Marie and Jack Shapiro Prize shortlist announced

Despite a lack of funding and resource, the quality and relevance of research continues to grow year-on-year

The shortlist has been announced for the Marie and Jack Shapiro Prize, which is awarded by the British Tinnitus Association (BTA) to the published research paper by a UK-based author most likely to result in improved treatment or public awareness of tinnitus.

The Marie and Jack Shapiro Prize is intended to encourage researchers, public communicators and others to develop an interest in tinnitus and to recognise their efforts. The prize is named after the late Jack Shapiro, the founder of the BTA, and his wife Marie, who both played an important role in the establishment of the charity and in raising awareness of tinnitus.

The prize is judged by the BTA’s Professional Adviser’s Committee – a panel of medical professionals and researchers with a special interest in tinnitus – with the winner due to be announced in October 2021.

The shortlist for 2021 is:

David Stockdale, Chief Executive of the British Tinnitus Association, said: “We are delighted to see that vital tinnitus research has continued in these unprecedented times and a very difficult situation for researchers and clinicians. Despite a lack of funding and resource, the quality and relevance of research continues to grow year-on-year and choosing the winner of this year’s Marie and Jack Shapiro Prize will be a very difficult decision.”

He added, “Whilst the Shapiro Prize recognises the fantastic work that is already being done in tinnitus research, much more is needed before we can realise our vision of a world where no one suffers from tinnitus. We are committed to funding, supporting and campaigning for tinnitus research now and in the future.”

The British Tinnitus Association is an independent charity and the primary source of information for people with tinnitus. It helps to facilitate an improved quality of life for people with tinnitus through a range of support options including support groups, a helpline and its website, while also taking steps to bring forward the day when tinnitus is cured. The charity works to inform and educate medical professionals and the community on what tinnitus is and how to manage it. The British Tinnitus Association wants “a world where no one suffers from tinnitus”. It wants to find better ways to manage tinnitus and, ultimately, to help find a cure. In 2020, the publication of its Tinnitus Manifesto led to more than 120,000 people signing a petition for more funding for tinnitus research to find cures.

Aazh H, Swanepoel W, Moore BCJ. Telehealth tinnitus therapy during the COVID-19 outbreak in the UK: uptake and related factors. Int J Audiol. 2021 May;60(5):322-327. Epub 2020 Oct 1.

Dawes P, Newall J, Stockdale D, Baguley DM. Natural history of tinnitus in adults: a cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis. BMJ Open. 2020 Dec 10;10(12):e041290.

Greenwell K, Sereda M, Coulson NS, Geraghty AWA, Bradbury K, Hoare DJ. 'That's just how I am': a qualitative interview study to identify factors influencing engagement with a digital intervention for tinnitus self-management. Br J Health Psychol. 2020 Oct 27. Online ahead of print.

Hockley A, Berger JI, Palmer AR, Wallace MN. Nitric oxide increases gain in the ventral cochlear nucleus of guinea pigs with tinnitus. Eur J Neurosci. 2020 Nov;52(9):4057-4080. Epub 2020 Aug 1.

Munir S, Pryce H. How can sound generating devices support coping with tinnitus? Int J Audiol. 2021 Apr;60(4):312-318. Epub 2020 Oct 1.

Smith H, Fackrell K, Kennedy V, Barry JG, Broomhead E, Hoare DJ. An evaluation of paediatric tinnitus services in UK National Health Service audiology departments. BMC Health Serv Res. 2020 Mar 14;20(1):214.

Smith SS, Kitterick PT, Scutt P, Baguley DM, Pierzycki RH. An exploration of psychological symptom-based phenotyping of adult cochlear implant users with and without tinnitus using a machine learning approach. Prog Brain Res. 2021;260:283-300. Epub 2020 Nov 16.

Taylor JA, Thompson DM, Hall DA, Walker DM, McMurran M, Casey A, Featherstone D, MacDonald C, Stockdale D, Hoare DJ. The TinMan study: feasibility trial of a psychologically informed, audiologist-delivered, manualised intervention for tinnitus. Int J Audiol. 2020 Dec;59(12):905-914. Epub 2020 Jul 17.