PROJECT SUMMARY – BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH CORE The Biomedical Research Core has three primary objectives: to analyze lower urinary function in mice in support of the three projects of the U54 O’Brien Center; to engage and collaborate with investigators to make these services generally available to the urology research community; and to refine and validate current and new techniques for evaluation of lower urinary tract function in mice. The overarching goal of the O’Brien Center for Benign Urology Research is to identify mechanisms that result in lower urinary tract dysfunction in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). A primary focus of the Center is development of fibrosis in the prostate during the progression of BPH/LUTS and how altered function associated with fibrosis result in LUTS. However, patients do not pursue treatment for changes in the structure of their prostates but rather require treatment for improvement of LUTS. Thus, improved patient care can only be achieved by prevention or treatment of mechanistic events that lead to lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTS). It is therefore vital that the effects of mechanistic changes identified in mouse models of BPH/LUTS be rigorously correlated with changes in lower urinary tract function. Results of these studies are crucial to identification of management strategies that should be considered for advancement to clinical application. Consolidation of lower urinary function testing into the Biomedical Research Core allows optimal quality control in testing, refinement of testing procedures, and development and validation of new techniques for testing lower urinary tract function in mice. The Biomedical Research Core will provide rigorous, reproducible testing of lower urinary tract function in mice for the three projects of the Center, as well as supporting needs of K12 KURe scholars in this area. The resources and expertise of the Biomedical Research Core are also available to the urology research community in general. The Biomedical Research Core has established multiple productive collaborations with external investigators, and it is anticipated that these will continue and expand in the future. Collaboration with Dr. Jianghui Hou at Washington University, St. Louis has evolved into an NIH R01 application for which Dr. Bjorling is the lead PI and Dr. Hou is the co-PI that received a highly competitive priority score (11th percentile; R01DK118145, Regulation of bladder structure and function by microRN29; Council meeting scheduled for May 5, 2019). The Biomedical Research Core will also work to establish and validate new methods of lower urinary tract function in mice and to make these techniques available to the larger research community. Thus, the Biomedical Research Core will not only provide testing service but will also act as a nidus for improvement and increased availability of techniques for evaluation of lower urinary tract function...