John Niparko, Founder of the Johns Hopkins Listening Center, Dies at 61

To the Johns Hopkins Medicine community

Dear Colleagues:

It is with immense sadness that we announce the death of John Niparko, an internationally renowned otoneurologic surgeon and researcher whose extraordinary accomplishments as the founder of the Johns Hopkins Listening Center and pioneering innovator in cochlear implant procedures dramatically improved the lives of countless children and adults with hearing impairment. Dr. Niparko, who served as interim director of the Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery from 2009 to 2012; professor and chief of the Division of Otology, Neurotology and Skull Base Surgery; and medical director of the Division of Audiology, died of cancer on April 25 in Los Angeles. He was 61.

Since February 2013, he had been professor and chair of the Tina and Rick Caruso Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery in the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine in Los Angeles.

A native of Detroit, John earned his bachelor's and medical degrees from the University of Michigan, where he completed his residency in otolaryngology–head and neck surgery and a fellowship in otology, and where he later became a faculty member. He was recruited to Johns Hopkins' Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery by Dr. Charles Cummings, who sensed great promise in his restless energy. Indeed, John transformed the Division of Otology, Neurotology and Skull Base Surgery by training a long line of residents and fellows who now serve in leadership positions throughout the world in otology, neurotology and other otolaryngology specialties.

John formed the Johns Hopkins Listening Center 25 years ago and built it up to be one of the pre-eminent cochlear implant programs in the U.S. His landmark research through the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders' Childhood Development and Cochlear Implantation grant laid the foundation for our understanding of the role that cochlear implants can play in the development of children with hearing loss. Under John's leadership, the Johns Hopkins Listening Center's Cochlear Implant Program became the largest of its kind in the country, acclaimed for its clinical excellence and postoperative rehabilitation methods. In 2001, John became the inaugural George T. Nager Professor of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery.

We wish to extend our profound condolences to his wife, Angela, and two sons, Nathan and Kevin, and to his siblings, Nancy and Steve. John was a dynamic yet humble man, a superb academic surgeon-scientist and a great Johns Hopkins leader. He will be sorely missed by the countless residents, fellows, colleagues and patients he touched.

Sincerely,

Paul B. Rothman, M.D.
Dean of the Medical Faculty
CEO, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Ronald R. Peterson
President, The Johns Hopkins Hospital and Health System
EVP, Johns Hopkins Medicine

David Eisele, M.D.
Andelot Professor and Director
Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery