Speech and language pathologist Wendy Huinck has been appointed Professor of Hearing & Implants at Radboud university medical center / Radboud University. With her chair, she aims to innovate the care provided to people with severe hearing loss. In doing so, she hopes to improve the quality of life for this group of patients.
Huinck focuses on all types of hearing implants, especially on Cochlear Implants (CI). A CI is a device that replaces the function of hearing and is designed for people for whom a hearing aid is no longer sufficient. On the outside of the head, there is a behind-the-ear device with a microphone that picks up sound and converts it into an electrical signal. A magnetic connection transfers this signal to the implant under the skin. From there, a thin wire goes into the cochlea – the inner ear – and stimulates the auditory nerve. This allows people with severe hearing loss to perceive sound again.
Technology and the individual at the center of CI research
Within her academic chair, Huinck leads a broad research programme. One of these studies is Anatomy Based Fitting, in which her team investigates how the external component can be matched as accurately as possible to the length of the internal wire of a CI. In doing so, they consider personal characteristics such as residual hearing and the size of the cochlea. ‘Sound is perceived very differently with a CI’, Huinck explains. ‘The better the alignment, the more natural it sounds and the more you can enjoy the sounds around you.’
She also leads the SMILE study, which examines the social and societal impact of CIs in adults. Previously, CIs were often introduced only at a late stage. As a result, people with hearing loss sometimes lost social contacts or were no longer able to keep their jobs because of their hearing impairment. ‘By studying earlier support, we try to prevent this distress’, says Huinck. The study therefore shows the value a CI can have in everyday life.
A broad team for comprehensive care
Huinck is also involved in many other studies that together cover Hearing & Implants care. She and her colleagues investigate, among other things, the surgical procedure, new implant developments, how users can enjoy music again, and how the treatment pathway can be made more efficient so that more people can be helped. According to Huinck, the breadth of these topics illustrates how essential the team is: each study highlights a different part of the care process, involving different specialists.
Career
Wendy Huinck studied speech therapy at Zuyd University of Applied Sciences and subsequently completed a Master’s in Speech and Language Pathology at Radboud University. In 2006, she obtained her PhD at Radboud University with a dissertation on therapies for stuttering. As leader of the care pathway for Hearing Loss in Adults, she develops and innovates hearing care within the ENT department of Radboud university medical center. Clinically, she is involved in CI diagnostics and determining indications for implantation. She also supervises PhD candidates and master’s students. Her appointment as professor will start on April 1 and will last for five years.
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