Collaborating for the Advancement of Interdisciplinary Research in Benign Urology

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CAIRIBU COMPASS

The CAIRIBU Interactions Core presents a quarterly online journal supporting the broader urology research community - CAIRIBU Compass

Using the CAIRIBU Compass, find your way to the inaugural April 2025 issue HERE, featuring full-text abstracts presented at the 2025 winter meeting of the Society of Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine, and Urogenital Reconstruction (SUFU) by CAIRIBU-associated trainees and early-stage investigators. Abstracts featured are from Dr. Nathan Tykocki's lab at Michigan State University (Osvaldo Vega Rodriguez and Ashika Goel), Dr. Nicole De Nisco's lab at UT Dallas (Samuel Cornelius), and CAIRIBU K12 Scholars Giulia Ippolito, MD, MS (University of Michigan KUroEpi Program, PIs Aruna Sarma, PhD and Quentin Clemens, MD) and Jennifer Yarger, PhD (University of California San Francisco KUroEpi Program, PI Alison Huang, MD).

In this issue, also read:

• Summary, including methods and results, of the 2024 CAIRIBU Annual Meeting
• Summary of the 2024 CAIRIBU Summer Collaborative Research Summit
• Synopsis of the January 2025 virtual CAIRIBU Urobiome Research Interest Group knowledge exchange

View online: CAIRIBU Compass, April 2025

CAIRIBU AT AUA

Many CAIRIBU-associated investigators and trainees will participate in this year's American Urological Association meeting. GO HERE for a list of events featuring CAIRIBU Community investigators.

Additionally, check out the half-day Basic Sciences Symposium on Sat., April 26, organized this year by CAIRIBU Community leaders Jill Macoska, PhD (University of Massachusetts Boston and project leader in the UW-Madison U54 George M. O'Brien Urology Center) and Indira Mysorekar, PhD (Baylor College of Medicine and prior PI of a CAIRIBU P20 Urology Center while at Washington University). The topic is "Inflammaging." Speakers will address aging-associated processes in systemic inflammation, immune system dysfunction, and hormonal imbalances that adversely affect lower urinary tract health and function.

The podium session on Bladder & Urethra: Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology (also on Saturday) features a strong CAIRIBU presence. Presenters include:

• Doug Strand, PhD, University of Texas Southwestern (and leader in the UW-Madison U54 George M. O'Brien Urology Center)
• Marcela Ambrogi, PhD, UW-Madison (postdoctoral researcher and former trainee of Chad Vezina, PhD)
• Matthew Grimes, MD, UW-Madison (K12 Scholar in the CAIRIBU KURe Program)
• Many others are listed HERE

CAIRIBU MEETING 2025

The 2025 CAIRIBU meeting is Wednesday-Friday, December 3-5 on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. Stay tuned for more info.



DUKE KURe SYMPOSIUM

Wednesday, April 9

8:00-4:00 PM, Duke University Campus

Artificial Intelligence - Where are we now?

Advancing the precision of neuromodulation in urology

This is the 10th annual Duke University Multidisciplinary Benign Urology Research Symposium led by Dr. Cindy Amundsen and her K12 Career Development Program team. This is a record year... More than 100 participants are registered, and nearly 40 abstracts were submitted. Abstract, poster, and travel awards will be given, sponsored in part by the CAIRIBU Interactions Core. Faculty, fellows, postdocs, students, and staff from any discipline are encourage to attend.

SUPPORTING SCIENCE!

Advances in urology research are urgently needed. Hundreds of millions suffer from urinary incontinence and other forms of bladder dysfunction, enlarged prostate and associated lower urinary tract symptoms, stones in the urinary tract, male reproductive dysfunction, and recurrent urinary tract infections. Radiation-induced urologic dysfunction is another area needing innovation. At right is Bernadette Zwaans, PhD (PI of a prior CAIRIBU P20 Urology Center) who studies this problem. Read more about her and others making a difference in urology research HERE.

Patient engagement in research, science education in schools, and cultivating public support for urology research are activities in which many investigators in the CAIRIBU Community are involved.

What can we do to ensure that all critical areas of urology research are supported?

