Urology Research
The Division of Pediatric Urology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center conducts translational research related to pediatric genitourinary disease and disorders. Our goal is to improve therapies and outcomes for the children suffering from these conditions, both under the care of the Division of Pediatric Urology at Cincinnati Children’s, nationally and throughout the world.
Basic Science Research
Our basic science laboratory is housed in the Children’s Hospital Research Foundation building. Our main objective is to advance the understanding, at the molecular and physiological levels, of the pathways involved in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of genitourinary diseases in children and adolescents.
We are currently focused on the following basic science research projects:
- A study on the relationship between the CNS and the lower urinary tract and how stress can induce changes in bladder function and morphology
- Understanding nephron progenitor cells in terms of self-renewal and differentiation
- Mechanistic analysis of antagonism between β-catenin and Six2 and an investigation into transcriptional regulation of the common target genes as well as the functions of those genes during kidney development
- Epigenetic changes in bladder outlet obstruction
Faculty members Pramod P. Reddy, MD and Joo-Seop Park PhD along with Melissa Mogle, BS, work on these projects in collaboration with Chris Wylie, PhD, and James Lessard, PhD, in the Division of Developmental Biology and Bruce Aronow, PhD, in the Division of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics.
Clinical Research
The main objective of our clinical research program is to advance the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of genitourinary diseases in children and young adults. We achieve this through outcomes research, studies of clinical effectiveness and clinical trials.
We currently have five clinical research projects underway:
- Biomarkers of renal injury (NGAL in obstructive nephropathy)
- The RIVUR study, being conducted by the NIH, to assess outcomes with current management strategies for treating vesicoureteral reflux
- Clinical outcomes in patients with anorectal malformations that have co-existing genitorurinary pathology
- Long-term clinical outcomes in patients with posterior urethral valves (PUV)
- Long-term clinical outcomes in patients with hypospadias
Our clinical research is conducted in collaboration with Prasad Devarajan, MD, in the Division of Pediatric Nephrology and Alberto Pena, MD, and Marc Levitt, MD, in the Division of Pediatric and Thoracic Surgery, Colorectal Center.
