Tinnitus Quest Builds Momentum with Oxford Research Study, New Funding Call, and Second Tinnitus Hackathon

OXFORD, England, June 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Tinnitus Quest, an international patient-driven nonprofit dedicated to accelerating research into treatments to silence tinnitus, today announced the launch of a new round of research funding aimed at uncovering bold, innovative ideas to silence tinnitus.

The funding call builds on the momentum generated by Tinnitus Quest's first awarded grant, a $230,000 study at the University of Oxford exploring whether transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) can reduce tinnitus by targeting deep brain regions involved in generating the phantom sound.

Led by Professor Robin Cleveland, Director of the Institute of Biomedical Engineering at Oxford, the project is investigating whether transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) can modulate neural circuits associated with tinnitus, and which brain targets and stimulation patterns are most effective in reducing tinnitus loudness.

Deep brain stimulation has shown promising tinnitus reductions but requires invasive neurosurgery. The Oxford study, if successful, would offer a non-invasive alternative that is safer and more scalable.

As part of its new funding round, Tinnitus Quest is seeking even more out-of-the-box ideas for developing effective tinnitus treatments and is also offering a hyperacusis grant on behalf of Hyperacusis Research Ltd. Particularly encouraged is drug and device repurposing; adapting existing treatments could substantially reduce development costs and shorten the path to market.

Legendary singer and actress Barbra Streisand said:

"Tinnitus Quest gives hope to people who are affected. They are driving research forward and raising much needed awareness, which is why I am happy to support their mission and research."

The Barbra Streisand Foundation donated $10,000 last year to help advance the work of Tinnitus Quest.

Tinnitus affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide and can cause severe sleep disturbance, anxiety, and reduced quality of life, yet effective treatments remain limited.

"In a field that remains severely underfunded, our first grant demonstrated that promising ideas exist. Now we want to uncover a pipeline of even more innovative approaches that could bring us closer to silencing tinnitus," said Hazel Goedhart, co-founder of Tinnitus Quest.

Tinnitus Quest also announced that it will host the second edition of its Tinnitus Hackathon on 27–29 October in Dallas, Texas, bringing together leading researchers, patient advocates, and industry representatives for two days of intensive discussions aimed at producing actionable plans to accelerate progress in tinnitus research over the coming 2-3 years.

About Tinnitus Quest

Tinnitus Quest is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, led by patients and researchers, dedicated to funding 'high risk, high gain' science needed to silence tinnitus. We are building a movement that drives research forward and brings hope to millions of people affected.

Learn more and join the 'quiet revolution' at https://tinnitusquest.com/

Contact Information
Tinnitus Quest Foundation
8 The Green #4666
Dover, DE, 19901, United States

For media inquiries or further information, please contact: Hazel Goedhart, Executive Board Member, media@tinnitusquest.com, ‭+1 (350) 200-0300‬.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