History of the Institute
Howard P. House, M.D., founded the Institution in 1946 as a private non-profit hearing research and educational facility. Since its inception, the Institute has grown from a rented one-person office to a five story building with 130 staff members.
Each one of our staff members plays a vital role in the Institute's mission. While our research today has expanded into new frontiers of discovery.
Although our name has changed to House Research Institute, Dr. House's vision remains the cornerstone of the Institute's mission to improve the quality of life.
House Research Institute (formerly House Ear Institute) continues to be a leader in defining the causes of hearing and balance disorders and improving sensory devices and diagnostic technologies. Over the course of our history, our discoveries have led to improved treatments and care for millions of people around the world.
Photo Credit: William F. House, M.D., with patient Chuck Grasier, and Engineer Jack Urban.
Some of our research milestones include:
- Microscopic ear and skull based surgery
- First cochlear implant system
- First digital hearing aid
- First auditory brainstem implant
- First functional hearing test (HINT)
- Human cell lines for auditory research
- Human age-related hearing loss gene
See timeline below to learn more about the Institute.
