Koichiro Wasano, MD, PhD, is Professor and Chairperson of the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at Tokai University School of Medicine in Isehara, Japan. He graduated from Keio University School of Medicine in 2003 and obtained his PhD through research on hereditary hearing loss, with a particular focus on progressive genetic hearing impairment.

His clinical and research interests encompass otology, audiology, hereditary hearing loss, and facial nerve disorders. His recent work focuses on the association between hearing loss and healthy aging including dementia, as well as on advancing hearing care in society, including the use of hearing aids and cochlear implants. He is currently leading registry studies on various cochlear implant outcomes as the principal investigator.

Dr. Wasano has held several academic and clinical positions, including Associate Professor at Tokai University, Chief of the Laboratory of Auditory Disorders at the National Hospital Organization Tokyo Medical Center, and Postdoctoral Fellow at Northwestern University in the United States. He also served as Director of Otolaryngology at the Japanese Red Cross Shizuoka Hospital and has extensive clinical experience through his training and appointments at Keio University and its affiliated hospitals.