Dr. Corey studies how hair cells of the inner ear turn a symphony or a birdsong into a stream of nerve impulses for the brain to interpret, thus making it possible for us to hear and understand sound. Acoustic signals make a hair cell’s bundle move back and forth, controlling the electric current that enters each hair cell. Dr. Corey will show what happens if these cells deteriorate or are damaged, causing hearing loss. You'll have the opportunity to observe the effects in mice and fish. Also in this lab experience, you'll be able to stimulate these hair cells with “optical tweezers” a moving beam of light that can grab particles and use them to deflect individual hair bundles by a few millionths of an inch.  
 
 
 
 
 

        Related Links 

• Howard Hughes Medical Institute: Profile of Dr. David Corey 
• The Corey Lab at MGH 
• Neuroscience Department at Harvard Medical School 
• Signals from a Hair Cell 
• FOCUS Article: First Domino Falls in Touch Research