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Founded in 1958, the Deafness Research Foundation is
the leading source of private funding for basic and
clinical research in hearing science. The DRF is committed
to making lifelong hearing health a national priority
by funding research and implementing education projects
in both the government and private sectors. In effect,
DRF is the “venture capital” arm of hearing
research, annually awarding grants to promising young
researchers and established researchers to explore new
avenues of hearing science.
During its 45-year history, DRF has awarded over $22.5
million through more than 1,850 research grants. This
seed money has led to dramatic innovations that promise
to increase options for those living with hearing loss,
as well as protect those at risk. These innovations
include the diagnosis and treatment of otitis media
(middle ear infections), the cochlear implant, implantable
hearing aids, breakthroughs in molecular biology and
hair cell regeneration. In addition, in 1960, the Deafness
Research Foundation created the National Temporal Bone
Banks Program (NTBB) to encourage individuals with ear
disorders to pledge their temporal bones at death to
scientific research. This was a crucial step in the
establishment of the National
Temporal Bone Hearing and Balance Pathology Resource
Registry by National
Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
(NIDCD).
DRF's National Campaign for Hearing Health, a multi-year
public education, government relations, and advocacy
initiative to ensure that all Americans — especially
children — will benefit from these breakthroughs.
By advocating for detection, prevention, intervention,
and research, the Campaign promotes a lifetime of hearing
health for all Americans: babies, children, teens, adults,
and seniors.
A 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, DRF is guided
by America’s leading otologists and otolaryngologists
and is endorsed by the American
Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO)
and more than 30 local and regional professional societies.
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