Dr. Hong Zhu working in the ENT research lab.
Group portrait of BARC faculty and staff.

Balance and Auditory Research Center

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Balance and Auditory Research Center (BARC)

Dr. Wu Zhou, professor and director of the research division in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head Neck Surgery and PI and director of the BARC, in the lab with research associate Dr. Zelma Iriarte.

Advancing Research in Hearing and Balance

The University of Mississippi Medical Center is advancing medical research in two of the most prevalent—and most underserved—areas of human health: hearing and balance.

With support from an $11.9 million grant from the National Institutes of Health’s Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) program, UMMC has established the Balance and Auditory Research Center (BARC) within the Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery. This center positions UMMC as a leading hub for vestibular and auditory neuroscience research in Mississippi and beyond.

BARC investigators aim to translate discoveries into:

  • New diagnostic tools
  • Novel therapeutic strategies
  • Advanced rehabilitation techniques

Research associate Dr. Raven Riley in the lab viewing results on four computer monitors.Research Focus Areas

BARC research addresses critical gaps in understanding and treating disorders of hearing and balance, including:

  • Gene therapy
  • Hair cell regeneration
  • Traumatic brain injury
  • Neurodegenerative diseases

Balance impairment and falls are among the most common and serious conditions affecting older adults. Hearing loss is the most common congenital disorder, the third most prevalent chronic condition in adults, and one of the strongest modifiable risk factors for cognitive decline and dementia. Despite this burden, research investment in these areas has historically lagged—an unmet need BARC is designed to address.

Group portrait of five BARC staff members.