Collaborating for the Advancement of Interdisciplinary Research in Benign Urology

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2026 CAIRIBU ANNUAL MEETING

December 9-11 in Madison, Wisconsin

Registration opens next week. Abstracts from trainees and early-stage investigators will be accepted. Submitters will be invited to deliver podium or poster presentations.

• Abstracts due October 19, 2026 (guidelines will be posted shortly on CAIRIBU website meeting page)
• "Best Abstract" and "Best Poster" awards will be given
• Travel awards for eligible trainees will be available (for students and those currently in training positions only); stay tuned for application information
• Pre-meeting designed by and for trainees and early-stage investigators is Wednesday morning, Dec. 9
• NEW THIS YEAR: Responding to a request from trainees who planned the pre-meeting, there will be a Trainee Mixer 6-9 PM on Tuesday, December 8. Stay tuned for details!

The annual CAIRIBU meeting is the fastest-growing urology-specific research meeting in the country. Hear from leaders in urology research who are at the cutting-edge of their fields: bladder and voiding dysfunction, benign prostatic hyperplasia, urinary tract infection, urobiome, chronic pelvic pain, urinary tract stones, erectile dysfunction and male reproductive health, post-radiation cystitis and prostatitis, urology-related genetic diseases, neuro-urological and immuno-urological problems, and aging in the lower urinary tract. Interact with Program Officers from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Network with trainees at all career stages.

CAIRIBU COLLABORATION AWARD RECIPIENTS

CAIRIBU Interactions Core Collaboration Awards, May 2026

The April application deadline saw a record number of applicants

Based on reviewers' comments and NIDDK Program Officers' review, 3 awards were offered. Each award provides up to $120,000 total costs for one year. Recipients are: (1) Nicole Gilbert, PhD, Washington University - Microbiome mediated regulation of the urothelial barrier; (2) Zohreh Izadifar, PhD, Boston Children’s Hospital - Unveiling the role of urobiome in bladder health and disease using primary human bladder chip; and (3) Alexis Dieter, MD, MedstarHealth, Georgetown University - Rapid fluorescence-based diagnostic testing for urinary tract infection in postmenopausal women

Nicole Gilbert, PhD

Zohreh Izadifar, PhD

Alexis Dieter, MD

CAIRIBU UROBIOME RESEARCH INTEREST GROUP SUMMER EVENTS

Summer Urobiome Meeting in Madison

This in-person meeting will bring together investigators and trainees from within the CAIRIBU Urobiome Research Interest Group community to advance urobiome science by sharing research, nurturing collaboration, and innovating solutions to the major challenges faced within the field. The meeting is one and a half days - Thursday all day, concludes Friday afternoon - and will feature:

• Keynote lectures by urobiome pioneers Dr. Alan Wolfe (Loyola University Chicago), Dr. Linda Brubaker (UC San Diego), and Nazema Siddiqui, MD, MHSc (Duke University)
• Additional invited talks from leaders in urobiome research: Nicole De Nisco, PhD (UT Dallas) and Lisa Karstens, PhD (Oregon Health & Sciences University)
• Multiple CAIRIBU U-RIG breakout sessions and small working groups
• Trainee/early-stage investigator abstracts, lightning talks, and poster session

Registration is FREE but limited - REGISTER NOW. Travel awards to trainees submitting abstracts will be given on a first-come, first-served basis.

Meeting attendance will be capped, so REGISTER SOON. Trainees & ESIs... register and submit an abstract by June 19 to be eligible for travel award (awards announced prior to meeting)

Trainees and ESIs only. Submit abstract and register by June 19 to be eligible for a travel award (funds disbursed after meeting)

JULY 9 - Group rate deadline, Best Western Plus InnTowner. Arrive Wednesday for Thursday morning meeting start; depart Friday (meeting ends Fri. afternoon)

Professional Development "Summer Camp" for Trainees & Early-Stage Investigators (virtual)

June 26, July 17, and August 21

Content during each "camp" is aimed at enhancing trainees' research capacity and professional skills in developing research questions, communicating science, visualizing your data, and exploring career options. All are invited.

Organized by early-career investigators: Michael Neugent, PhD (University of Rochester), Keisha Harrison, PhD (Oregon Health & Science University), and Audra Crouch, PhD (Ohio State University).

Speakers and facilitators include: Lindsey Burnett, MD, PhD (UC San Diego); Vanessa Hale, PhD, DVM (Ohio State University); Lisa Karstens, PhD (Oregon Health & Science University); and a panel of academic, government, and industry representatives to give career advice (Aug. 21).

BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATING: Trainees will: (1) have an opportunity to practice presenting posters, (2) receive guidance on designing figures and how to develop a robust scientific question, (3) learn about effective science communication, and (4) hear about career options across academia, industry, and government.

Register HERE [some sessions require you to submit materials (posters, figures, etc.) in advance]

CAIRIBU BPH RESEARCH INTEREST GROUP

Advancing BPH Research...

