The Biennial VA NCRAR Scientific Conference Series

Portland Va Research Foundation, Inc., Portland OR

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

The NCRAR will hold its next three Biennial Conferences starting with “Vestibular Disorders: From Cause to Cure” in fall 2021. Subsequent conference topics are tentatively titled “PostPandemic Innovations in Connected Audiology” and “Multi-Sensory Approaches to Auditory Rehabilitation”, to be refined based on developments in the field and participant feedback from the previous conference. These three-day intensive conferences will bring together basic and translational scientists, clinicians, patients, and health policymakers to promote the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of patients with hearing and balance disorders. We hypothesize that clinical outcomes will be improved if they incorporate a collaborative, interprofessional clinical approach shaped by both the pathophysiology and the perspective of the patient. Consistent with the NIDCD’s 2017-2021 Strategic Plan, these conferences aim to meet the critical need for multidisciplinary approaches to diagnose and treat auditory and vestibular deficits appropriately within a patient-centered care model. The objectives of the 2021 conference are to enhance knowledge of the mechanisms, diagnosis, and clinical management of vestibular dysfunction. Specific topics include cellular regeneration, aging, head trauma, psychophysical testing, artificial-intelligence guided diagnosis, virtual reality-based rehabilitation, and vestibular implantation. Panel discussions with patients and experts and curated matching of mentors with students provide valuable communication and networking opportunities. A novel aspect of the conference series is the inclusion of stakeholders, such as patients and policymakers, within the clinical teaching sessions. An innovative aspect is to optimize the relevance of the case-study focused problem-based learning sessions by polling attendees regarding their challenges in clinical research and patient care. A closing discussion with the presenters and audience will recap recommendations for future research and developments in clinical care. The conference will be limited to 200 attendees to create an intimate environment enhancing open communication. Ten to 15 scholarships will be provided to students, early-career-stage researchers, and clinicians. The conference will be publicized through social media, email and other professional meetings. Announcements will be posted on the NCRAR website, professional organization websites, and published in specialty journals. Conference content will be disseminated to non- attendees via a special issue of the American Journal of Audiology, and the conference presentations will be available at a reduced price on the NCRAR website (with presenter permissions).