Report by: Jorge Simões, Stefan Schoisswohl, PhD students in the University of Regensburg.
Taipei was the home of the 12th edition of the Tinnitus Research Initiative (TRI) conference. The event took place between 17-19 May, and united the top researchers, clinicians and patient organisations from all around the world. This was the first TRI meeting in Asia, as well as the largest so far. There were 436 attendees from 31 different countries, with all continents represented. Altogether, 20 different symposia and six keynote lectures encompassing more than 100 oral presentations, were held in the course of the conference.
Faculty and Delegates
This year´s TRI presentations highlighted the multidisciplinary nature of tinnitus research. During her keynote presentation, Professor Dr Susan Shore presented her work on animal models as well as her promising results with neuromodulation as a potential cure for tinnitus. Meanwhile, Professor Dr Ana Belen Elgoyhen showed how big data can be used for new drugs discovery. Dr Antonio Lopez gave a talk about the state-of-science, the current challenges, and future directions for understanding the genetics of tinnitus. Finally, Professor Dr Nathan Weisz discussed a new model for understanding tinnitus based on the brain’s predictive capabilities.
The TRI 2019 also hosted presentations of several PhD students from the European School of Interdisciplinary Research in Tinnitus (ESIT). This EU-funded programme will form the next generation of tinnitus researchers by training 15 PhD students from all over the world in different top research centres across Europe. The work of Roshni Biswas, currently pursuing her PhD under the supervision of Prof Dr Silvanus Gallus and Prof Dr Deborah Hall, is worth special mention. Her award-winning research focuses on estimating the prevalence, incidence, and risk factors of tinnitus in Europe.
Jorge Simões 
Stefan Schoisswohl
The event was also a great opportunity for researchers and clinicians to network. The dinner event highlights how diverse this year’s attendees were. Overall, the TRI 2019 was a great opportunity to discover cutting-edge research in the field, see old friends and make new ones. Bye bye, TRI 2019, and see you in your next stop - Vancouver 2020.
