New centre to boost research and treatment for the deaf and dizzy

Hearing loss and balance problems tend to go hand in hand. Now the University Hospital Rigshospitalet is collecting all its research and specialist treatment facilities for patients with hearing and balance problems in Copenhagen Science City. A major aim of the new centre is to develop new technologies and treatments in collaboration with universities and industry.

Ambitions in a field of world leaders

Greater Copenhagen is already a major powerhouse in acoustics and ultrasound research, where medical science and engineering within medico-technical research often go hand in hand. The new centre could become an important contribution to this position, says leading hearing physician at Rigshospitalet , Mads Klokker.

The centre will be an international trailblazer, and we’re extremely ambitious. Being able to contribute to our own ‘medico-technical valley’ with world-class research is unique. Denmark is a small country and we must exploit the areas in which we’re genuinely competent to benefit our patients and Danish society”: Mads Klokker, Head of the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery & Audiology at Rigshospitalet.

Generous donation from hearing aid charity

The new centre is made possible by a DKK 40 million donation from The William Demant Foundation, which is closely associated to the Demant Group. A world leader in hearing healthcare, the group includes the companies Otican, Interacoustics and Oticon Medical. The Chairman of William Demant Foundation, Lars Nørby Johansen, is proud to be able to contribute to such a strategic and unique project within hearing healthcare.

“The centre will boost research and innovation within hearing health and strengthen collaboration between experts from the public and private sectors. One of our main tasks is to contribute to society, including support for research and development to improve the lives of people with hearing loss, so we are proud to aid this initiative” said Lars Nørby Johansen.

10 million kroner for research

The William Demant Foundation earmarks DKK 10 million of their DKK 40 million donation for research. Projects will investigate the use of cochlear implants, including adaptation to the Danish language, simultaneous electric-acoustic hearing in single-sided deaf patients and neuro-monitoring in connection with cochlear implantation. Another important research area will be simulation and navigation ear surgery with a view to future robotic surgery.

And an additional 30 million for buildings

The remaining 30 million DKK will go to building the hearing and balance centre. It will be located in 2,200 m2 premises in North Wing 2, which is the last phase of Rigshospitalet’s 100,000 M2 new hospital building project, The North Wing. The new centre is slated to open in the summer of 2020.

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