, 9.