John Niparko

Niparko was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan.[2] In high school, he became interested in early inner-era implant devices.[2] He attended the University of Michigan where he received his bachelor degree and medical degree.[2] There, he completed his residency in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery. He also completed a fellowship in neurotology, otology, and skull base surgery.[2]

In 1993, Niparko established the Listening Center at the Johns Hopkins Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland.[2][4] There, he served as the inaugural George T. Nager Professor and director of the Division of Otology, Neurotology and Skull Base Surgery from 2009 to 2012.[1][5]

Niparko was recognized as a leading authority on cochlear implants, and notably operated on former Miss America Heather Whitestone in 2002.[4][2]

In 2013, Niparko joined the University of Southern California where he was chair of the USC Keck School of Medicine's Caruso Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery.[5] He also founded and directed the USC Caruso Family Center for Childhood Communication.[5]

Niparko conducted research demonstrating that cochlear implants were highly cost effective in children and adults.[6] He led efforts to establish a new national organization to focus on the underutilization of cochlear implants in the United States. This led to the founding of the American Cochlear Implant Alliance in 2011 with a mission to focus on access to cochlear implants.

The John Niparko Lecture at the annual Cochlear Implant Symposium was established by the American Cochlear Implant Alliance in his honor.[7]

On April 25, 2016, Niparko died of complications from cancer treatment at the University of Southern California's Keck Medical Center.[2] He was 61.[2]

Hearing Research Award (2001) - Deafness Research Foundation[2]