# SUPRASPINAL TARGETS IN NEUROGENIC VOIDING DYSFUNCTION

> **NIH NIH K23** · METHODIST HOSPITAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE · 2021 · $100,210

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Dr. Khavari is in her final year of the Multidisciplinary K12 Urologic Research Career Development Program
(Lamb: Director; Boone: Co-Director) from NIDDK and is applying for the Individual Career Development Award
(K23) to support her transition into a fully independent surgeon-scientist in the fields of neurourology and voiding
dysfunction. K23 award will specifically provide Dr. Khavari the support needed to develop expertise in 2 areas:
(1) Advanced functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) protocol design and data analysis; (2) Application
of Transcranial Rotating Permanent Magnet Stimulator (TRPMS) in a clinical trial. To achieve her goals, Dr.
Khavari has assembled an expert multidisciplinary team of collaborators and advisors in neuroimaging
(Karmonik), neuroscience (Masdeu and Helekar), neurourology (Chai and Daneshgari), and urologic research
(Boone and Lamb). Dr. Boone, the chair of her Department, is a leading expert in neuro-urological research and
has mentored many junior faculty to independent investigators and will serve as her Primary Mentor.
Neurogenic voiding dysfunction (VD) is morbid, costly, and leads to urinary tract infections, stones, sepsis, and
permanent renal failure. Currently, the only available therapy for VD is catheterization, which is a burden,
especially in neurogenic patients, such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS), who commonly exhibit lower extremity
spasms and compromised hand dexterity. The cost and morbid side effects (hematuria, pain, trauma, strictures,
and infections) associated with catheterizations, urge us to look into potential therapeutic options beyond the
bladder, such as supraspinal targets. Yet, the current understanding of supraspinal centers, and their
roles in initiating or modulating voiding, is rudimentary in patients with neurogenic VD. Dr. Khavari will
use preliminary data and the raw database from her established simultaneous fMRI and urodynamics platform
to determine whether, in female MS subjects: Aim 1: Activation patterns of preselected grey matter Regions of
Interest (ROI)s are different among MS patients with versus without VD, specifically those with Detrusor
Sphincter Dyssenergia. Aim 2: Damage to preselected white matter tracts involved in bladder control provides
an independent predictive measure for VD. Aim 3: Targeted cortical stimulation in ROIs in MS patients with VD
causes changes in ROIs that better recapitulate the activation patterns in patients without VD or healthy controls.
Aim 3 will be a pilot trial using an individualized TRPMS targeting personalized ROIs in selected MS patients
with VD. Dr. Khavari’s ongoing research and current career development plans exemplify her commitment to
becoming an independent investigator in patient-oriented research. Her project has the potential to improve our
ability to understand brain control of bladder, suggest new diagnostic methods, and provide crucial steps towards
therapeutic options for the morbid and ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10440022
- **Project number:** 3K23DK118209-03S1
- **Recipient organization:** METHODIST HOSPITAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE
- **Principal Investigator:** Rose Khavari
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $100,210
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2018-08-17 → 2022-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10440022

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10440022, SUPRASPINAL TARGETS IN NEUROGENIC VOIDING DYSFUNCTION (3K23DK118209-03S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10440022. Licensed CC0.

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