Research

Urology is one of the leading academic urologic units in the nation, and has been recognized as one of the best urologic programs in the United States in US News and World Reports. The Section specializes in the treatment of specific urologic subspecialties: oncology, pediatrics, neurourology and female urology, the management of stone disease, and minimally invasive surgery.

The section continues to make contributions to education, research and clinical care. Members of the Section maintain active NIH supported research projects and Dr. Edward M. Uchio was recently recruited to be Chief of Urology at the VA and has significantly increased the clinical activity at the Veteran’s Administration Hospital. Dr. John W. Colberg, Director of Urologic oncology, has an active clinical practice dealing with all aspects of urologic oncology and reconstructive urology. Under the tutelage of Kevin R. Anderson, M.D., the clinical activities have been expanded to include hand assisted laparoscopic radical nephrectomies as well as laparoscopic orchidopexies and laparoscopic cryoablation of renal tumors.

During the academic year, Dr. Anderson indicated that he planned to return to the west coast and after a nationwide search Dr. Dinesh Singh was selected to replace Dr. Anderson on the faculty. Dr. Singh trained with Drs. Indy Gill and Steve Streem at the Cleveland Clinic and will bring to the Section a full gamut of laparoscopic expertise including experience with laparoscopic radical prostatectomies. Dr. Harris E. Foster, Jr., is director of neurology and female urology and in addition to his clinical practice is a principal investigator on a multicenter NIH grant studying, “Clinical Management of Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy.” Dr. Robert Weiss continues to have a busy practice dealing with urologic abnormalities affecting the pediatric population.

Urology continues to have an active input into basic and clinical urologic research. The research group headed by Robert Weiss, Jamshid Latifpour and Marcia Wheeler possesses an NIH research grant on “Age-Dependent Factors in Ureteral-Vesical Function.”

This grant previously received the first Merit Award given by the NIH to an urologist. Dr. Latifpour also has an NIH grant entitled, “The Effects of Diabetes on the Urinary Tract, Biochemical and Functional Changes in Diabetic Bladder.” Dr. Latifpour working with Dr. Harris Foster also is testing the hypothesis that long-term administration of alpha-adrenergic antagonists causes differential alterations in the molecular, biochemical and functional properties of alpha-adrenergic receptors in the genitourinary tract. They are specifically looking at the long-term effectiveness of alpha-1 adrenergic receptor antagonists in the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to BPH.

This parallels a study in which Dr. Foster is the P.I. for in a NIH-BPH clinical trial. Dr. Foster also chairs a NIH interstitial cystitis clinical research network. Robert Weiss, Marcia Wheeler and Dan Eisenberg, who was on a NIH training grant in the Section of Urology, developed transgenic mice that over-express the anti-apoptotic gene survivin or a nonfunctional, non-phosphorylatable mutant survivin. Using these mice they have embarked on studies of signaling pathways linking bladder inflammation and survivin inhibition of apoptosis. Dr. Edward Uchio is investigating the role of the von Hippel Lindau (VHL) tumor suppressor pathway in renal cancer and the effects of the hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) pathway in tumor genesis using siRNA.

Current Grant Support

Robert Weiss, M.D.
Title: Age dependent factors in ureteral-vesical function
Funding Agency: National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases (NIH)
Dates: 9/15/99- 6/30/05

Harris Foster, M.D.
Title: Phytotherapy for the Treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Symptoms
Funding Agency: National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases (NIH)
Dates: 9/30/02-3/31/09

Edward Uchio, M.D.
Title: Aging Effects on the VHL Tumor Suppressor Pathway in the Development of Renal Carcinoma
Funding Agency: American Geriatrics Society
Dates: 2005-2007

Edward Uchio, M.D.
Title: Molecular Basis of Urologic Malignancies
Funding Agency: Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Surgery, Section of Urology
Dates: 2005-2007

Edward Uchio, M.D.
Title: Role of VHL Mediated Tumor Suppression in Renal Cell Carcinomas
Funding Agency: Charles W. Ohse
Dates: 2005-2007

Jamshid Latifpour, Ph.D.
Title: Biochemical and functional changes in diabetic bladder
Funding Agency: National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases (NIH)
Dates: 9/15/01-8/31/06