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 Hair Cell Research-A cure? (Page 1)
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| Author | Topic: Hair Cell Research-A cure? |
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Ryan unregistered |
posted 05-16-2001 10:57 PM
Hi- I am just wondering if anyone here has heard of the company Otogene, which is based in Germany, and has another location in Seattle. Their primary focus is hearing research and finding a cure through hair cell regeneration. I found their website and emailed the head doctor, and he replied that the company is poised to start pre-clinical testing of their technology this year!! I am so excited- I am going to be part of this testing guaranteed. I just had to let you guys know. Check out their website at www.otogene.com IP: Logged |
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HHIssues Member |
posted 05-21-2001 04:45 PM
Ryan, Thanks for posting the information in here about this company that's working on hair cell regeneration. I've bookmarked it and will get back to you after I explore it further, etc. ** HHIssues ** [This message has been edited by HHIssues (edited 05-21-2001).] IP: Logged |
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HHIssues Member |
posted 05-26-2001 11:24 AM
Hi Ryan, Hope you're reading this. Where did you first hear about this company, Otogene ? An acquaintance of mine wants to know ? ** HHIssues ** IP: Logged |
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Ryan unregistered |
posted 05-27-2001 05:09 PM
I found the company very much by accident one time while searching the internet. Besides their own website, there is very little info available about them. Since then, I've run probably hundreds of searches trying to find out more, but it seems like they are trying to keep a low profile or something. Like I said, I contacted the doctor in charge (his name is Hubert Lowenheim) once already, but I am trying to get some more specifics regarding time frame from him. If there's a way for me to go to those trials, I'm there. I'm a musician, and to have my hearing again would be invaluable to me, as I'm sure it would be to the rest of you. I urge everyone who's interested to contact the company. IP: Logged |
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HHIssues Member |
posted 05-28-2001 09:46 AM
Ryan, Glad I found another person in you who's interested in this subject. The more people we find that support these research or causes, the merrier ! Me thinks if more people just put their minds to see what they can do about it, hopefully it could help speed up its progress and so forth. Go for it ! Hey, why don't you send an e-mail to HHIssues@aol.com ? As I'm aware of other research centers or information you might be interested it or would find helpful, etc ? Ok ? Hope to hear from you soon ! Thanks ! ** HHIssues ** IP: Logged |
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Bob Member |
posted 06-18-2001 11:44 AM
Greetings! I came across the otogene website recently and have sent an email requesting more information on their research and also posed the question as to when actual clinical testing on people might be possible. I have not yet received a reply. Additionally however the University of Washington's Virginia Merrill Bloedel hearing research center is trying to gather funds for their "hair cell regeneration initiative" , I myself have donated to this research and perhaps if enough people would donate towards this end then perhaps we could actually find a cure for hearing loss. The researchers are positive about achieving this end but unless they get the funding it will take much longer to bring about. Take care, Sincerely, Bob IP: Logged |
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HHIssues Member |
posted 06-20-2001 08:56 AM
Bob, Welcome to the club ! I agree, you couldn't have said it better. I've also heard of the Virginia Merrill Bloedel hearing research center. And have made a dontation to that center also. These centers do need more funds in order to make more progress. Which is why I'm trying to bring more awareness to such research and so forth. Some people do wonder why don't these research centers use the Media to try to bring more awareness to the issue. Which could indirectly lead to their obtaining more funds, etc. For instance, why don't they do a segment on hair cell regeneration on Dateline NBC or one of those programs ? Or, they could write an article about it in the New York Times ? Are you aware that even billionaire Bill Gates has a foundation ? Called the Bill & Melinda Foundation. This foundation do donate a considerable amount to different charities or causes. Why don't these research centers get in touch with this foundation and see if they could help, etc ? Lastly, there is this organization called Phoenix Rising. Shown below is their website: So, I don't know if they are supposed to help with the funds or to what extent do they bring more awareness to the research, etc ? ** HHIssues ** [This message has been edited by HHIssues (edited 06-20-2001).] [This message has been edited by HHIssues (edited 06-20-2001).] IP: Logged |
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Bob Member |
