Dr Matthew James Mason

My research involves examining a wide range of different vertebrate ears, using techniques such as light microscopy, electron microscopy and micro-CT scanning. I then use models of middle ear function to investigate the likely hearing range of the animal in question, in order to answer questions about how hearing is matched to particular acoustical properties of the environment that the animal lives in, and how the ear might have evolved. My two main research streams involve mammalian and amphibian ears.

Considering mammalian ears, I have long been interested in how small mammals can be adapted towards detecting low-frequency sound. For example, golden moles have relatively enormous ear ossicles, which may allow these burrowing African insectivores to detect ground vibrations by means of bone conduction. In my frog work, I have been interested in how the middle ear structures vibrate, and how the intricate structure of the inner ear helps with hearing.

Collaborators

Prof Peter Narins

Prof Pim van Dijk