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UF Health University of Florida
Someya Lab Institute on Aging

People

Scientific Team

Shinichi Someya, Ph.D. ~ Principal Investigator

I am a tenured Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Program in Gerontology in the Department  of Physiology and Aging in the College of Medicine at the University of Florida. I received my BA from the University of California, Berkeley in 1991 and received my PhD from the University of Tokyo (Tokyo, Japan) in 2005. I then pursued my postdoctoral training in the laboratory of Dr. Tomas Prolla in the Department  of Genetics at the University of Wisconsin in 2005 – 2011. I joined the faculty in the Department of Aging and Geriatric Research at the University of Florida as a tenure-track Assistant Professor in 2011 and was promoted to tenured Associate Professor in 2016.

I have a broad background in cell biology and auditory neuroscience, with specific training and expertise in cochlear aging and hearing loss. My research focuses on sex differences in hearing, mitochondrial function, and aging. I have long-standing interests in elucidating why females display better hearing compared to men at most ages. Up to this point, I have published 60+ peer-reviewed research papers and 9 book chapters. My work employs electrophysiology, histology, biochemistry, and molecular biology to assess auditory function and cochlear pathology. We use mice as a model system because the mouse inner ear is anatomically similar to that of human and the homologies between the mouse and human genomes are well-established.

At the University of Florida, I currently direct six graduate courses: GMS 6486 Biology of Aging (fall/spring/summer), SPA5102 Auditory Anatomy and Physiology (fall), SPA6581 Anatomy and Physiology of Balance (fall), SPA6581 Auditory Pharmacology (summer), and SPA6564 Communication and Aging (spring). I also teach 5 graduate courses as a lecturer, including GMS 6893 Clinical and Translational Science Institute Student Seminar (fall), GMS 6622 Mitochondrial Biology in Aging and Disease (fall), and GMS6070 Sensory Biology (spring). In my courses, I take a student-centered and interactive approach. I encourage students to participate actively. A large part of my teaching effort is dedicated to mentoring students. I have served or currently serve as a committee member and/or mentor for 10+ doctoral students and 30+ undergraduate students. I truly enjoy mentoring, interacting with the students in the lab, and sharing my research questions and ideas with them.

Current Lab Members (as of 3/28/2023)

  • Mi-Jung Kim, PhD ~ Post-doctoral Research Fellow
  • Marcus Milani, BS ~ Graduate Student (MS)
  • Samantha Erf, BS ~ Graduate Student (AuD)
  • Aimee Miller ~ Graduate Student (AuD)
  • Laura Infante ~ Graduate Student (AuD)
  • Rahi Patel ~ Undergraduate Student
  • Ryan Husain ~ Undergraduate Student
  • Shion Simmons ~ Undergraduate Student
  • William Ross ~ Undergraduate Student (UF Medical Honor Program, Class of 2027)
  • Loryn Smith – Undergraduate Student
  • Katerina Anamisis – Undergraduate Student
  • Jesse Polsky – Undergraduate Student

Previous Lab Members (as of 3/28/2023)

  • Hyo-Jin Park, PhD ~ Assistant Research Scientist, University of Arizona
  • Chul Han, PhD ~ Post-doctoral Research Fellow, Barrow Neurological Institute
  • Karessa White, PhD ~ Field Scientist, Halo Labs
  • Jonathan Hirst, AuD ~ UF Health Hearing Center – The Oaks
  • Christina Rothenberger, BS ~ University of Florida Graduate Program (PhD)
  • Kevin Boyd, BS ~ University of Central Florida Medical School
  • Logan Walker, BS ~ University of Central Florida Medical School
  • Kap Owen, BS ~ University of Central Florida Medical School
  • Austin Showers, BS ~ University of Central Florida Medical School
  • Anamaria Parus, BS ~ University of Central Florida Medical School
  • Zaimary Meneses, BS ~ Florida Atlantic University Medical School
  • Jiyeon Koo, BS ~ University of South Florida Medical School
  • Kaitlyn Evans, BS ~ University of Florida Physician Assistant Program
  • Aaron Gomez, BS ~ Florida International University Medical School
  • Cole Slade, BS ~ Kansas City University Medical School
  • John Acevedo, BS ~ University of Florida Accelerated BSN Program
  • Peter Wahba, BS ~ Florida International University Medical School
  • Emma Eng, BS ~ Florida Atlantic University Medical School
  • Emma Viola, BS ~ Lincoln Memorial University Osteopathic Medicine
  • Upal Bose, BS ~ University of South Florida Medical Master’s Program (MS)