News and Updates

Mi-SHARC Launch Meeting Brings Together Researchers to Advance Sensory Health and Aging Research

On May 28, 2026, researchers, clinicians, trainees, and community partners from across the University of Michigan gathered for the launch of the Michigan Sensory Health and Aging Research Collaborative (Mi-SHARC), a new initiative dedicated to advancing research, collaboration, and innovation in sensory health and healthy aging.

This inaugural meeting marked the beginning of an institution-wide effort to connect investigators working across vision, hearing, vestibular function, touch, smell, taste, cognition, and aging. Participants represented a broad range of disciplines, including ophthalmology, otolaryngology, neurology, geriatrics, rehabilitation medicine, epidemiology, public health, engineering, and social sciences.

A key theme throughout the day was the need to bridge traditional disciplinary boundaries. Presenters showcased innovative work occurring at the intersections of multiple fields, illustrating how advances in sensory health increasingly require expertise from diverse disciplinary perspectives. Discussions highlighted the importance of viewing sensory health not in terms of isolated organ systems, but as interconnected components of overall health and function.

The afternoon included an interactive session designed to identify priorities for future collaboration. Participants engaged in facilitated discussions around two research themes:

●        Mechanisms & Measurement

●        Policy & Knowledge Translation

During the interactive session, attendees explored barriers and opportunities in current sensory aging research, brainstormed preliminary research questions, and began strategizing on how these research themes could be leveraged to transform knowledge and bring about meaningful improvements in patient care and population health. Discussions also emphasized the importance of engaging patients, caregivers, and communities in future research efforts.

Several cross-cutting priorities emerged from the conversations, including the need for improved sensory health measurement tools, greater integration of sensory health into routine clinical care, stronger connections between researchers and community partners, and expanded opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration. Participants also identified the importance of training the next generation of sensory aging researchers and creating infrastructure to support team science within the Collaborative.

The enthusiasm and engagement at the meeting underscored the strong interest in building a collaborative sensory health research community at University of Michigan. Mi-SHARC aims to serve as a catalyst for new partnerships, research initiatives, educational opportunities, and funding collaborations that advance understanding of sensory health in later-life;

Meeting materials are now available for those interested in learning more about the initiative. View the event program, watch the recorded presentations, and explore AI-generated summaries of the workgroup discussions to learn more about the ideas and priorities that emerged during the meeting.

Thank you to all speakers, facilitators, attendees, and planning committee members whose contributions helped make the inaugural Mi-SHARC Launch Meeting a success. We look forward to building on this momentum and growing the sensory health and aging research community at U-M together.