Telephone: (301) 402-1600

E-mail: kacharb@nidcd.nih.gov

Office: Building 50, Room 4249

Mailing Address:
National Institute of Deafness and other Communication Disorder (NIDCD)
50 South Drive, MSC 8027

Bethesda, Maryland 20892-8027 

• Auditory sensory cell biology 
• Mechanosensory transduction 
• Sensory stereocilia renewal 
• Electromotility mechanism 
• Actin assemblies and renewal 
• Sensory hair cell structure 
• Electron tomography 
• Molecular organization of tight junction 

Our Laboratory uses advanced microscopy imaging in combination with molecular and cell biology techniques to study mechano-sensory transduction in auditory and vestibular sensory organs. The two main current projects of the Section are: 1) identification and characterization of proteins involved in the mechanosensory transduction apparatus in auditory and vestibular hair cells; and 2) elucidation of the structural and molecular basis of electromotility, a voltage-dependent force-generating mechanism present in cochlear outer hair cells. This mechanism is thought to be responsible for the extraordinary tuning and sensitivity of the mammalian ear.