Shefin Sam George

I joined the Ricci Lab in August 2016. My research interests span the area of auditory electrophysiology, mechanotransduction and neural prostheses. During my Master of Biomedical Engineering program at Latrobe University, Australia, I had the opportunity to work on a neural prosthesis-based project and watch an auditory electrophysiological experiment for the first time. This sparked a desire in me to pursue a PhD and my interest in the auditory field has grown ever since. During my doctoral studies at the Bionics Institute and the University of Melbourne, Australia, I investigated a novel electrical stimulation technique for cochlear implants using electrophysiological studies, furthering my interest in auditory neuroscience and electrophysiology. Along the way, I realized the need to deepen my basic understanding of auditory science to be able to help improve hearing loss. After completing my PhD thesis, I joined Dr. Anthony Ricci’s lab as a postdoctoral research fellow to help understand the molecular mechanisms and the functional relevance of mechanotransduction, the first step in hearing. My research involves developing advanced imaging techniques to use along with whole-cell patch clamp recordings to help understand the role of the lipid bilayer in regulating hair cell mechanotransduction. I think understanding precisely how and when hair cells acquire mechanosensitivity in normal state is a prerequisite for understanding auditory disorders.

When I am not doing research, I adore being in the nature and enjoy outdoor activities such as back packing, hiking and scuba diving. I love travelling to places, trying new food and exploring different cultures. Apart from that I enjoy spending time gardening and cooking.

Current projects: Lipid Bilayer, Mechanotransduction