Academics Research Our Dept Resources Academics Undergraduate Programs Graduate Programs Course Descriptions Mission and Objectives Research Department Faculty & Staff Graduate Students Open Faculty Positions News & Announcements Events Resources Webmail Career Services Engineering Student Services Intranet Home > Our Department > All Events > Anatomy and Physiology of the Labyrinth    Anatomy and Physiology of the Labyrinth   By Professor Timothy Hullar, M.D. Professor Washington University School of Medicine, Departments of Otolaryngology and Anatomy and Neurobiology   Thu, Nov 13, 2008 2:30 PM   Location: Lopata Hall Room 101   Acute functioning of the inner ear is critically important for the survival of cetaceans, the phylogenetic group that includes whales, dolphins, and porpoises.  Significant changes in the balance and hearing structures of the ear were among the first adaptations of archaic cetaceans as they took the initial steps from a terrestrial toward an aquatic habitat.  We still have little idea how modifications of the ear affect the ability of cetaceans to hear or orient underwater.  We have used newly developed microCT technology to describe the anatomy of the inner ears of many species of cetaceans and related terrestrial animals in much greater detail than available before.  These data have allowed us to formulate qualitative hypotheses about the specialized function of the hearing (cochlear) and balance (vestibular) portions of the inner ear in cetaceans.  We are in the initial stages of pursuing these hypotheses quantitatively using miniaturized underwater pressure sensors to evaluate hearing in these animals, and MEMS gyroscopes and finite element analysis to evaluate their balance function.  We expect our ongoing experiments to demonstrate means by which advanced engineering solutions may shed light on basic evolutionary questions and to advance our ability to protect and preserve threatened and endangered species.       Mechanical, Aerospace & Structural Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis One Brookings Drive, Box 1185, St. Louis, Missouri 63130 Office Location: 305 Jolley Hall, Phone: (314) 935-6047, Fax: (314) 935-4014   Home |  Academics | Research | Department | Resources © 2009 | Did you find it?