An Illinois researcher has won a $1.2 million grant for research that could help protect soldiers from noise-induced hearing loss.

Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in Springfield announced the grant Thursday.

Kathleen Campbell has been awarded the grant from the U.S. Department of Defense for her continuing work on a nutrient that has been shown to reduce and prevent hearing loss in animals.

Campbell has been studying D-methionine (DEE'-meh-THEYE'-oh-neen), and she has patented it to prevent and treat noise-induced hearing loss.

The new research aims to determine the lowest dose that's effective for different types of noise exposures and the best timing for treatment.

A university announcement about the grant notes that U.S. military disability claims for hearing loss are increasing.