Our Research
Community
Our research
The people and activities behind Taringa Insights.
Who we are
Taringa Insights is led by researchers based at the University of Auckland in Aotearoa New Zealand. Our work brings together two closely connected groups: the Translational Research in Inner ear Pathologies team (TRIP) and the Translational Ear Physiology Lab (TEP).
Translational Research in Inner ear Pathologies (TRIP)
TRIP is a clinically connected research group focused on understanding inner ear pathologies and improving how they are diagnosed, treated, and lived with. The team brings together clinicians, scientists, and trainees who share an interest in turning research findings into real-world benefit for people with hearing loss, tinnitus, and balance conditions.
Translational Ear Physiology Lab (TEP)
TEP is a laboratory-based team studying how the inner ear works at the cellular and physiological level. We use a combination of molecular biology, imaging, and clinically relevant animal models to ask questions about hearing, hearing loss, and how new treatments might one day reach the inner ear.
What we do
Day to day, our research blends laboratory science with clinical questions. Some of the activities you would see across TRIP and TEP include:
- Cell and molecular studies of the inner ear
- Imaging of cochlear and vestibular tissues
- Clinically relevant animal models of hearing
- Working with human tissue donated for research
- Building collaborations across audiology, otolaryngology, engineering, and physics
- Mentoring postgraduate students and early-career researchers
- Sharing findings through publications, conferences, and public communication
Our translational pathway
A core part of our work is translation: moving knowledge from laboratory and clinical research toward tools and treatments that improve hearing health. This pathway is exciting, but it is also long.
Translating biomedical research into widely available diagnostic or therapeutic options typically takes around 10 to 20 years from early laboratory discovery through preclinical work, clinical trials, regulatory approval, and clinical adoption. Taringa Insights aims to share progress honestly along the way, including the steps that are still ahead.