Ogahali Lab at Stanford

http://oghalailab.stanford.edu/research_programs.html

"We are, however, working to develop techniques that will allow us to perform research in humans. For example, we are in the process of developing novel optical techniques for in vivo imaging using optical coherence tomography (OCT). The level of detail within the cochlea that we can now image is roughly two orders of magnitude better than what is currently available with the latest MRI or CT techniques. Our goal is to be able to identify why any given patient that comes to clinic has hearing loss, and use this information to guide management using regenerative strategies that are in active development."

 

Great that these advanced imaging techniques being developed for in vivo imaging.

 

Joejunior, the words "using regenerative strategies that are in active development" are very exciting.

 

That's nice but what does it mean for tinnitus sufferers now?

 

I would speculate that it will be 15 years before this research produces results that be beneficial to significant numbers of people.

 

I see your speculation, and raise you: 5 years.

 

And if the 20 years was a guarantee, I would take it in a heartbeat. I'm 48, so I hope to be around 20 years from now. it's exciting that in the next 20 years this may happen. God bless those wonderful people at Stanford working on it.

 

I was going the other way, really. It could be 15 years or 5 years; 1 year or never. I'm just pleased to know people are working on it.

 

Well if its 20 years I'll be 49. I would love a cure in my lifetime :-(

 

Lol. Ok. I screwed up when I read your post. I thought you were speculating 20 years.
Let me say this. Last year when I visited a very prominent otoneurologist in the field of tinnitus treatment, I asked him about the possibility of regeneration of cochlear hair cell, and I believe I specifically asked about the use of stem cells to accomplish this. He said the most optimistic is that in ten years we could be at a point where human testing would begin.
Additionally, I read an article online (from a Phoenix paper I believe) in which a Stanford person also mentioned ten years. I will try to find the article and then provide a link to it.
So, your ten year speculation may be right on target.