A new study on which Dr. Bielefeld was a co-author was selected for feature on the cover of the September 2025 issue of the prestigious journal Molecular Therapy. The work was a collaboration between Ohio State's Gene Therapy Institute, department of Otolaryngology, department of Pathology, and the department of Speech and Hearing Science. It is the first publication to show the potential for therapeutic benefit of gene therapy delivered into the superior olivary complex of the brainstem. The viral vector travels up the auditory nerve to the cochlea and delivers genetic products to the inner hair cells of the cochlea. The long-term goal is a safe and effective treatment to help repair connections between the hair cells and the auditory nerve that can be damaged from noise and ototoxic drugs.