Research

Overview

The overall purpose of the IR-BU Center is to establish strong research foundation and infrastructure for more effectively molecular analyses of BPH pathogenesis. Nearly all elderly men have histological benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), making this disease the most common non-malignant neoplasm in males. BPH is generally non-life threatening, but for a sizeable subset of men with BPH, lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) develop that greatly diminish quality of life.

The IR-BU Center will facilitate the integration of BPH and LUTS research into the University of Pittsburgh.  The integration represents a major goal that once achieved, will benefit both entities. The Center will also provide BPH and donor tissue specimens to investigators with interest in pursuing research related to BPH. In turn, the University of Pittsburgh will supply the IR-BU Center with the personnel and infrastructure needed for its success. The University of Pittsburgh is a world class research institution with state-of-the-art facilities.

This IR-BU Center will provide opportunities for collaboration among basic, translational and clinical researchers in the field of BPH and related LUTS. As a complex medical problem, the study of BPH requires multiple approaches; thus, the research at the center  spans a range of disciplines, including molecular biology, endocrinology, pharmacology, physiology, and pathology. By combining disciplines within the center, the likelihood for success increases; investigators view their work in a new light, which promotes creativity. Moreover, the research will use human tissue examined by a board certified pathologist, which will be essential for validating the clinical relevancy of the basic science findings, expediting the impact for BPH patients.