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Elisabeth B. Glowatzki, Ph.D.

Professor of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery

Research Interests

Physiology and function of the inner ear, specifically synaptic transmission between hair cells and auditory or vestibular nerve fibers; Function of efferent feedback pathways from the brain to the inner ear; Regeneration of inner ear connections between hair cells and nerve fibers using stem cell ...read more

Background

Dr. Glowatzki, earned her Ph.D. from the University of Kaiserslautern in Germany. She joined Johns Hopkins in 1998 where she focuses her research on understanding the first steps in the auditory and vestibular pathways.

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Titles

Professor of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
Professor of Neuroscience

Departments / Divisions

Centers & Institutes

Hearing and Balance, Center for
Sensory Biology, Center for

Education

Degrees

Ph.D.; University of Kaiserslautern (Germany) (1993)

Additional Training

Eberhard-Karls University, Teubingen, Germany, 1996, Neuroscience and Hearing; Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, 2000, Neuroscience and Hearing

Research & Publications

Research Summary

In the inner ear, the cochlea perceives sound signals and the vestibular organs perceive rotations of our head. In both organs, the sensory cells, hair cells, perceive a mechanical signal, and convert it into an electrical signal, that is transmitted to the brain, via auditory or vestibular nerve fibers. Our research focuses on understanding this first step in the auditory and vestibular pathways, the synaptic transmission of the sound or head movement signal from hair cell to nerve fiber. It is crucial for our correct sense of hearing and balance, that the incoming signals tothe brain is coded precisely. Deficits in this first step of signal transmission to the brain may cause deficits in hearing or balance, and a better understanding of these mechanisms will allow us to find better cures for pathologies in hearing and balance.

Lab

Lab Website: Elizabeth Glowatzki Lab

Selected Publications

Fakler B, Brändle U, Glowatzki E, Zenner H -P, Ruppersberg JP, Kir 2.1 inward rectifier K+ channels are regulated independently by protein kinases and ATP hydrolysis. Neuron. 1994; 13:1413-1420.

Fakler B, Brändle U, Bond C, Glowatzki E, Konig C, Adelman JP, Zenner HP, Ruppersberg JP, A structural determinant of differential sensitivity of cloned inward rectifier K+ channels to intracellular spermine. FEBS Letters. 1994; 356(2-3):199-203.

Fakler B, Brändle U, Glowatzki E, Weidemann S, Zenner H-P, Ruppersberg JP, Strong voltage-dependent inward rectification of inward rectifier K+ channels is caused by intracellular spermine. Cell. 1995; 80:149-154.

Glowatzki E, Fakler G, Brändle U, Rexhausen U, Zenner H-P, Ruppersberg JP, Fakler B, Subunit-dependent assembly of inward rectifier K+ channels. Proc R Soc Lond B. 1995; 261: 151-152.

Glowatzki E, Wild K, Brändle U, Fakler G, Fakler B, Zenner H-P, Ruppersberg JP, Cell-specific expression of the a9 n-ACh receptor subunit in auditory hair cells revealed by single-cell RT-PCR. Proc R Soc Lond B. 1995; 262: 141-147.

Brändle U, Spielmanns P, Osteroth R, Sim J, Surprenant A, Buell G, Ruppersberg JP, Plinkert PK, Zenner H-P, Glowatzki E, Desensitization of the P2X2 receptor controlled by alternative splicing. FEBS Letters. 1997; 404: 294-298.

Glowatzki E, Ruppersberg JP, Zenner H-P, Rüsch A, Mechanically and ATP-induced currents of mouse outer hair cells are independent and differently blocked by d-tubocurarine. Neuropharmacology. 1997; 36(9): 1269-1275.

Glowatzki, E, Fuchs PA, Cholinergic synaptic inhibition of inner hair cells in the neonatal mammalian cochlea. Science. 2000; 288: 2366-2368.

Paukert, M, Osteroth, R, Geisler, H-S, Braendle, U, Glowatzki, E, Ruppersberg, JP, Gruender, S, Inflammatory mediators potentiate ATP-gated channels through the P2X3 subunit. J Biol Chem. 2001; 276(24): 21077-21082.

Glowatzki, E, Fuchs, PA, Transmitter release at the hair cell ribbon synapse. Nature Neuroscience. 2002; (5)2:147-154.

Glowatzki, E, Holt, JC, Boulter, J, Zadina, JE, Elgoyhen, AB, Guth, PS, The a9/a10-containing nicotinic ACh receptor is directly modulated by opioid peptides, endomorphin-1 and dynorphin B, proposed efferent co-transmitters in the inner ear. Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience. 2002; 20:695-711.

