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Karen Steel

Professor Karen Steel PhD, FRS, FMedSci

Professor of Sensory Function

Research interests

  • Biomedical and life sciences

Contact details

Biography

My main research interest is in the genetics of deafness, with a focus on using genetics as a tool to understand the molecular pathways underlying progressive (age-related) hearing loss. My group works with both mouse and human data, using the mouse for understanding the different pathophysiological mechanisms underlying hearing loss and human data to establish the most common types of deafness in the population. Several of the pathways we have identified in the mouse are good targets for drug development to stop the progression of hearing loss and are relevant to human deafness. In addition to running my research group, I am Academic Head of Biological Services. I was awarded the Brain Prize for my research in 2012, and serve as an elected member of Council of the Royal Society.

Please see my Research Staff Profile for more detail

Key collaborators:

  • Professor Judy Dubno, Medical University of South Carolina
  • Dr Miguel Angel Moreno Pelayo, Madrid University
  • Professor Walter Marcotti, University of Sheffield
  • Professor Chris Plack, University of Manchester

News

2023 Cozzarelli Prize Biological Sciences awarded to hearing loss reversal research

"Reversal of an existing hearing loss by gene activation in Spns2 mutant mice" was awarded the prize from PNAS for scientific excellence and originality.

Limited use View of stria vascularis of Spns2 mutant at 8 weeks old

Researchers reverse hearing loss in mice

New research from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London has successfully reversed hearing loss in mice.

An elderly woman wearing a hearing aid

IoPPN Researchers receive Wellcome Trust Awards

Professor Karen Steel, Dr Jemeen Sreedharan, Professors Crick Lund & Mark Jordans have individually received funding awards from Wellcome Trust

Wellcome awards recipients

News

2023 Cozzarelli Prize Biological Sciences awarded to hearing loss reversal research

"Reversal of an existing hearing loss by gene activation in Spns2 mutant mice" was awarded the prize from PNAS for scientific excellence and originality.

Limited use View of stria vascularis of Spns2 mutant at 8 weeks old

Researchers reverse hearing loss in mice

New research from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London has successfully reversed hearing loss in mice.

An elderly woman wearing a hearing aid

IoPPN Researchers receive Wellcome Trust Awards

Professor Karen Steel, Dr Jemeen Sreedharan, Professors Crick Lund & Mark Jordans have individually received funding awards from Wellcome Trust

Wellcome awards recipients