Montefiore Einstein Urology Research

At Montefiore Einstein Urology, we’re committed to finding new and better ways to improve patient care. We are leading collaborative research and spearheading numerous studies and clinical trials–– some funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Defense (DoD) and New York State (NYS)––to translate novel scientific discoveries into new diagnostics and treatments. Our researchers have been at the forefront of groundbreaking research, and they continue to actively conduct basic translational and clinical research to advance our understanding, treatment and prevention of a wide spectrum of urological conditions and improve urological health.

As a leader in both basic and translational research in erectile and bladder physiology, our Urology Department has made significant contributions to the field. We developed the world’s first inflatable penile prosthesis and pioneered the technology used in the first clinical trials of gene therapy to treat erectile and bladder dysfunction in humans. Today, we continue to spearhead the discovery of novel treatments for erectile dysfunction and overactive bladder.

Our research interests span a broad range, from exploring the underlying mechanisms, developing new treatments and optimizing outcomes for numerous urological conditions, including:

• Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)
• Bladder disorders including:
  • Interstitial cystitis
  • Overactive bladder
  • Urinary incontinence
  • Urologic chronic pelvic pain
• Erectile dysfunction
• Pelvic floor
• Prostate and bladder cancer
• Urinary stones
• Urinary tract infections
• Urogenital issues associated with cancer survivorship

Research from our Department has established new standards of care in urologic oncology, spearheading clinical trials that have led to the development of Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medications and devices, such as blue light flexible cystoscopy for enhanced detection of bladder tumors, primary chemoablation of low-grade upper tract urothelial cancer and intravesical immunotherapy in patients with bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG)-unresponsive non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC).

Our basic science and translational research team is pioneering innovative research in erectile and bladder physiology that directly addresses clinically relevant urologic conditions. Through numerous grants from the NIH, DoD and NYS, we are actively engaged in studying novel approaches to treat erectile and bladder dysfunction in a variety of disease states and preserve urogenital function following cancer treatment, pelvic surgeries and spinal cord injury. For example, we are also exploring the underlying mechanisms by which fidgetin-like 2 (FL2)-depletion promotes cavernous nerve repair and recovery of erectile function after radical prostatectomy; the involvement of pannexin 1 and gap junction channels in diabetic cystopathy and interstitial cystitis; the role of inflammation in concurrent erectile and bladder dysfunction following pelvic surgeries; the role of neuron-satellite glia cell signaling in pelvic pain and visceral cross-sensitization, and the use of nanotechnology for the treatment of urogenital diseases.

Other areas of research include studying potassium channels, myosin-actin contractile physiology, purinergic signaling, altered opiorphin synthesis and its effect on local and systemic smooth muscle function, effects of type I diabetes on erectile physiology, interactions between the urothelial and detrusor smooth muscle tissues in the modulation of bladder function, and the development of priapism associated with sickle cell disease.

Montefiore Einstein Urology is home to laboratories and initiatives dedicated to advancing urologic research. Explore our research laboratories and initiatives below.

Our interdisciplinary research programs bring together bench and physician-scientists from numerous academic fields who collaborate across disciplines and with investigators throughout the world on basic, translational and clinical research.

Sylvia O. Suadicani, PhD, and Kelvin P. Davies, PhD, have a long-standing, productive collaboration and an ongoing National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded study to better understand the mechanisms underlying the development of urogenital complications associated with pelvic surgeries,such as prostatectomy. In addition, Dr. Suadicani has collaborations with David C. Spray, PhD (Department of Neuroscience), on an ongoing NIH-funded study focused on pelvic pain, and with Mia M. Thi, PhD (Department of Orthopedic Surgery), to investigate the effects of diabetes on bone cell mechanosensing and transduction. Dr. Davies and Dr. Suadicani have collaborations with David J. Sharp, PhD (Department of Neuroscience), in studies to identify fundamental mechanisms and targets to treat bladder and erectile dysfunction associated with spinal cord injury and prostatectomy.

Our basic scientists also interact closely with our clinician-scientists. One example is Dr. Suadicani and Nitya E. Abraham, MD (Department of Urology), collaborating in studies to identify urinary biomarkers that could provide insight into overactive bladder pathophysiology and help identify patients who would benefit most from particular treatment modalities.