Glowatzki, E, Lioudyno, MI, Fuchs, PA, Elgoyhen, AB, Linopirdine blocks a9a10-containing nicotinic cholinergic receptors of cochlear hair cells. Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology. 2004; 5(3):261-269.

PA, GlowatzkiE, Developmental regulation of nicotinic synapses on cochlear inner hair cells. Journal of Neuroscience. 2004; 24(36):7814-7820.

Glowatzki, E, Ryugo, D, Valle, D, PHR₁, a PH domain-containing protein, expressed in primary sensory neurons.Molecular and Cellular Biology. 2004; 24(20): 9137-9151.

Glowatzki, E, Trimmer, J, Aldrich, R, Extrasynaptic localization of inactivating BK channels in mouse inner hair cells. Journal of Neuroscience. 2004; 24(43):9469-9474.

Lioudyno, M, Hiel H, Kong, JH, Katz. E, Waldman, E, Parameshwaran-Iyer, S, Glowatzki, E, Fuchs, PA,.A "synaptoplasmic cistern" mediates rapid inhibition of cochlear hair cells. Journal of Neuroscience. 2004; 24(49):11160-11164.

Glowatzki, E, Facilitating efferent inhibition of inner hair cells in the cochlea of the neonatal rat. Journal of Physiology. 2005; 566.1:49-59.

Glowatzki, E, Chen, N, Hiel,H, Jin, L, Yi, E, Tanaka, K, Ellis-Davies,JCR, Rothstein,JD, Bergles, DE, The glutamate-aspartate transporter (GLAST) mediates glutamate uptake at inner hair cell afferent synapses in the mammalian cochlea. Journal of Neuroscience. 2006; 26(29):7659-7664.

Glowatzki, E, Lustig, LR, Progressive deafness and alterered cochlear innervation in knock-out mice lacing prosaposin. Journal of Neuroscience. 2006;26(50):13076-13088.

Glowatzki, E, Time course and calcium dependence of transmitter release at a single ribbon synapse. PNAS 2007; 104 (41):16341-16346.

Glowatzki, E, Bergles, DE. The origin of spontaneous activity in the developing auditory system. Nature 2007, 450:50-55.

Yi, E, Weber, CM, Grant, L, Yoo, J, Clause, A, Kandler, K, Noebels, JL, Glowatzki, E, LustigLR, Edwards, RH, Sensorineural deafness and seizures in mice lacking vesicular glutamate transporter 3. Neuron 2008, 57(2):263-75.

Oshima, K, Glowatzki, E, Edge, ASB Differentiation of inner ear stem cells to functional sensory neurons. Developmental Biology 2008; 68(5):669-84.

McLean WJ, Smith KA, Glowatzki E, Pyott SJ. Distribution of the Na,K-ATPase alpha Subunit in the Rat Spiral Ganglion and Organ of Corti. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol. 2009; 10 (1):37-49.

Glowatzki E, Fuchs P. The postsynaptic function of type II cochlear afferents. Nature 2009; 461(7267):1126-9.

Glowatzki E. Two modes of release shape the postsynaptic response at the inner hair cell ribbon synapse. Journal of Neuroscience 2010, 30(12):4210-4220.

Yi E, Roux I, Glowatzki E. Dendritic HCN channels shape excitatory postsynaptic potentials at the inner hair cell afferent synapse in the mammalian cochlea. Journal of Neurophysiol 2010; 103(5):2532-43.

Goutman JD, Glowatzki E. Short-term facilitation modulates size and timing of the synaptic response at the inner hair cell ribbon synapse. Journal of Neuroscience 2011; 31(22):7974-81. PMCID: PMC3125715.

Roux I, Wersinger E, McIntosh JM, Fuchs PA, Glowatzki E.Onset of cholinergic efferent synaptic function in sensory hair cells of the rat cochlea. Journal of Neuroscience 2011; 31(42):15092-101. PMCID: PMC3213862.

Weisz CJC, Lehar M, Hiel H, Glowatzki E, Fuchs PA. Synaptic Transfer from Outer Hair Cells to Type II Afferent Fibers in the Rat Cochlea. Journal of Neuroscience 2012; 32(28):9528-9536.

Korrapati S, Roux I, Glowatzki E, Doetzlhofer A. Notch signaling limits supporting cell plasticity in the hair cell-damaged early postnatal murine cochlea. PLoS One 2013; 8(8):e73276.

Weisz CJC, Glowatzki, E, Fuchs, P. Excitability of Type II Cochlear Afferents. Journal of Neuroscience 2014; 34(6):2365-2373.

