Genitourinary diseases cover abnormal development and growth, benign tumors and malignant cancers, abnormalities in kidney function and stone formation, infections, micturition, impotence and reproductive failure, as well as the neurological and endocrine control of the sex systems. This represents colossal medical problems requiring expertise in many areas of research. There is a critical shortage of trained research scientists in the field of urology. This research training program trains highly qualified young physician scientists for academic careers in urological research and develops young basic scientists (Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D.) to pursue careers in urological research. Trainees function side-by-side in modern urology research laboratories occupied by 5 full-time Ph.D. basic scientists plus 6 M.D./Ph.D. and 10 M.D. clinical research investigators. These laboratories carry out major funded research programs in the physiology of the smooth muscle of the genitourinary tract, biochemical and physiological studies on benign prostatic hyperplasia, endocrine studies on male secondary sex characteristics, cell biology and structure, mechanisms of action of steroid hormones, genetic studies, neurotransmitter and receptor studies of genitoruinary tissues, reproductive physiology; and basic and clinical studies on cancer. Each trainee participates in a research training program that is customized for his/her particular needs and interests and includes courses in molecular biology, biostatistics, endocrinology, pathology and physiology. The six research trainees are comprised of three types: 1.) Postresident physician scientists - completed residency training, spending an additional 1-2 years in research, 2.) M.D. Urological Research Fellows will spend 1 or more years in full time research, and 3.) Postdoctoral Research Fellows - Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D., in full time research, who have already completed graduate training in a basic science discipline, plus 4.) Predoctoral Trainees, Ph.D. graduate program students carrying out thesis research in the urology labs who are not funded by this grant but who form part of the research-training environment. Each of these four components of our urological training program enriches and contributes to the success of each part. A multidisciplinary environment of graduate students, postdoctorals, postresidency, M.D.'s all doing research within the same environment has proven to be synergistic. The ability to understand the biology of the disease and to work on human pathological material with the application of precise molecular and pathological techniques that are now forthcoming provides a rich environment for future research leaders to study the major medical problems within the field of urology. Past successes of these laboratories in bridging clinical and basic research has produced a large number of scientists and physician scientists who are dedicated to solving urological diseases.
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