The VERTIGE project
VERTIGE is a transdisciplinary project aimed at developing a physical model of the semicircular canal—part of the vestibular system—to simulate certain pathologies that cause vertigo. The otoneurology team (vertigo specialists) at hôpital Edouard Herriot in Lyon is deeply involved in studying the mechanisms of this condition; notably, they have identified new clinical entities linked to specific areas of minimal resistance in the bony wall of the semicircular canals, known as otic capsule dehiscences.
In such cases, the propagation of acoustic energy to the auditory receptors is disrupted by phenomena involving resonance and/or local sound wave interference. To propose new etiological treatments—or even improve existing ones—it is first necessary to develop a physical model to understand the underlying mechanisms of this condition, which is far more common than generally realized.
Our preliminary research has shown that it is possible to construct a motion detector that exhibits the same response as the semicircular canal ampulla across all its specific stimulation frequencies.
In this project, we aim to fabricate a physical model of the semicircular canals—scaled from 1:1 to 10:1 and featuring a morphology similar to the human vestibule—that will subsequently enable the simulation of pathologies associated with third-window syndrome, among others.
The ultimate goal is to provide a tool that not only enables the simulation of pathologies and the development of new treatments in otoneurology but also serves as an educational resource for medical training at all levels.
Project leaders:
Eugen IONESCU
Eugen Ionescu is an associate researcher at the Institut de l’Audition de Paris (Institut Pasteur), an associate professor at the Université de Médecine de Bucarest (Romania), and currently a hospital physician in charge of medical services for balance disorders in adults and children within the Service d’Audiologie et Otoneurologie at the CHU in Lyon.
With over 30 years of experience in his specialty, he has been involved over the years in clinical studies regarding the development of postural control (or the sense of balance) and has authored or co-authored numerous specialized publications. Furthermore, working with his team and other French colleagues, he has contributed to the development of innovative treatments for conditions caused by areas of low resistance in the otic capsule—the underlying cause of third-window syndrome.
Lucian ROIBAN
Lucian Roiban has held the position of Associate Professor (with HDR accreditation) at INSA Lyon since 2012. He specializes in electron microscopy, particularly in the characterization of materials via tomography. His research focuses on developing analysis techniques for three-dimensional environmental microscopy. These techniques are applied to the characterization of heterogeneous catalysts, plasmonic nanoparticles, and electron-beam-sensitive materials, the latter category also encompassing soft matter.
