Episode 107: How Hearing Loss Research Is Shaping the Future of Neurodegenerative Health
What if preventing hearing loss could also help prevent dementia and other aging-related diseases?
In this episode, host Elaine Hamm, PhD, speaks with Celia Belline, Co-Founder and CEO of Cilcare, a biotech company pioneering therapies and analytics for hearing disorders. Celia shares how her company evolved from early research roots into a global leader tackling the connection between auditory health and cognitive decline. From building a business in a niche market to striking a major partnership with Shionogi, she reveals what it takes to innovate in an underexplored — yet crucial — area of biotech.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- How hearing loss research offers powerful insights into preventing dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases.
- Why Cilcare built a unique three-part model combining external innovation, therapeutics, and auditory analytics.
- Lessons from taking bold risks in an emerging field — and advice for founders on building partnerships that last.
Tune in to discover how addressing hearing loss today could change the future of aging and brain health.
Links:
Connect with Celia Belline and check out Cilcare.
Connect with Elaine Hamm, PhD, and learn about Tulane Medicine Business Development and the School of Medicine.
Connect with Sylvie Pucheu, PhD, and Marie-Pierre Pasdelou, PharmD, the other co-founders of Cilcare.
Check out Sanofi and Shionogi.
Connect with Ian McLachlan, BIO from the BAYOU producer.
Check out BIO on the BAYOU and make plans to attend October 28 & 29, 2025.
Learn more about BIO from the BAYOU – the podcast.
Bio from the Bayou is a podcast that explores biotech innovation, business development, and healthcare outcomes in New Orleans & The Gulf South, connecting biotech companies, investors, and key opinion leaders to advance medicine, technology, and startup opportunities in the region.
