Professor Thorne is Director of the Eisdell Moore Centre, a nationally focused research centre based at the University of Auckland concerned with hearing and balance disorders. He has broad research interests centred around the mechanisms and treatment of inner ear disorders and delivery of equitable ear and hearing care services. He contributes substantially to the hearing-impaired community and to the work of the World Health Organisation in the prevention of deafness and development of services globally, but particularly in Pacific Island Countries. He was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2009 for services to Audiology and Auditory Neuroscience.