Evan Ratzan is a postdoctoral research fellow at Boston Children’s Hospital/Harvard Medical school working on gene therapy treatment for congenital neurosensory disorders. He graduated from the Neuroscience Program at the University of Utah where he studied the development of the inner ear. Specifically, he examines the structure and function ofvestibular organs which provide a sense of gravity and acceleration to the brain. Evan uses genetic manipulation, fluorescence microscopy, and quantitative analysis in order to understand functional implications of genetic changes on hearing an balance.

In addition to his PhD research, Evan is also completing a Master’s in Clinical Investigations. He hopes that the novel discoveries about the developmental processes in the embryonic ear can one day translate to improved treatments/diagnostic approaches for human patients. While modern approaches to gene therapy, hair cell regeneration, and stem cell replacement therapies are in their nascent stages, they all depend on firm understanding of developmental neurobiology.