(Washington, DC) Today, Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-3) announced that University of Louisville has been awarded a $386,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for research into the auditory processing skills of adults and children.

"We are fortunate in Louisville to have a top research institution that is recognized at the federal level," Congressman Yarmuth said.  "This funding will provide invaluable assistance as UofL strives to better understand listening and attentiveness skills in adults and children."

The goal of UofL's program is to better understand the capabilities and limitations of auditory processing in children, the development of those skills, and how that development course is affected by hearing impairment.  The new work also addresses problems faced by children and adults with cochlear implants-a small, complex electronic device that is implanted into a patient who is deaf or severely hard-of-hearing to help provide a sense of sound.

Last month, as a result of UofL's pioneering work with the revolutionary device, the school was one of just eight universities to earn an Alexander Graham Bell 2007 Cochlear Implant Fellowship Award.

"This grant will allow Dr. Wightman and his team to continue their work in this important project," said University of Louisville President Dr. James Ramsey. "Their research into developing speech and language promises to improve the lives of children throughout the commonwealth."