The Temporal Bone Laboratory at the House Ear Institute, Los Angeles

 

Dr. Howard House, MD

The human temporal bone laboratory at the House Ear Institute (HEI) was established in 1952 through the commitment of Dr. Howard House, the founder of the HEI. Dr. House considered human temporal bone histopathology to be a critical research and training tool and initiated the temporal bone pledge program in the clinic.

 

 

 

Dr. Fred Linthicum, MD

Dr. Fred Linthicum served as the Laboratory’s part-time Director until 1960 when Dr. George Keleman became its first full time Director. Dr. Linthicum assumed the Directorship of the Laboratory in 1983.

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Jose Fayad, MD        

Dr. Jose Fayad assumed the co-directorship of the laboratory in 2003 and will assume the directorship of the laboratory upon the retirement of Dr. Linthicum.

 

 

 


 

Dr. Joni K. Doherty, MD, PhD

Dr. Doherty was recruited to HRI in 2010, and was recently appointed Co-Director of the Eccles Temporal Bone Laboratory, assisting Dr. Fayad. Her role is to develop techniques for molecular analyses of the temporal bone collection. Currently, two technicians assist Drs. Linthicum, Fayad, and Doherty.


 

ECCLES Temporal Bone
Histopathology Laboratory

The HEI investigators and lab personnel are experienced scientists in the fields of temporal bone pathology, immunohistochemistry, morphology, molecular biology and genetics. This multidisciplinary team is well qualified to insure that the scientific goals of the HEI Temporal Bone Laboratory are achieved and that fruitful collaborations with the Temporal Bone Consortium are established and nurtured. Pictured here from top left to bottom right are: Dr. Joni K. Doherty, Dr. Fred H. Linthicum, Jr., Dr. Jose N. Fayad, Dr. Celine Richard, a visiting research scholar from France, Janelle Dominguez, Research Associate, Susie Bernal, the Temporal Bone Program Coordinator, Dr. Marco Giovannini, Director of Clinical and Translational Research, and Ana Cordera, Laboratory Histology Technician.

 

Dr. Fred Linthicum, MD and
Dr. Jose Fayad, MD

The Temporal Bone Laboratory currently possesses 729 processed pairs of temporal bones (1458 specimens) from donors with a variety of otologic disorders. Accompanying each case is a detailed record of the histopathologic analysis as well as all relevant clinical information. This information is stored in a searchable database. In addition, the laboratory also has processed 37 brain stems and 35 auditory cortexes that have been section, as well as 141 formalin fixed brain stems. In addition to its work with human temporal bones, the laboratory has also processed over 100 animal temporal bones used in various projects and over 2000 surgical specimens from the House Clinic.

 

Notable contributions of the HEI Temporal Bone Laboratory:

  1. Over 262 papers have been published in referred journals as well as one Atlas of Temporal Bone Histopathology and several book chapters
  2. Demonstration of the relationship of cochlear otosclerosis to sensorineural hearing loss.
  3. Cochlear implant histopathology and auditory function.
  4. Symptomatic traumatic neuromas of the vestibule.
  5. 3D Reconstruction of the human endolymphatic sac.
  6. Histopathology of NF2 tumors in relation to hearing loss

 

Contact Information:

Temporal Bone Histopathology Laboratory
House Ear Institute
2100 West Third Street, 4th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90057
Tel: (213) 483-4431
Tel: (800) 388-8612
Fax: (213) 483-8789

Investigators:

Fred H. Linthicum, Jr., M.D.
Email: flinthicum@hei.org

Jose N. Fayad, M.D.
Email: jfayad@hei.org

Joni K. Doherty, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.S.
Email: jdoherty@hei.org