This is a new interdisciplinary CAIRIBU Community initiative involving basic and translational scientists as well as clinicians. This RIG will stimulate knowledge exchange, new ideas, strategic visioning, and transdisciplinary research collaborations in BPH research.

"From Introductions to Innovation"

Wed., June 10, 8:00 PM Eastern

(7 PM Central | 5 PM Pacific); Zoom link available HERE

The CAIRIBU BPH RIG is led by a dynamic group of clinicians and scientists: Kazumi Taguchi, MD, PhD (University of Alabama at Birmingham); Petra Popovics, PhD (Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University); Renee Vickman, PhD (Endeavor Health); and Scott Quarrier, MD, MPH (University of Rochester). Plans are to meet virtually on the 2nd Wednesdays of the month for a mix of presentations, discussions, literature reviews, and strategic discussions about how to advance BPH research and improve patient care.

CAIRIBU URO-AGING RESEARCH INTEREST GROUP

Advancing research on the effects of aging in the lower urinary tract...

Using various techniques and representing multiple perspectives, this interdisciplinary group of investigators and trainees are aiming to improve our collective understanding of the effects of aging on genitourinary conditions and to develop effective strategies to reduce and reverse age-related urologic problems.

A series of monthly knowledge exchanges and strategic discussions ends this month with presentations by Becky Clarkson PhD, MSc and Shachi Tyagi, MD, MS, both of University of Pittsburgh.

Mon., June 22, 3:00 PM Eastern

(2 PM Central | 12 PM Pacific); Zoom link available HERE

Dr. Clarkson will address situational incontinence and address the brain's role in bladder behavior. Dr. Tyagi will discus nocturia in older adults and breaking etiologic silos.

AGING-RELATED GRANTS AND TRAINING

American Aging Association (AGE) Training/Travel Grants

Overview. Grants support current AGE trainee chapter members (i.e., members of AGE who are graduate students or postdoctoral fellows) seeking to expand their research skills, professional networks, and career opportunities in aging research. This $5,000 award will fund short-term, hands-on experiences including mini-sabbaticals in host laboratories or participation in specialized courses that enhance the trainee’s scientific development and foster new collaborations. Funds support travel, lodging, registration fees, childcare costs, and other justified expenses directly related to the proposed activity. A maximum of one grant per institution will be awarded per cycle; individuals are limited to a single award per career phase.

Application materials (to be submitted as PDF):

• (1) Project proposal (1 page); (2) Letter of support from your Principal Investigator; (3) Letter from host lab or course agenda; (4) Budget and justification; (5) NIH biosketch

Key dates: Application deadline - June 17, 2026 | Earliest project start - August 1, 2026

For inquiries regarding eligibility, application requirements, or submission, contact: brian.wasko@americanagingassociation.org with the subject: AGE VOYAGER Inquiry

NIA Summer Training Course in Experimental Aging Research

Sept. 13-Sept. 18, 2026 (all day both days)

The 33rd Annual Summer Training Course immerses attendees in current concepts of experimental aging research. Junior faculty and advanced fellows (>2 years postdoc experience) are encouraged to apply. Senior scientists new to aging research may also apply. NO COURSE FEE! Travel and accommodations are sponsored by funds from the National Institute on Aging. Meals are sponsored by a grant from the Glenn Foundation for Medical Research.

Application Deadline: July 1, 2026

For administrative information or to submit an application, email Alice Zhang. For inquiries regarding the course, email Pankaj Kapahi, PhD.

VIRTUAL CAIRIBU COMMUNITY EVENTS

CAIRIBU K12 Scholar Seminar

June 11 - 5:00 PM Eastern

(4 PM Central | 2 PM Pacific)

Marcela Ambrogi, PhD (CAIRIBU K12 KURe Program at UW-Madison). Dr. Ambrogi will discuss the influence of serotonin in bladder and bowel dysfunction. Zoom link to join is available HERE. Prior CAIRIBU K12 Seminar Series recordings are HERE

CAIRIBU Graduate Student Seminars

July 15 - 2:00 PM Eastern

(1 PM Central | 11 AM Pacific)

Samantha Ye, Leuna Sen, and Jenna Simpson (mentor, Nicholas Steers, PhD, Columbia University) University). Zoom link to join is available HERE.

CAIRIBU Undergraduate Student Research Jamboree

July 29 - 1:30 PM Eastern

(12:30 PM Central | 10:30 AM Pacific)

Undergraduate students from CAIRIBU Urology O'Brien Centers at Stanford University, Columbia University, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison present results from their mentored summer research projects. Support undergraduate students' interest in urology by joining this virtual jamboree and cheering on these students. Zoom link to join is available HERE.

