Study abroad was some years away for Barbara Canlon ’80 when she arrived at Brooklyn College. Her dream was to teach children with special needs, particularly those with developmental disabilities, especially those with hearing impairments. She graduated with a B.S. in audiology and speech pathology and went on to earn a Master of Science in physiological acoustics at the University of Michigan. Then the Staten Island, New York native came to a crucial decision: She would move to Stockholm to earn her Ph.D. in physiology at the renowned Karolinska Institute. In time, she joined the faculty there, and New York’s loss was Stockholm’s gain, as Canlon would conduct award-winning research on hearing loss.
Canlon talks about the preparation she received at Brooklyn College that spurred her career in auditory science, the research that earned her a top prize in her field, why Sweden has become her permanent home, and what she does when she’s not in her lab, including the uniquely Scandinavian winter ritual she indulges in.
You came to Brooklyn College with the aim to teach special education after you graduated.
Many children with developmental disabilities often have communication disorders, including hearing impairments. Observing the impact of hearing loss on an individual’s communication abilities and overall quality of life motivated me to want to understand the auditory system better and to seek ways to assist those with hearing impairments, so I majored in audiology and speech pathology.
How was your experience as a student here?
While I was attending college, I was also working at the Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities in Willowbrook, New York. It was challenging and rewarding because my work enriched my academic experience. I was able to put into practice the theoretical concepts learned in my courses and integrate my work with developmental disabilities research into my academic projects.
I enjoyed very much the mandatory courses that were required during the first year or two, including public speaking. That course gave me an enormous advantage in my career as an educator and scientist. I also joined a clown club that was a lot of fun, but I was pretty bad at it! Still, I made a lot of friends and am still in contact with several of them.
You moved to Stockholm to obtain your doctorate from the Karolinska Institute, and there you remained.
Moving to Stockholm was a significant and transformative decision. The Karolinska Institute is renowned for its research and education in medical and health sciences. Its reputation as one of the leading medical universities in the world was a major draw. As you mentioned, “And there you remained.” That is true! I met my husband, Anders, who is a native of Stockholm. He certainly had a strong influence on me to remain in Sweden. I have been here for 40 years.
Could you tell us about your work and research in layman’s terms?
My work at the laboratory of experimental audiology focuses on understanding how we hear. Our aim is to develop better ways to help people who have hearing problems so they can lead more fulfilling lives. We investigate how our ears and brain work together to allow us to hear sounds. This includes looking at how sound waves travel through the ear, get converted into signals, and are sent to the brain for interpretation. We research different types of hearing loss and what causes them. This can include issues with the ear itself, like damage to the tiny hair cells that detect sound, or problems with the nerves that carry sound signals to the brain.
We also look for new ways to treat hearing loss, such as medications or gene therapy. These treatments aim to repair or replace damaged parts of the ear or improve how the brain processes sound. We also study how exposure to loud noises affects hearing and what can be done to protect our ears. This includes looking at how different pharmacological strategies can be used to prevent noise-induced hearing loss.
You won the prestigious Grand Prix Scientifique for a big discovery. What is it and what applications does it have to everyday medicine? Will it help in the treatment of hearing loss?
The prize is awarded annually by La Fondation Pour l’Audition to a scientist or clinician who has made important contributions to cardiovascular physiology, biology, or medicine. Our discovery that the cochlea [a fluid-filled spiral cavity in the inner ear important for hearing ] has its own circadian clock has several important applications for everyday medicine and potential treatments for hearing loss. It can help optimize drug delivery for treating hearing disorders. There may be times during the day when treatments for hearing loss are most effective. Medications or therapies could be timed to coincide when the cochlea is most receptive. Working with the cochlea’s circadian clock helps us to improve the treatment’s efficacy and reduces its side effects. In addition, knowing the times of the day when the cochlea is most vulnerable to damage from loud noises could lead to better guidelines for noise exposure. Timing gene therapy or other regenerative treatments to align with the cochlea’s circadian rhythms could improve the success rates of these advanced therapies. It represents a significant step forward in personalized and precision medicine for auditory health.
You have a farm; that sounds wonderful.
It is! It is located about four hours west of Stockholm, and we grow vegetables, herbs, and flowers. Behind the house there is a large wooded area where moose and deer roam around. I have even learned how to drive a tractor! It is a lot of fun but also a lot of work to farm good vegetables.
Is there anything else you would like us to know about you?
I enjoy tennis, bike riding, and hiking. And swimming in the Baltic Sea during the winter! Freezing temperatures means it is time for a winter bath. A group of my girlfriends gets together each Saturday at 5 p.m. and we jump in the water, followed by a warm-up in the sauna. We repeat this about three times during the hour we are there. For many, it would be unthinkable to swim during the winter, but the feeling once you’ve climbed out of the water is completely unbeatable!
