prof. dr. Ronald Pennings

About Ronald Pennings

Ronald Pennings is an ENT specalist who is specialised in ear surgery. He is clinical director of Hearing & Genes, an acknowledged expertisecenter for (genetic) diagnostics (and treatment) of sensorineural hearing loss. He initiated the DOOFNL consortium, a collaboration of all Dutch academic ENT and Genetic Departments to improve otogenetic diagnostics and to conduct collaborative research. He was awarded from 2018-2020 as Principal Clinician of the Radboud university medical center for his patient participatory clinical care. Ronald's research focuses on gene-identification and genotype-phenotype correlation studies of nonsyndromic (e.g. DFNA9) and syndromic hearing loss (e.g. Usher syndrome). His patients participate in his research and he supports patient organisations like 'De negende van', 'Ushersyndroom' and 'stichting DFNA21 Nederland'. His research of the past years provided more knowledge on the pathogenetic processes in the cochlea and the related clinical effect on audiovestibular performance. He is an experienced clinical trialist in the evaluation of novel innovative inner ear therapeutics to treat sensorineural hearing loss. Since 2022 he is visiting professor at the Vrije Universiteit in Brussels (Belgium).

Education

• 2001 Medicine - Catholic University Nijmegen
• 2004 PhD project: Hereditary Deaf-Blindness, clinical and genetic aspects
• 2008 ENT specialist - Radboud university medical center
• 2009 Fellowship Otology-Neurotology. Halifax - Canada

Additional functions

• Board member of the NVWPO (Nederlands-Vlaamse Werkgroep voor Pediatrische Otorhinolaryngologie 2010- present)
• Member of Nederlandse Vereniging voor Keel- Neus- en oorheelkunde (2008 - present)
• Member of EAONO (European Academy of Otology and NeuroOtology 2010-present)
• Member of VNOG (Vlaams-Nederlands Otologen Genootschap 2010 - present)
• Member of Politzer Society (2009 - present)