When your balance spins out and the world goes quiet, the inner ear suddenly matters.

The Renauld Lab explores a range of questions related to inner ear development, function, and disease. We are particularly focused on understanding Ménière’s disease, a debilitating disorder affecting adults, characterized by episodes of vertigo, hearing loss, and tinnitus. Despite its prevalence, there is currently no gold-standard treatment, largely due to limited understanding of the disease's origins and progression.

In parallel, our lab investigates the development and function of the stria vascularis, a specialized structure critical for maintaining the ionic environment necessary for hearing. We are especially interested in the role of neural crest cell migration during stria vascularis formation, a key developmental process that, when disrupted, leads to congenital disorders such as Waardenburg syndrome and associated profound deafness.

Our goal is to uncover fundamental mechanisms underlying auditory health and disease, with the long-term vision of informing therapeutic strategies for hearing loss.