Kirupa Suthakar

Doctor of Philosophy - Pharmacology and Physiology
University of New South Wales (UNSW)/Garvan Institute of Medical Research (GIMR) - 2017

Bachelor of Medical Science (First Class Honours)
University of New South Wales (UNSW)/Garvan Institute of Medical Research (GIMR) - 2012

Bachelor of Medical Science
University of Technology, Sydney - 2011

Bachelor of Science - Psychology
Macquarie University, Sydney - 2007

Effects of early hearing deficits on olivocochlear efferent neuron morphology in mice 2026 - Journal Article

ABRpresto: An algorithm for automatic thresholding of the Auditory Brainstem Response using resampled cross-correlation across subaverages 2025 - Journal Article

Age-Related Changes to Olivocochlear Efferent Neurons in Mice with Pathological Hearing 2025 - Other

ABRpresto: An algorithm for automatic thresholding of the Auditory Brainstem Response using resampled cross-correlation across subaverages 2024 - Other

Serotonin excites medial olivocochlear neurons of the auditory efferent pathway 2023 - Journal Article

Experience-dependent flexibility in a molecularly diverse central-to-peripheral auditory feedback system 2023 - Journal Article

Noise Masking in Cochlear Synaptopathy: Auditory Brainstem Response vs. Auditory Nerve Response in Mouse 2022 - Journal Article

Strategies for Identification of Medial Olivocochlear Neurons for Patch-Clamp Studies of Synaptic Function Using Electrical Stimulation and Optogenetics 2022 - Book Chapter

NIDCD Retreat Best 10-minute Talk - National Institutes on Deafness and Communication Disorders (NIDCD) [2025]

NIDCD Director's Recognition Award for Summer Student Mentorship - National Institutes on Deafness and Communication Disorders (NIDCD)/National Institutes of Health (NIH) [2024]

Fellows Award for Research Excellence (FARE) - National Institutes of Health (NIH)/Office of Intramural Training and Education (OITE) [2024]

21st Australasian Auditory Neuroscience Workshop Best Talk by a Postdoctoral Fellow - Australasian Auditory Neuroscience Workshop (AANW) [2023]

NIDCD Retreat Best Traditional Talk - National Institutes on Deafness and Communication Disorders (NIDCD) [2023]

NIDCD Director's Recognition Award for EARssentials - National Institutes on Deafness and Communication Disorders (NIDCD) [2022]

ARO Travel Award - Association for Research in Otolaryngology (ARO) [2022]

ARO Presidential Citation - Association for Research in Otolaryngology (ARO) [2021]

SOMS Paper of the Month Award - University of New South Wales (UNSW), School of Medical Sciences (SOMS) [2016]

Sensory Neuroscience Symposium Prize - Excellence in Scientific Presentation - Western Sydney University (WSU) [2015]

Assistant Professor
University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) [2025–Present]

Visiting Fellow
National Institute on Deafness and Communication Disorders (NIDCD)/National Institutes of Health (NIH) [2020–2025]

Research Fellow & Physiology Core Coordinator
Harvard Medical School (HMS)/Massachusetts Eye and Ear (MEE) [2016–2020]

Honours & Doctoral Student
University of New South Wales, Australia (UNSW)/Garvan Institute of Medical Research (GIMR) [2012–2016]

Research Assistant
University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) [2011–2012]

Serotonin signaling of auditory efferent neurons in noise-induced hyperacusis and tinnitus (NIHT)

$50,000 - Hearing Health Foundation Emerging Research Grant [2026/10–2027/09]

A single exposure to loud noise can cause lasting changes in hearing. Tinnitus (the phantom perception of sounds such as ringing or buzzing) and hyperacusis (an increased sensitivity to everyday sounds resulting in discomfort or pain) can develop following exposure to loud sounds. Both conditions can have a profound impact on quality of life, affecting communication, concentration, sleep, mood and social interactions. Depression and other mood disorders also occur at unusually high rates in people with tinnitus and/or hyperacusis, suggesting that hearing and mental health may be biologically connected. Serotonin is a chemical messenger in the brain best known for its role in mood, but it also regulates the activity of nerve cells throughout the brain, including those involved in hearing. Altered serotonin signaling is associated with depression and is targeted by antidepressant medications known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). SSRIs increase serotonin signaling by blocking the serotonin transporter (SERT), a protein that normally removes serotonin from the spaces between neurons, known as synapses. By blocking SERT, SSRIs increase the amount of serotonin available to signal nerve cells. A specialized group of nerve cells called medial olivocochlear (MOC) efferent neurons act as a volume control for the auditory system. When activated, MOC neurons reduce the ear’s sensitivity to sound, helping protect the auditory system from the effects of intense noise. Our previous work has shown that serotonin can increase MOC activity. However, it is not yet known if differences in serotonin signaling change an individual’s vulnerability to noise-related hearing problems. We propose that altered serotonin signaling provides a mechanistic link between mood and auditory disorders. We hypothesize that serotonin influences the ear’s protective mechanisms, and, consequently, vulnerability to tinnitus and hyperacusis following exposure to loud sounds. Using mice with genetically altered SERT function, we will directly test this possibility. We will determine whether long- term disruption of serotonin signaling during development alters MOC activity, vulnerability to noise-induced hyperacusis and tinnitus, and measures of depression-like behaviors. By manipulating both serotonin signaling and noise exposure, we can test whether serotonin plays a causal role rather than simply being associated with hearing or mood disorders. This research offers a new approach for understanding the neurobiological connection between auditory and mental health disorders. Our findings could help explain why some individuals are particularly vulnerable to noise-induced hearing problems, identify an underexplored protective pathway in the auditory system, and provide a foundation for investigating whether medications that alter serotonin signaling, including SSRIs, could eventually have utility in preventing or treating these disabling conditions.