The mission of the Eccles Temporal Bone Laboratory of the Department of Histopathology:

1. To acquire and evaluate temporal bones from patients with documented ear disorders.
2. To evaluate the results of therapy.
3. To maintain a database that is shared with the National Temporal Bone Registry, allowing both the House Ear Institute and the National Temporal Bone Registry to serve as a national resource for researchers worldwide.
4. To make the temporal bone collection available for teaching.

Instruction in temporal bone histopathology, for students and visiting doctors, is facilitated by the computerized database of more than 760 pairs of temporal bones from over 4,100 patients of the House Ear Clinic who have pledged their temporal bones to the House Ear Institute.

Processing of surgical specimens obtained by the physicians of the House Ear Clinic is done in collaboration with the House Ear Clinic and the House Ear Institute to determine the results of surgical intervention.

It is a priority of the Histopathology Department to utilize advanced techniques as they become available in the histological evaluation of temporal bones and surgical specimens, such as immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, and Confocal microscopy. Late in 1998, Dr. Emam Saleh began applying modern molecular biology techniques to temporal bones.

We continue to take part in collaborative efforts with other departments as well, i.e., Cell and Molecular Biology, Electron Microscopy, Clinical Studies, Auditory Implant and Perception, and the Children’s Auditory Research and Evaluation Center.