9,500 square feet of space are devoted to laboratories in the Lions Research Building. Additional space is available at the affiliated hospitals, as well as on the eighth floor of the Phillips-Wangensteen Building. Current funding allows the research and clinical faculty to investigate fluid barriers within the cochlea, pathogenesis of otitis media, auditory analysis of sensorineural hearing loss, central mechanism controlling gaze and head posture, mechanisms of auditory and vestibular dysfunction, the role of the stria vascularis in hearing loss, peripheral mechanisms of hearing, ototoxic drug effects, experimental endolymphatic hydrops, biochemistry of otosclerosis, and anatomic correlates of acoustic trauma. The libraries of the University of Minnesota and of the Departments of Otolaryngology at the four integrated hospitals contain over 420,000 monographs and over 4,800 journals. On-line computer searches are readily available.
Computers are available to residents at all four hospitals.
There are eight full-time research faculty members. Vacation leave of 14 days each year for PG2 and PG3 and 21 days each year for PG4 and PG5 is allowed. Leave for illness, military service, jury duty, emergencies, maternity, examinations, and attendance at scientific and professional meetings is allowed when authorized by the Department Head. The University of Minnesota is committed to the policy that all persons shall have equal access to its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, or sexual orientation.