Fatima T. Husain, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Speech and Hearing


Science, University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign,


also officially joins ATA’s SAC. Previously she has graciously served as an ad-hoc grant reviewer for SAC. Dr. Husain has 21 publica- tions, four book chapters, 24 semi- nars and discussions, and 34 poster presentations. Her experience in functional brain imaging and neu- ral systems has led to support by the Tinnitus Research Consortium for an investigation into functional and anatomical neural networks of chronic tinnitus.


SAC also welcomes Mark Mennemeier, Ph.D., the Director of the TMS Core Research Facility at the University of Arkansas for


Medical Sciences. Dr. Mennemeier has served as an ad-hoc grant reviewer for SAC for two years on proposals involving repetitive tran- scranial stimulation (rTMS). With 48 publications, 76 abstracts, and six book chapters he is studying the effects of using PET-CT imaging to target and validate low-frequency rTMS as treatment for tinnitus and the effect of rTMS on resting state brain activity in tinnitus.


Finally, we welcome Fan-Gang Zeng, Ph.D., the Director of the Center for Hearing Research, University of


California, Irvine to


SAC. Dr. Zeng is an expert in sound therapy and cochlear implantation. An ATA-funded researcher, Dr. Zeng was key to the development of the SoundCure™


Serenade® (see


Page 27), with financial support in part from a two-year ATA grant. With six books, 32 book chapters, and 103 publications, Dr. Zeng has made influential breakthroughs in the development of advanced cochlear implants and continues to develop and refine sound treat- ments to ease tinnitus.


Heroes of Tinnitus Awareness Week 2012 Sal & Mattie Gentile


ATA designates one week each May as National Tinnitus Awareness Week (TAW). You might ask, “Why May?” Since 1927, May has been known as “Better Hearing and Speech Month” – a time to raise national public awareness, knowledge and under- standing of speech, language and hearing disorders.


This year’s theme, in honor of the 2012 Summer Olympics, was “Carrying the Torch for Silence.” The backbone of tinnitus awareness week has always been the individuals who took action in their own communities. Because of that, we want to share with you some individuals who helped “carry the torch” for tinnitus awareness this year in various ways.


Mark & Vicki Church


For the second year in a row, Mark championed the Tour de Tinnitus bike fundraiser to help raise funds to support ATA’s mission to cure tinnitus. He rode the Katy Trail in Missouri with his wife Vicki and two other teams who all raised aware-


ness (and research dollars!) during this year’s Tinnitus Awareness Week. Mark has turned the difficulty of living with tinnitus into an opportunity to help others. “In addition to raising money, we were also able to educate people about tinnitus – getting the word out is just as important as getting donations,” said Mark.


Sal was inspired by Mark and decided to participate in the Tour de Tinnitus by starting a ride in Florida in 2012. Sal and his team, including his wife Mattie, rode 100 miles on the Withlacoochee Trail on May 19 to help raise funds for tinnitus research. Although they faced


extreme humidity and the blistering Florida sun, Sal completed all 100 miles in one day. “What a wonderful way to help our tinnitus cause. I can’t wait until next year to see this ride double or maybe triple in riders across multiple states!,” said Sal post-ride. He also got coverage of his ride on the Tampa ABC News affiliate and worked tirelessly with the mayors of Safety Harbor and Tampa to get Tinnitus Awareness Week recognized in those cities through public meetings and procla- mations. For more information on this year’s Tour de Tinnitus, please see Page 8.


Senator James Inhofe


During TAW, Senator Inhofe (R-OK), a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, was presented with ATA’s 2011 Senate Legislative Champion Award for his dedicated efforts to include tinnitus research in the National Defense Authorization Continued on Page 9


Summer 2012 | Tinnitus Today 7


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