From the LEF News, a look at one set of efforts to repair age-related deafness: "A New Mexico State University researcher is studying sensory cells in the ear in hopes of finding treatments to restore destroyed cells, which can cause hearing or balance problems. ... sensory cells that look like hairs [perceive] the force of sound to allow hearing and the force of gravity to maintain balance ... When things such as noise, mutated genes or aging destroy the cells, they don't regenerate in humans. ... If scientists identify the gene that creates hair cells, they might be able turn it on to make another type of cell become a sensory cell." This is early, investigative work, but a good example of avenues in regenerative medicine opened by better tools and greater understanding of genetics.

Link: http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=2639&Section=AGING