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Timothy A. Jones, Ph.D.ProfessorMail to: 304 Barkley Center Lincoln, NE 68583-0738 Telephone: (402) 472-5100 FAX: (402) 472-7697 email: timothy.jones@unl.edu |
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Timothy A. Jones, Ph.D., is a physiologist who studies the development of function in the auditory (hearing) and vestibular (balance) sensory systems. His research includes the study of factors that may alter or influence development such as genetic mutation and natural physiological stimuli (e.g., sound and gravitational fields). Discovering how sensory neurons find their targets and begin to communicate is an exciting endeavor. His research has led to the discovery and characterization of rhythmic primordial neural discharge patterns in cochlear ganglion cells well before hearing begins. One objective of ongoing research is to understand what role these activity patterns play in development. Such patterns may provide instructions to help guide the refinement of auditory neural circuitry during development. Other areas of interest include the effects and action of drugs on inner ear function and development. A considerable effort has also been made to develop noninvasive objective means to assess inner ear function. This is particularly challenging in the case of evaluating peripheral vestibular function. The success of Dr. Jones and colleagues in developing the linear vestibular evoked potential (VsEP) has been very important. The VsEP provides a direct measure of vestibular function without the need for major surgical procedures. The VsEP has proven to be a very useful tool in improving our understanding of the role that particular genes play in gravity receptor development and function. Dr. Jones' research has been published in national and international scholarly journals including the Journal of Neuroscience, Journal of Neurophysiology, Hearing Research, Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology among others. He is a professor in the Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders. Dr. Jones earned his Ph.D. in physiology from the University of California, Davis, CA. General Areas of Interest: Physiology, pharmacology and development of hearing and balance organs Selected Publications: Jones, T.A., S.M. Jones, S. Vijayakumar, A. Brugeaud, M. Bothwell and C. Chabbert. (2011). The adequate stimulus for mammalian linear vestibular evoked potentials (VsEPs). Hearing Research, 280(1-2):133-140, doi:10.1016/j.heares.2011.05.005. PMC in Process. Jones, TA, SM Jones and LF Hoffman. (2008) Resting discharge patterns of macular primary afferents in otoconia-deficient mice. J. Association for Research in Otolaryngology. 9(4):490-505. DOI:10.1007/s10162-008-0132-0. PMCID: PMC2580812 |
