About the laboratory

Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery
Indiana University School of Medicine
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA

The DeVault Otologic Research Laboratory is the primary behavioral research venue for the Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery in the Indiana University School of Medicine, located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Occupying approximately 3000 square feet on two floors of the research wing of the James Whitcomb Riley Hospital for Children, the laboratory is named for its principal early benefactor, Dr. Virgil T. DeVault (1901-2000), a native Hoosier and alumnus of Indiana University (B.S., 1927; M.D., 1929).

Current research being conducted in the laboratory examines the short-term and long-term effects of cochlear implantation and/or therapeutic amplification in deaf and hard-of-hearing infants, children, and adults, as well as the factors underlying variability in behavioral outcomes of cochlear implantation and/or therapeutic amplification.

The laboratory staff is composed of research and teaching faculty, postdoctoral research fellows, clinical professionals in speech-language pathology and audiology, technical support staff, research assistants, and medical students. Research activities in the laboratory are supported primarily by several grants from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders of the National Institutes of Health, with substantial support also coming from various other public and private agencies, as well as individual gifts and bequests.

Mission Statement

The mission of the DeVault Otologic Research Laboratory is to create, disseminate, and apply scientific knowledge regarding cognitive, behavioral, social, and linguistic outcomes of various treatments for hearing loss across the lifespan, and to identify and analyze factors that contribute to variability in those outcomes. We endeavor to accomplish our mission through

Research that is multidisciplinary, incorporating approaches and models from otology, audiology, speech-language pathology, cognitive science, linguistics, and cognitive and developmental psychology; and cooperative, establishing and maintaining productive collaborations with colleagues from various disciplines at other institutions;

Education that is designed to impart the highest standards of scientific inquiry to the next generation of researchers and clinicians through training programs for undergraduate students, graduate students, professional students, and postdoctoral researchers; and

Service that translates basic scientific knowledge into clinical intervention, treats patients and other research participants according to the highest ethical standards and with the highest respect for human dignity, and contributes to the health and well-being of all people.

DeVault Otologic Research Laboratory
Indiana University School of Medicine
Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery
699 Riley Hospital Drive, RR044
Indianapolis IN 46202-5119
USA

Telephone: +1 317.274.4915
Facsimile: +1 317.274.4949
General email: devinfo@iupui.edu