Collaborating for the Advancement of Interdisciplinary Research in Benign Urology



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MRI IMAGING FOR BPH

CAIRIBU BPH RESEARCH INTEREST GROUP

This interdisciplinary CAIRIBU Community is open to basic and translational scientists as well as clinicians interested benign prostate research. Monthly knowledge exchanges through 2027 are planned. Help advance benign prostate research and improve patients' health!

Wed., Sept. 9, 7:00 PM Eastern

(6 PM Central | 4 PM Pacific)

Zoom link available HERE

Dr. Shane Wells and Dr. Jesse Hamilton, collaborators at the University of Michigan, will describe their research aimed at developing and optimizing “Quantitative prostate MRI for BPH”

ANNUAL CAIRIBU MEETING

December 9-11, 2026 Madison, Wisconsin

Registration is OPEN | Lodging link is LIVE

Abstract submission portal is OPEN

More details HERE

Abstracts due 10/19/2026 by midnight CT (guidelines HERE)

Trainees and early-stage investigators (within 10 years of terminal degree) are eligible for "Best Abstract" and "Best Poster" awards

Travel awards for eligible trainees are available (students and other trainees only)

• Go HERE for guidelines and requirements
• Submit application HERE (deadline October 19, 2026)
• Trainee and ESI pre-meeting Wednesday morning, Dec. 9

The annual CAIRIBU meeting is a "home" for trainees and investigators to network, exchange knowledge, and hear from leaders at the cutting-edge of their fields, including:

Aging in the lower urinary tract | Uro-immunological pathologies | Sexual function

Bladder and voiding dysfunction | BPH and lower urinary tract dysfunction | Neuro-uro disorders

Urinary tract infection, urobiome | Chronic pelvic pain and bladder pain | Urolithiasis

Ureteral strictures | Erectile dysfunction | Post-radiation cystitis and prostatitis

Urology-related developmental and genetic diseases

NEW THIS YEAR

Trainee & Early Stage Investigator Mixer

Tues., December 8, 6:00-9:00 PM

The Graduate Hotel, all trainees welcome

CAIRIBU O'BRIEN CENTER OPPORTUNITY AWARDS

The CAIRIBU-affiliated George M. O'Brien Cooperative Urology Research Centers at Stanford University and Columbia University are accepting research applications for the Opportunity Pool Awards Program. See below for details.

Applicants should aim to generate preliminary data that may be used for future grant applications and testing high risk/high reward concepts. Opportunity Pool projects should be aligned with the overall research goals of the Center to which the applicant applies. Partnerships with the Center are not required, but applicants are encouraged to propose projects that could lead to future collaborations.

• Specific RFAs for each Center are available HERE
• Up to $100,000 in Direct Costs for up to 1 year may be requested
• Applicants must be: (1) early stage or new investigators (per NIH definition), (2) current K Scholars, or (3) established investigators new to urology research
• Award is contingent on continued funding of the parent Center and/or CAIRIBU Interactions Core

Stanford University Urology O'Brien Center

PI, James Brooks, MD

Applications related to benign prostatic hyperplasia are accepted. Go HERE for more information about the Stanford University O'Brien Center. Applications must be submitted on the CAIRIBU website portal on or before Thursday, October 1, 2026 at 11:59 PM Central Time. Applications received by the deadline will be sent for review shortly after that date. Expect a total time of 6-8 weeks from submission date to decision. Project dates are 1/01/2027-12/31/2027.

Columbia University Urology O'Brien Center

PIs, Cathy Mendelsohn, PhD; Anne-Catrin Uhlemann, MD, PhD, Jonathan Barasch, MD, PhD; & Ali Gharavi, MD

Applications should be related to cellular and transcriptional pathways that drive cell type differentiation, inflammation, and mitochondrial functions in the urothelium; heme detoxification and iron sequestration in bacteriostasis and in urothelial cell viability; antimicrobial resistance in UTI; and/or genetic and embryological causes of obstruction and other urinary tract diseases. Go HERE for more information about the Columbia University O'Brien Center. Applications must be submitted on the CAIRIBU website portal on or before Sunday, November 1, 2026 at 11:59 PM Central Time. Applications received by the deadline will be sent for review shortly after that date. Expect a total time of 6-8 weeks from submission date to decision. Project dates are 2/01/2027-1/31/2028.

