# Biomedical Core:  Cellular and molecular mediators of fibrosis in the development of urinary tract dysfunction

> **NIH NIH U54** · UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON · 2021 · $128,573

## Abstract

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...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10264808
- **Project number:** 5U54DK104310-08
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
- **Principal Investigator:** Dale Edmond Bjorling
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $128,573
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2014-09-24 → 2024-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10264808

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10264808, Biomedical Core:  Cellular and molecular mediators of fibrosis in the development of urinary tract dysfunction (5U54DK104310-08). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10264808. Licensed CC0.

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