Awarded in 2026
Home Department: Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine
Faculty Advisors: Stefan Heller (Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery), Casey Gifford (Pediatrics – Cardiology and Genetics), and Aaron Newman (Biomedical Data Science)

Research Title: Overcoming Cell Cycle Quiescence in Postmitotic Supporting Cells Using Human iPSC-Derived Inner Ear Organoids

Hearing loss is a global health burden with no effective regenerative therapies. In mammals, non-sensory supporting cells are postmitotic and cannot regenerate sensory hair cells, leading to permanent hearing loss. Jiayi’s research leverages human iPSC-derived inner ear organoids and creates an “inner-ear-in-a-dish” platform to unravel human-specific regenerative constraints and develop strategies to overcome cell cycle quiescence.