As an assistant professor, I lead research dedicated to developing cutting-edge invasive and noninvasive devices for treating hearing-related disorders, merging expertise in engineering, neuroscience, and clinical practice.
Expertise
Neurophysiology, Auditory Perception and Cognition, and Hearing Prostheses
Education
Undergrad: Tsinghua University - Beijing, China
Medical School: Tsinghua University - Beijing, China
Graduate School: John Hopkins University - Baltimore, MD
Professional Associations
Society of Neuroscience
Association of Research in Otolaryngology
Research Summary
My research focuses on advancing auditory prostheses and rehabilitation strategies to address hearing-related disorders. One key area involves developing innovative devices, stimulation techniques, and signal-processing strategies to improve the performance of hearing prostheses, such as cochlear implants. This work employs a multidisciplinary approach: investigating neural coding of complex sound features through physiological measurements in animal models, assessing auditory and speech perception in humans through behavioral studies, and integrating these findings with computational modeling.
Another primary focus of my research is the application of non-invasive multisensory neuromodulation, combined with integrative health practices, to treat tinnitus. This approach utilizes objective physiological measurements—such as heart rate, body temperature, and stress levels—along with subjective surveys to assess treatment efficacy and optimize stimulation strategies. Additionally, we use animal models to investigate both the short-term and long-term neural plasticity within the central auditory system induced by these neuromodulation methods, with the goal of uncovering mechanisms and optimizing therapeutic interventions.
Publications
Mehta, A. H., Feng, L., & Oxenham, A. J. (2021). Neural auditory contrast enhancement in humans. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118(29), e2024794118.
Feng, L., & Oxenham, A. J. (2020). Spectral contrast effects reveal different acoustic cues for vowel recognition in cochlear-implant users. Ear and hearing, 41(4), 990-997.
Feng, L., & Oxenham, A. J. (2018). Auditory enhancement and the role of spectral resolution in normal-hearing listeners and cochlear-implant users. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 144(2), 552-566.
Feng, L., & Oxenham, A. J. (2018). Effects of spectral resolution on spectral contrast effects in cochlear-implant users. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 143(6), EL468-EL473.
Feng, L., & Wang, X. (2017). Harmonic template neurons in primate auditory cortex underlying complex sound processing. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 114(5), E840-E848.
