Professional Bio
EDUCATION
BA Experimental Psychology, Economics, Hamilton College, Clinton, NY 1977
PhD Bioengineering, Neuroscience, Physiology, Institute for Sensory Research College of Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 1983
CURRENT POSITIONS
2007 to present Research Professor, Rochester Institute of Technology
2004 to present Professor, Otolaryngology Department, University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry
2004 to present Adjunct Professor of Communication Sciences, National Technical Institute for the Deaf, Rochester Institute of Technology.
2004 to present Adjunct Professor of Communication Disorders & Sciences, Department of Speech & Hearing, University of Buffalo.
1999 to present Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry
1999 to present Professor, Department of Neurobiology & Anatomy, University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry
SELECTED HONORS
1994 to present Fellow - Acoustical Society of America
1990 to present Scientific Fellow - American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery
2007 Intellectual Property Productivity Award, Tech. Licensing Office, Rochester Institute of Technology
2003 - 2007 Distinguished Researcher in Biological Sciences, Rochester Institute of Technology
2004 Silver Certificate, Acoustical Society of America
1988 - 2004 Appointed to Technical Committee on Psychological & Physiological Acoustics by Executive Council of the Acoustical Society of America
1990 - 1993 Chairman-Subcommittee for National Meetings, Acoustical Society of America
1988 - 1994 National Institutes of Health FIRST Award in Communicative and Neurosensory Disorders
1983 - 1986 National Institutes of Health Fellow in Sensory Physiology and Biophysics
1978 - 1981 National Science Foundation Graduate Fellow in Physiology
1978 - 1981 Honorary Syracuse University Graduate Fellow
1978 - 1979 Syracuse University Graduate Fellowship
1977 - 1978 Root Fellow, graduate award given by Hamilton College to 3 seniors who have "shown marked ability and special aptitude for research in the departments of science". (Hamilton Catalog)
1977 - 1978 Syracuse University Graduate Scholar
1977 Phi Beta Kappa, Sigma Xi, Psi Chi
1977 Summa Cum Laude A.B. Degree
Research Bio
MAJOR FOCUS:
Determination of Brain Mechanisms Responsible for Encoding of Speech and Complex Sounds in Young and Aged – Towards Therapeutic Interventions.
FACETS OF THE RESEARCH PROGRAM:
A) Biomedical Engineering, Neurophysiological, Molecular, Genetic and Neuroanatomical Investigation of Biological Bases of Presbycusis. Multidisciplinary Program Project in collaboration with twelve other faculty at the University of Rochester, Departments of Neurobiology & Anatomy and Brain & Cognitive Sciences, and the National Technical Institute for the Deaf and Biological Sciences Department at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Funded with NIH Program Project Grant, and 5- year NIH K Award.
B) Development of microelectronic and bioengineering approaches to calibrated and sustained drug and biotherapeutic compound delivery, in collaboration with Drs. David Borkholder and Lynn Fuller, Rochester Institute of Technology. Funded with NIH 5-year K Award.
C) Neurophysiological Encoding of Speech and Biologically Relevant Sound Features by the Auditory Nervous System, investigated using biomedical engineering techniques. Funded with NIH Program Project, listed above.
D) Functional Neuroanatomical Organization of the Auditory System, including effects of hormones and sex differences, investigated with advanced neuroimaging and other neuroscientific and human perceptual techniques. In collaboration with Dr. Barbara Canlon, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. Funded with NIH Program Project, listed above.
SELECTED CURRENT GRANTS
NIH – NIDCD; Grant#: R01 DC009395-0
Project Title: "Hearing Impairment in HIV/AIDS"
PI: Amneris Luque, M.D. – University of Rochester Medical School
Co-PI: Robert Frisina, Ph.D.
Total Funding for 5 years: $1,923,380 Inclusive Dates: 7/01/09 – 6/30/14
Aims: Characterize the nature and extent of hearing impairment in HIV/AIDS patients, including longitudinal changes with different treatment regimes, and possible sensory improvement with effective treatments.
NIH – NIDCD; Core Center Grant#: P30 DC005409-06
Project Title: "Center for Navigation & Communication Sciences"
PI: Gary Paige, M.D., Ph.D. – University of Rochester Medical School
Core Leader: Robert Frisina, Ph.D.
Co-I: Joseph Walton, Ph.D.
Co-I: David Eddins, Ph.D.
Total Funding for 2nd 5 years: $2,000,000 Inclusive Dates: 7/01/08 – 6/30/13
Aims: This Core Center Grant allows investigators to efficiently share costly, time consuming, essential but cumbersome, and in many cases innovative research services, in the areas of human subject recruiting, scheduling and screening, and in other technical areas such as computer system and database development.
NIH – NIA; Grant #: P01 AG09524-15
Project Title: "Aging Auditory System: Presbycusis & its Neural Bases"
P.I.: D. Robert Frisina, Ph.D. – NTID, Rochester Institute of Technology
Co-Director and P.D.: Robert D. Frisina, Ph.D.
C.D.: William O'Neill, Ph.D.
P.D.: James Ison, Ph.D.
P.D.: Joseph Walton, Ph.D.
Total Costs: $13,500,000 Inclusive Dates: 6/1/91 – 4/30/10
Aims: Determine and characterize the neural and molecular bases of age-related hearing loss in humans and animal models.
| Intellectual Property Productivity Award | Technology Licensing Office, RIT |
2007 |
| Silver Certificate | Acoustical Society of America |
2004 |
| Distinguished Researcher in Biological Sciences | Rochester Institue of Technology |
2003 - 2007 |
| Fellow | Acoustical Society of America |
1994 - Present |
| Scientific Fellow | American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery |
1990 - Present |
| FIRST Award in Communicative and Neurosensory Disorders | National Institutes of Health |
1988 - 1994 |
| Graduate Scholar | Syracuse University |
1977 - 1978 |
| Summa Cum Laude B.A. Degree | Hamilton College |
1977 |
| Marder Prize | Hamilton College |
1977 |
| Certificate of Appreciation | Utica Volunteer Agency |
1977 |
| Bennet Scholar | Hamilton College |
1976 - 1977 |
| Nomination: Rhodes Scholarship and Marshall Scholarship | Faculty Committee, Hamilton College |
1976 |
| Dean's List-High Honor | Hamilton College |
1974 - 1977 |
| Gilbert Prize | Hamilton College |
1974 |
| Bronze Citizenship Medal | Sons of the American Revolution |
1973 |