Contact for Research Inquiries

Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
720 Rutland Avenue
Ross 824
Baltimore, MD 21205 map
Phone: 410-502-7008
Fax: 410-614-4748

Academic Affiliations & Courses

Courses and Syllabi

Structure and Function of the Auditory and Vestibular System Center for Hearing and Balance, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Lecturer. Since 8/2013: Director. (BME 580.625)
2004 - 2013
Neuroscience Elective Course: Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Synaptic Transmission, Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Spring 2007; Spring 2009; Spring, 2011; 2.30-5pm weekly, 9 weeks, WBSB 903 (Instructor together with Dr. Dwight Bergles, Dr. Paul Worley, Dr. Solange Brown). (ME:440-707)
2007
Cellular and Molecular Biology of Sensation, Johns Hopkins University, lecture series for undergraduate students. Lecturer.
2009 - 2014

Activities & Honors

Honors

2023 Pioneer Award in Basic Science, Association for Research in Otolaryngology, 2023 - 2023
Deutsche Akademische Austauschdienst, German academic exchange program, 1997 - 1999
Burt Evans Young Investigator Award, National Organization for Hearing Research Foundation, 2004
Leadership program for Woman Faculty, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 2009 - 2010

Memberships

American Physiological Society, 2010
Animal Research Committee, Association for Research in Otolaryngology, 2006 - 2008
Association for Research in Otolaryngology, 1997
Federation of European Neuroscience Societies, 2002
German Neuroscience Society (Neurowissenschaftliche Gesellschaft), 2002
Society for Neuroscience, 1999

Professional Activities

Advisory Board, Johns Hopkins Office of Women in Science and Medicine, 2013
Editorial Board, Hearing Research, 2014
guest editor, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2013
Leadership program for Woman Faculty, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 2009 - 2010
Master Mentor Program, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 2012 - 2013
Organizer of the Center for Hearing and Balance Seminar Series, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 2007 - 2012
Peer reviewer, Neuron
Peer reviewer, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Peer reviewer, The Journal of Neuroscience
Peer reviewer, The Journal of Neurophysiology
Peer reviewer, The Journal of Physiology
Peer reviewer, Neuroscience
Peer reviewer, Journal of Neuroscience Methods
Peer reviewer, Journal of the Association of Research in Otolaryngology (JARO)
Peer reviewer, Audiology & Neuro-Otology
Peer reviewer, Journal of Neurochemistry
Peer reviewer, Journal of Comparative Neurology
Peer reviewer, eLife
Peer reviewer, Current Biology
Peer reviewer, Cell and Tissue Research
Postdoctoral Affairs Advisory Board, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 2014

