About us

A very experienced research team, with expertise in vestibular problems, delivering internet interventions, and running research trials have designed this study. Collaborations with these international experts have ensured that this study is of high quality and contains excellent materials. This is an introduction to the team behind this project:

Principle Investigator

Vinaya Manchaiah, AuD, Ph.D., MBA, serves as the Jo Mayo Endowed Professor of Speech and Hearing Sciences at the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences at Lamar University, Beaumont, Texas. He has worked in various clinical, educational, research, and administrative roles in hearing healthcare. His research mainly focuses on promoting self-management in people with hearing and balance disorders with the applications of eHealth. His research has been funded by various organizations including the National Institutes of Health (NIH). He has authored over 180 peer-reviewed manuscripts and five textbooks. 

 

Lead Researcher

Eldré Beukes, Ph.D., is an Audiologist and Senior Lecturer at the Department of Vision and Hearing Sciences at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK. Her research focus is on the development and evaluation of Internet-based interventions. She has won numerous prizes for her research. She has published widely and co-authored two books. 

 

Researchers

Sıdıka Cesur, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Audiology at Medeniyet University in Istanbul, TR. She received her bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation at Dumlupinar University, Kütahya, TR, and her master’s and doctorate's degrees in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Marmara, in Istanbul, TR. She spent the first two years of her career with a Special Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Center, gaining specialized skills in pediatric and adult diagnostic care, and vestibular rehabilitation. She has extensive clinical experience in hearing evaluations, hearing aids, cochlear implants, and diagnosis and treatment of vestibular disorders. 

 

Emre Gürses, Ph.D., is a Research Assistant of Audiology at the University of Hacettepe, Ankara, TR. He received his bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation at Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, TR, and his master’s and doctorate's degrees in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Hacettepe, in Ankara, TR. He has extensive clinical experience in diagnostics and treatment of hearing, and balance disorders, and tinnitus management.

 

Senior Key Personnels/ Advisors

Professor Gerhard Andersson, Ph.D., is a Professor of Clinical Psychology at the Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, and the Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Sweden. He received his master's degree in Clinical Psychology at Uppsala University, Department of Psychology. He earned his first doctorate's degree in Clinical Psychology, second in Medicine, Otorhinolaryngology. He did his post-doc at the Department of Psychology, University College, London, working with patients with dizziness and imbalance. He has expertise in balance disorders and developing web-based support for people to manage their own health.

 

Professor Lucy Yardley, Ph.D., is a Psychologist and Professor of Health Psychology based at both the University of Bristol and the University of Southampton. She is a senior investigator at the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and has a continuing role at the University of Southampton as Director of the LifeGuide Research Programme, and the Behavioural Science theme of the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre. She has expertise in dizziness and its self-management. Dr. Yardley has led numerous successful projects developing web-based support for people to manage their health problems.

 

Rosie Essery, Ph.D. is a Senior Research Fellow within the Centre for Clinical and Community Applications of Health Psychology (CCCAHP) at the University of Southampton. Her research focuses on the self-management of health conditions and digital behavior change intervention research. She has experience of applying the Person-Based Approach to intervention planning and optimization.

 

llmari Pyykkö, M.D., is the Professor Emeritus and former Head of the Hearing and Balance Research Unit at Tampere University School of Medicine, Finland. He is an Otorhinolaryngologist, who specializes in vestibular assessment and management (specifically Meniere’s disease), applications of nanotechnology in hearing science, advanced imaging techniques in visualizing hearing and balance structures; and internet-based rehabilitation. Prof. Pyykko has been awarded numerous awards and grants for research including an Honor Award from the American Academy of Otolaryngology in 2000.

 

Carol Foster, M.D., is a Professor of Otolaryngology and the Director of the Balance Laboratory at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. She specializes in the non-surgical treatment of dizziness and imbalance associated with vestibular disorders (disorders of the inner ear and brain that control balance).

 

Herman Jenkins, M.D., is a Professor and Chair of the Otolaryngology Department at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, Colorado. He is an internationally known otolaryngologist who specializes in ear and inner ear disorders. His distinctions include the Member Excellence in State Advocacy Award, AAO-HNS Board of Governors, and Member Excellence in State Advocacy Award 2007 - AAO-HNS Board of Governors.

 

Technical Personnel

George Vlaescu is IT System Developer at Linköping University, Sweden. He is responsible for the technical aspects of the project, due to a great deal of experience administrating various platforms for international projects and studies. He will assist with technical questions related to the platform.