“The really cool thing about understanding a precise molecular reason for something like hearing loss is now you have a precise molecular target, right?” said Dr. Dylan Chan, a pediatric specialist in ear, nose and throat conditions at UCSF, in a recent “As Prescribed” interview with KCBS Radio’s Alice Wertz.

Chan and other researchers have been drilling down to the molecular level to understand hearing loss. This research has covered both genetic hearing loss and hearing loss caused by environmental factors such as chemotherapy medication.