The RFA, to which this Planning Center proposal is a response, is designed to encourage the establishment of a critical mass of investigators from a variety of backgrounds, to educate and inform the research community about the problems associated with benign urologic disease, and to develop components of the preliminary data and infrastructure which will be needed for subsequent Research Center proposals. It is clear that the problem of BPH/LUTS cannot be studied without a broader understanding of the relationship of this syndrome with other associated co-morbidities. The existence of many interacting and interrelated centers at Vanderbilt (Figure 1) makes this an ideal site to establish a Center in this area and for this reason we believe that such a Center is a goal which can be productive and should be pursued. Therefore the Planning Center to be established in this P20 proposal has the following goals: Help to create an environment that supports important and innovative research. Raise awareness and interest in BPH/LUTS and its relationship to other significant co-morbidities. Enhance benign urologic research education for students, scientists, and clinicians. Foster interdisciplinary collaborations, especially in the emerging areas of research, to catalyze new ideas and scientific approaches.
