Avril Genene Holt, PhD

Associate Professor and Director, Department of Ophthalmology
Wayne State University, Detroit, MI

Avril Genene Holt, PhD, is an Associate Professor and Director in the Department of Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Science at Wayne State University School of Medicine. Her research in the field of auditory neuroscience has included studies of the anatomy, physiology, neurochemistry and gene expression of the central auditory system.
Dr. Holt received her undergraduate degree in Biology from Stillman College and her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from University of Michigan. Following her position as research investigator at the University of Michigan, she completed postdoctoral fellowships at West Virginia University and the University of Michigan. Dr. Holt then went on to teaching and operating as a principal investigator for her own lab. Specifically, she has an expertise in deafness related changes in the gene expression and production of neurotransmitters and ion channels in the auditory brainstem. More recently she has expanded her research to include identifying and measuring correlates of central tinnitus and vestibular disorders by modulating and measuring neuronal activity in the central auditory pathway. Dr. Holt's lab uses imaging, optogenetics and gene transfer approaches to explore the effects of noise exposure on hearing and balance related disorders. Her ultimate goal is to modulate neuronal excitability in an effort to reverse the maladaptive neuroplasticity frequently observed with conditions such as hearing loss or tinnitus.