• Contact your elected representatives to confirm their support for urology research, including the congressionally-directed medical research programs (CDMRP), which mandate funding for George M. O'Brien Urology Centers and other urology research initiatives.
• Check with your professional associations about any efforts they have to directly reach elected representatives; get involved.
• Write a letter to your hometown newspaper (yes, the place you grew up!) about how important research and research funding is. The Science Coalition has a tool kit to get you started HERE.
• Communicate with other scientists via existing networks and communities, such as the CAIRIBU Community, about what you know. Share news about what's going on. More data is better, right?
• Organize an educational forum at your local library or community center about biomedical research and how it benefits public health. See the "How to Organize a Town Hall Meeting" resource HERE.
• Check out resources at the website for United for Medical Research. Download and copy handouts to demonstrate the impact of NIH funding for biomedical research; data on a state-by-state basis are available.
• Communicate your research progress broadly. Participate in CAIRIBU Community and other events.
• Contribute to the CAIRIBU Compass, an online journal aimed at increasing visibility and impact of urology research. Contact the CAIRIBU Interactions Core at CAIRIBU@urology.wisc.edu to let us know about your research advances and accomplishments so we can promote them on our social media and other platforms.

APRIL CAIRIBU EVENTS

ARCTICS = Advancing the Research Capacity of Trainees

and Investigators at Early Career Stages

CAIRIBU-affiliated trainees and early-stage investigators meet each year to develop ideas for ARCTICS forums, all aimed at building skills, increasing knowledge, and boosting trainees' abilities to plan and develop independent careers in genitourinary research. Forums are every month, 2nd Wednesdays.

Join CAIRIBU trainees and early-stage investigators for an interactive installment of a multi-part ARCTICS Community forum series on data science

The outline for Wed., April 9 is:

• Review of commonly-used AI approaches in urology research, in both basic science and clinical studies
• Review and discuss 3 urology-related studies that included various AI tools in their methods
• Learn the questions to ask a data scientist when building a research collaboration

Bring your questions. Share your experiences with using AI tools in urology research. The two prior data science CAIRIBU ARCTICS Community forums were recorded and are available on the CAIRIBU YouTube channel HERE.

1:00 PM Eastern

(12 PM Central | 10 AM Pacific)

Zoom link to join available HERE

Quarterly, 3rd WEDNESDAYS

Jan - Apr - Jul - Oct 2025

1:00 PM Eastern (12 PM Central | 10 AM Pacific)

2025 grad student seminar series schedule available HERE

Next up: April 16 (zoom link available HERE)

Monthly, 3rd THURSDAYS

5:00 PM Eastern (4 PM Central | 2 PM Pacific)

2025 K12 scholar seminar series schedule available HERE

April 17 - Zoom link HERE

Bin Ni, MD, PhD

Improving tools towards individualized risk prediction and management of BK virus infection in renal transplant patients

Dr. Ni is a clinician scientist at Duke University and K12 Scholar in the K12 Multidisciplinary Urology Research (KURe) Career Development Program at Duke University (PI, Cindy Amundsen, MD)

UROBIOME Research Interest Group (RIG). Virtual knowledge exchanges are scheduled through 2025. These knowledge exchanges are organized by the CAIRIBU Urobiome RIG, one of several RIGs within the CAIRIBU Community.

Every month, 3rd or 4th FRIDAYS

3:00 PM Eastern (2 PM Central | 12 PM Pacific)

Next up: April 23 (zoom link available HERE)

Dr. Barasch is a Professor and nephrologist at Columbia University and active in the CAIRIBU Urobiome Research Interest Group. He studies mechanisms of kidney injury, hematuria, and urinary tract infection. He is one of the PIs of the Columbia University George M. O'Brien Urology Center.

CAIRIBU YouTube Playlists are "channels" that correspond to your specific research interests

CAIRIBU Interactions Core staff recently categorized all CAIRIBU YouTube content by specific area within the lower urinary tract (more than 100 videos!). Now you can quickly find recordings in which you are most interested (e.g., bladder, prostate, infection, etc.). Content related to trainees is also categorized. Look HERE.