[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 14 (Thursday, January 25, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E71]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     RECOGNIZING DR. JOHN GERMILLER'S ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE FIELD OF 
                             OTOLARYNGOLOGY

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. BRIAN K. FITZPATRICK

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 25, 2024

  Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the 
achievements of a remarkable constituent from my district, Dr. John 
Germiller. Dr. Germiller is an attending surgeon and Director of 
Clinical Research in the Division of Otolaryngology at Children's 
Hospital of Philadelphia, and an Associate Professor at Perelman School 
of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. In a first in the nation 
breakthrough, Dr. Germiller's team was able to restore the hearing of 
an 11-year old boy named Aissam who was born deaf through a 
revolutionary gene therapy surgery.
  The type of deafness experienced by Aissam affects over 200,000 
people worldwide, a genetic disability which was previously deemed 
untreatable. Through a procedure at the Children's Hospital of 
Philadelphia, Dr. Germiller was able to carefully inject a harmless 
virus carrying the corrected genes into Aissam's ear, which 
strengthened the tiny hairs within the inner ear that are required for 
full hearing ability. Dr. Germiller's study does not only provide a 
beacon of hope to adults and children affected by this type of genetic 
deafness, but also serves as the first step in utilizing gene therapy 
to help people experiencing other disabilities and diseases.
  Dr. Germiller's career serves as a beacon of ingenuity and 
innovation, and his achievements inspire myself and others. I am sure 
that his contributions will have a lasting impact on the field of 
medicine. I thank Dr. Germiller for his tireless service to our 
community, our Nation, and the world.

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