The InnerEarLab explores the mechanisms of sound encoding in the inner ear during normal and impaired hearing. This process is mediated by specialized synapses, the hair cell ribbon synapses. Work in the InnerEarLab combines various techniques for studying the molecular anatomy and physiology of these synapses. The junior group of Ellen Reisinger deals with the molecular biology and genetics of cochlear neurotransmission, studying gene expression, protein biochemistry and structure of hair cell synaptic proteins and performs genetic manipulations of hair cells. The junior group of Carolin Wichmann studies the molecular ultrastructure of synapses using light and electron microscopy. The group of Tobias Moser uses patch-clamp, optical methods and biophysical modeling to study ribbon synapse structure and function. The junior group of Nicola Strenzke studies auditory systems physiology at the single neuron and population levels. The group of Bernstein Fellow Andreas Neef uses experiments and modeling to explore sound encoding at the microscopic scale.