posted 06-20-2001 12:27 PM
Hi Ryan, When I attended the "Ears Hearing and Beyond" conference at the University of Washington this last April I was able to talk with Dr Rubel. I did ask if they had sought funding from either Bill Gates or Paul Allen(both in the Seattle area) and he stated that he could not directly seek donations from specific individuals...I honestly can't remember if this was a school policy or what? I did ask him if he honestly felt that hair cell regeneration was a realistic posibility? He replied that he believed it was and that of all the different kinds of research he was involved in that hair cell research was the most promising in that it could be directly conveyed to clinical treatment. I just read in my daily newspaper that the Gates foundation just donated $100 million in addition to the $350 million it has already donated to Aids research. The hair cell regeneration initiative only requires $10 million in funding, perhaps it is up to us to seek this out? At the conference I also met Scott Harriman(Phoenix Rising), He again is just one of us seeking funding etc. Sorry about the long letter, but it is up to each of us to make a difference, I am afraid it we don't then no one will! Take Care, IP: Logged |
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HHIssues Member |
posted 06-21-2001 02:58 PM
Bob, First, thanks for the info and update. As for the school's "policy" regarding not seeking donations from individuals. First of all, it's a Foundation. So, the school could always seek donations from Bill Gates through his foundation ? Thus I wouldn't put that in the "seeking donations from individuals" category ? Maybe, it's a question of that we need to compare notes. And see which research centers are pursuing this more aggressively than the others. Or, that which research centers are actually closer to making hair cell regeneration a possibility or a reality. For instance, if one research center has hesitations when it comes to seeking donations for whatever reasons they have. Then maybe we should be more supportive of the one that wouldn't think twice to ask Bill Gates for a donation or to appear on a TV program or something (ie. Dateline), etc. What do you think ? What do you think of this new company, Otogene ? ** HHIssues ** IP: Logged |
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Bob Member |
posted 06-21-2001 07:17 PM
Ryan, yesterday(June 21st) I talked with Robert Sincerely, IP: Logged |
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HHIssues Member |
posted 06-23-2001 03:03 PM
Bob, That's a good idea. To contact these foundations and see what we can do to help, etc. Maybe, we could even act as a "go-between" between some of the research centers and these foundations. The more different people are willing to do to help out, the more hopefully it'll help speed up its progress, etc. Shown below are the websites of the two foundations: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Allen Foundations ** HHIssues ** IP: Logged |
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Bob Member |
posted 06-24-2001 11:22 PM
I agree, The more people who write or contact these and other organizations the better our chances will be at gathering funds and publicity towards this research. Sincerely, IP: Logged |
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HHIssues Member |
posted 06-25-2001 04:19 PM
Bob, Great ! Keep up the good work ! What some people have done was that they went to this website: http://www.msnbc.com/news/DATELINE_Front.asp?ta=y Then on the right side of the page, they clicked on "Talk Back". And sent an e-mail to Dateline, asking why don't they do a segment for hair cell regeneration. And once they did that, they received an automatic "Thank you" e-mail from Dateline. Containing the following information: If you have a specific story suggestion please send it to: STORY SUGGESTIONS I was one of them that sent an e-mail. Although, I didn't follow-up on sending them the letter yet. However, I'm aware of several others that had already done so. Let's keep up the good work ! Let's keep this group's interest going ! ** HHIssues ** IP: Logged |
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Bob Member |
posted 06-25-2001 11:29 PM
HHissues, Thanks for the address and website, can you imagine what kind of response a segment on dateline could generate? If a national television broadcast made people aware of the possibilities and the need for this research I do think it would make a tremendous impact on increasing the amount of funds being gathered. What's the old saying about the squeaky wheel? I will write a letter and also email dateline right away! IP: Logged |
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HHIssues Member |
posted 06-27-2001 03:01 PM
Bob, Great, thanks ! As not to put too many eggs in one basket. Here's the contact information for the other Television programs we could write to: Contact Info for 48 Hours: Contact Info for 60 Minutes: Contact Info for 60 Minutes II: By the way, if you know of other companies we could write, feel free to add them to this list. Thanks ! ** HHIssues **
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