The Sensory Organ Research Institute aims to study the mechanisms for preventing or restoring the loss of sensory function, to systematically establish this field of study, to foster professional personnel, and to contribute to the welfare of the society through promoting the medical standards. The institute studies the function of sensory organs that detect changes in the environment such as hearing, sight, smell, taste, and touch. The institute consists of six research divisions, where roles of each division are as follows.
Auditory Research Division
Basic, clinical and applied research and education on hearing including the mechanisms of damage and regeneration of auditory cells, cochlear implant model development and Inner ear medication.
Vision Research Division
Study on the mechanism of visual impairment and its prevention and treatment
Taste Research Division
Mechanism of taste and its genetic studies, the mechanism of the damage and its regeneration
Olfactory Research Division
Study on olfactory damage, the damage and regeneration mechanism
Pain and Tactile Research Division
Development of low back pain and nervous pain, and of the skin tactile sensor
Laryngeal Sensory Research Division
The mechanism of vocal cord damage and recovery