MICROBIOME MEETINGS IN THE BROADER RESEARCH COMMUNITY

American Society of Microbiology

• June 4-7, 2026, Washington, DC

Nazema Siddiqui, MD, MHSc (Duke University, CAIRIBU Urobiome Research Interest Group) is an invited speaker in a session proposed by Silvia Grant, PhD (also of Duke University), "Translating Urogenital Microbiome Science Into Clinical Impact"

Beneficial Microbes and International Symbiosis Society Joint Conference

• July 19-23, Madison, WI

The conference will provide a forum for the exchange of the latest conceptual and technological developments in the fast-moving field of beneficial host-microbe interactions

Molecular Genetics of Bacteria and Phages

• August 3-7, Madison, WI

Scientific topics include: signaling and gene expression; systems, synthetic, and applied biology; microbial interactions; cell biology; phages and CRISPR; and survace sensing and cell-cell interactions

Keep up with CAIRIBU Community publications

View the latest "Have You Read This" on the CAIRIBU website. Follow publications of CAIRIBU investigators and trainees. UPDATED MONTHLY. Includes investigators at Urology O'Brien Centers and P20 Centers, Urology K12 Programs, and in CAIRIBU Research Interest Groups.

Download the table as a Google spreadsheet or Microsoft Excel file. Filter and sort it by author, topic, keywords, or other search terms.

UROLOGY RESEARCH FUNDING

Below are a few research funding announcements that may not be on your radar. Urology research fits in various ways into these and many other funding announcements from federal sources as well as those from industry, professional societies, and foundations. More information on the CAIRIBU website HERE.

Engineering of Biomedical Systems program; sponsor: National Science Foundation. PD 23-5345. Supports research that integrates engineering and life sciences to solve biomedical problems. May include: methods, models, and enabling tools applied to understand or control living systems; fundamental improvements in deriving information from cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems; or new approaches to the design of systems that include both living and non-living components for eventual medical use. Does not support drug design and delivery, the development of biomedical devices that do not include a living biological component, or the development of animal models of disease. Strongly recommended that PIs contact the program director to avoid the possibility of the proposal being returned without review. [Full proposals accepted anytime]

Arnold O. Beckman Postdoctoral Fellowship; sponsor: Beckman Foundation. $224K over 2 y (optional $118K for 3 y) supporting advanced research by postdoctoral scholars within the core areas of fundamental chemistry or the development and build of chemical instrumentation. Research must be innovative in method, speed or process, or represent new instrument technology. Two tracks: Postdoctoral Fellowship in Chemical Sciences (project can have applications in fields like biology or physics) or Postdoctoral Fellowship in Chemical Instrumentation (allows for up to add’l $200K for material/development costs). [LOI due 9/4/2026]

Harrington Scholar-Innovator; sponsor: Harrington Discovery Institute, University Hospitals (Cleveland, Ohio). $100K over 2 y for MD or MD/PhD faculty plus opportunities to compete for acceleration funds up to $300,000 or to qualify for investment funds typically up to $2MM. Seeking breakthrough discoveries to address unmet medical needs, modulate novel targets, or be developed into a commercial program and/or strong intellectual property or protection strategy. Discoveries may be a small molecule, biologic, or other therapeutic modality. Diagnostics or devices should be part of a therapeutic development project. Award allows access to personalized team of drug developers and project manager, expert business, commercialization and clinical development advice, regulatory assistance, intellectual property review and advice, and assistance identifying and securing additional financial support based on project needs for each awardee. [Full app due: 6/23/2026]

Dissemination and Implementation Research in Health; sponsor: NIH (relevant ICs include NIA, NICHD, NINDS). R21 Clinical Trial Optional. PAR-25-143. Up yo $275,000 over 2 y. Supports studies that will identify, develop, and/or test strategies for overcoming barriers to the adoption, adaptation, integration, sustainability, scale-up, and spread of evidence-based interventions. Open to any career stage. [Upcoming due dates: 6/16/2026, 10/16/2026]

CAIRIBU YouTube Playlists are "channels" corresponding to specific research interests. CAIRIBU Interactions Core staff recently categorized all CAIRIBU YouTube content by specific area within the lower urinary tract (more than 150 recordings). Find those in which you are most interested (e.g., bladder, prostate, infection, etc.). Content related to trainees is also categorized. Look HERE.

Kristina L. Penniston, PhD, RD

PI, CAIRIBU U24 Interactions Core

(U24-DK127726)

penn@urology.wisc.edu

Dept. of Urology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI

Links to websites for current CAIRIBU Centers and Programs are on the CAIRIBU website HERE

Collaborating for the Advancement of Interdisciplinary Research in Benign Urology



CAIRIBU is a community first formed around NIDDK-funded U54 and P20 Urology Centers and K12 Institutional Career Development Programs whose overarching objectives are to address gaps in knowledge related to epidemiology, etiology, development, progression, and expression of non-malignant urologic conditions and to train the next generation of leaders in urology research. The CAIRIBU Interactions Core is the central coordinating body for the CAIRIBU Community and for all collaborative-minded investigators and trainees studying genitourinary diseases.