The global landscape has borne witness to a sustained regression in the amount of researchers and financial resources accessible to Principal Investigators (PIs) and trainees within the realm of otitis media (OM) research. Such a trend holds the potential for profound repercussions. OM continues to be the most-common diagnosis among children, retaining its status as the primary driver of hearing impairment worldwide in children aged five and below (Wasserman et al., 2022). Through the implementation of this R25 program, our aim is to rejuvenate the landscape of otitis media research by providing critical support to nascent investigators. To meet these ends, we have formed COMMeND, which will leverage and formalize current collaborative efforts between clinicians, clinician scientists, and basic OM researchers across all areas of OM research. Mentees who are accepted into COMMeND will (1) be paired with a highly-qualified mentor, (2) have access to a bi-monthly (once every two months) webinar focused on increasing otitis media research expertise, professional development, and providing opportunities for them to present and gather feedback on their own research, and (3) have access to grant writing assistance from OM researchers with a wealth of knowledge & experience.

"I am very impressed with the caliber of research being presented to us at our seminars, and I am grateful for the guidance of my mentor and her willingness to help me and answer my questions."

"Everyone in the network is great and supportive, and I hope to make the most of my mentor in the new year. I also really enjoy the webinars which provide some really interesting and contemporary research on ear health - I enjoy learning from topics that aren't necessarily in my field of expertise."