Videos & Media

Lectures and Presentations

Identification of the mRNA of ion channel subunits in hair cells of the mammalian cochlea
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston (01/01/1996)
Department of Otolaryngology
Molecular basis and physiology of ligand-gated ion channels in sensory cells of the mammalian cochlea
Medical Sciences, Department of Physiology, UK (01/01/1996)
University of Bristol
Expression of a P2X
School of Biological Sciences, 2 receptor splice variant in auditory hair cells, Brighton (01/01/1996)
University of Sussex
Molecular determinants of P2X
2 receptor desensitization in outer hair cells of the rat cochlea, St Petersburg (01/01/1997)
International Union of the Physiological Sciences
Molecular basis and physiology of P2X receptors in hair cells of the mammalian cochlea
School of Medicine, Center of Hearing Sciences, Baltimore (01/01/1997)
Johns Hopkins University
Cholinergic synaptic currents in inner hair cells before the onset of hearing
Neuroscience Department, Baltimore (01/01/1999)
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Innervation and synaptic transmission in the developing mammalian cochlea
‘Physiological Approaches to Ion Channel Biology’, Cold Spring Harbor (01/01/2000)
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Courses
Synaptic inhibition of cochlear hair cells
Symposium 'Olivocochlear Feedback': Mechanism and Function, St Petersburg (01/01/2001)
Association for Research in Otolaryngology Midwinter Meeting
Postsynaptic activity at the inner hair cell-afferent fiber
Symposium 'Signal Transduction in the Auditory System', Goettingen (01/01/2001)
Max-Planck Institut fuer Experimentelle Medizin
Synaptic transmission in the mammalian cochlea
Kresge Hearing Research Institute, Ann Arbor (01/01/2002)
University of Michigan
Synaptic transmission at the hair cells in the inner ear
Vollum Institute, Vollum Seminar Series, Portland (01/01/2002)
Oregon Health Sciences University
Transmitter release at the hair cell ribbon synapse
Society for Neuroscience 32nd Annual Meeting, Orlando (01/01/2002)
Postsynaptic currents at the hair cell ribbon synapse
Physiological Society, Research Symposium 'Building Hearing', London (01/01/2002)
University College London
Transmitter release at the hair cell ribbon synapse
Houston (01/01/2005)
University of Texas Medical Center Seminar Series
Postsynaptic mechanism enabling high fidelity signaling at the inner hair cell afferent synapse
Washington DC (01/01/2005)
Society for Neuroscience 35th Annual Meeting
Dendritic regulation of afferent activity at the inner hair cell ribbon synapse
Symposium on Ribbon synapses: physiology, molecular dynamics, Paris (01/01/2006)
College de France
Synaptic transmission at the hair cell ribbon synapse
Neuroscience Seminar, Eugene (01/01/2006)
University of Oregon
Transmitter release at the hair cell afferent synapse: mechanisms underlying high fidelity signaling in the inner ear
Sensory Biology: Understanding our Windows to the Worlds, Baltimore (01/01/2006)
Johns Hopkins University
Synaptic transmission at the hair cell afferent synapse in the mammalian cochlea
Bronx (01/01/2007)
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Mechanism for coding sound at the hair cell’s afferent synapse
Symposium on ‘Modulation of Primary Sensory Function’, Baltimore (01/01/2007)
51st Annual Meeting of the Biophysical Society
Mechanism underlying Adaptation at the Inner Hair Cell Ribbon Synapse in the Mammalian Cochlea
Department of Neuroscience, Charlottesville (01/01/2007)
University of Virginia
Transmitter release at the hair cell ribbon synapse
Boston (01/01/2007)
Eaton Peabody Laboratory
Transmitter release at the inner hair cell ribbon synapse
Rutgers Woman in Neuroscience Seminar Series, New Brunswick (01/01/2008)
Rutgers University
Transmitter release at a single ribbon synapse
Neuroscience Department, Boston (01/01/2008)
Harvard Medical School
Synaptic Transmission in the Mammalian Cochlea
Gordon Conference Auditory System, New London (01/01/2008)
Time course and calcium dependence of transmitter release at the hair cell ribbon synapse
FASEB Summer Research Conferences, Snowmass (01/01/2008)
Retina; Neurobiology and Visual Processing
Synaptic transmission at the inner hair cell ribbon synapse in the mammalian cochlea
Zoophysiology and Behavior Group, Germany (01/01/2008)
University of Oldenburg
Maturation of Synaptic Transmission at the Inner Hair Cell Afferent Synapse
7th Molecular Biology of Hearing and Deafness, Boston (01/01/2009)
Harvard Medical School
Properties of transmitter release at the hair cell afferent synapse
Bethesda (01/01/2009)
NIH Neuroscience Series
Maturation of Synaptic Transmission at the Inner Hair Cell Afferent Synapse
Minisymposium on “Functional Properties of Synaptic Transmission in Primary Sensory Organs”, Chicago (01/01/2009)
Neuroscience Meeting
Two modes of release shape the postsynaptic activity at the inner hair cell afferent synapse
Portland (01/01/2010)
The Vollum Institute Seminar Series
Two modes of release shape the postsynaptic activity at the inner hair cell afferent synapse
Sensory Transduction, The gateway to perception: mechanisms and pathology, Titisee (01/01/2010)
International Titisee Conferences
Synaptic transmission in the inner ear
Scottsdale (01/01/2011)
American Auditory Society
Glutamatergic neurotransmission at the vestibular hair cell – calyx synapse
Goettingen (01/01/2011)
Ribbon Synapses Symposium
Properties of synaptic transmission at different hair cell ribbon synapses
Symposium on Molecular Anatomy and Physiology of the Ribbon Synapse, San Diego (01/01/2012)
Association of Research in Otolaryngology Midwinter Meeting 2012
Synaptic transmission at different hair cell ribbon synapses
Sensory Neuroscience and Neuroengineering Seminar Series, Stanford (01/01/2012)
Stanford School of Medicine
Synaptic transmission at different hair cell ribbon synapses
St Michaels (01/01/2012)
Johns Hopkins University Department of Neuroscience Annual Retreat
Afferent Synaptic Transmission in the Inner Ear: A Comparison of Mechanisms at Work in the Cochlea and in the Vestibular System
Auditory Neuroscience Research Retreat; Keynote Address, Iowa City (01/01/2013)
University of Iowa
Afferent Synaptic Transmission at the Hair Cell Ribbon Synapse
Department of Neurobiology Seminar Series, Pittsburgh (01/01/2014)
University of Pittsburgh
Afferent Synaptic Transmission at the Hair Cell Ribbon Synapse
Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders Speaker Series, Chicago (01/01/2014)
Northwestern University
Mechanisms for setting up Firing Rates in Auditory and Vestibular Nerve Fibers
Seminar Series at the Eaton Peabody Laboratories of Auditory Research, Boston (01/01/2014)
Harvard Medical School
Cellular Mechanisms underlying Auditory Nerve Fiber Activity in the Inner Ear
Hearing Center Seminar Series, Boston (01/01/2014)
Boston University

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