MORE UROLOGY RESEARCH FUNDING

HEAL National K12 Clinical Pain Career Development Award (HEAL K12)

Posted 8/24/2026



A mentored career development program to provide protected time for clinician scientists to focus on training and conducting clinical pain research. Up to $100K/year salary plus fringe benefits, and $50K/year in research support costs, for up to 3 years. [LOI deadline: 11/9/26]

National Academies of Science Engineering and Medicine National Research Council Research Associateships

Posted 8/26/2026



Postdoctoral and senior associateship awards providing scientists and engineers with high-quality research opportunities at federal laboratories and affiliated institutions. Awards are typically for 12 months. Stipend levels vary. [Next deadline: 11/1/26]

Long-Term Health Outcomes of People Living With Spina Bifida

Posted 8/25/2026



The purpose of component A (8-11 awardees) of this NOFO is to collect high-quality longitudinal data on children and adults with spina bifida (SB) who receive care in specialized SB clinics participating in the National SB Patient Registry.

The purpose of component B (6-8 awardees) is to implement and evaluate the Urologic Management to Preserve Initial Renal Function Protocol for Young Children with Spina Bifida (UMPIRE) iterative protocol which aims to improve the management of the urinary and kidney systems in infants and young children with myelomeningocele. [Next deadline: 10/26/2026]

Are You an Investigator Who "Excels Beyond Boundaries"?

Posted 8/25/2026



Established in 2002 by the late Swiss entrepreneur Dr. Branco Weiss, candidates may apply for a project to be hosted by any academic institution worldwide.

Per information on its website... The ideal applicant for a Branco Weiss Fellowship (BWF) leverages the freedom offered by the fellowship to design a surprisingly novel and scientifically rigorous research project. The fellowship addresses junior researchers with a record of outstanding scientific achievement and a passion for venturing into new territory (see: mission). For more information about current and prior BWF fellow profiles, go here. [Next deadline: 1/27/2027]

CAIRIBU Funding Bulletin

Created by Theo Ng, CAIRIBU Interactions Core Administrative Coordinator, this bi-monthly bulletin complements the CAIRIBU website funding page and features a targeted roundup of new and ongoing research funding announcements. Genitourinary research can be included in a BROAD VARIETY of funding opportunities. Click on the CAIRIBU website funding tab for more extramural as well as CAIRIBU Community funding opportunities.

CAIRIBU COMMUNITY EVENTS

CAIRIBU ARCTICS Community forums

Advancing the Research Capacity of Trainees and Investigators at early Career Stages (ARCTICS)

Wed., Sept. 9, 1:00 PM Eastern

(12 PM Central | 10 AM Pacific)

Zoom link available HERE

Learn about CAIRIBU Interactions Core resources and funding from Principal Investigator and Director, Kristina Penniston, PhD, RD.

Also hear from Johanny Kugelman-Tonos, PhD, from the American Urological Association Office of Research about urology research funding opportunities and from Rozalyn Anderson, PhD, Director of the Wisconsin Nathan Shock Center about pilot funding opportunities for aging-related research.

CAIRIBU Urobiome RIG

The CAIRIBU Urobiome Research Interest Group is a vibrant interdisciplinary community of urobiome investigators working to understand mechanisms of host-microbe and microbe-microbe interactions and the role of microbes in the urinary tract.

Fri., Sept. 25, 3:00 PM Eastern

(2 PM Central | 12 PM Pacific)

Zoom link available HERE

During this month’s Knowledge Exchange, Lisa Karstens, PhD (Oregon Health & Science University) and Nicole De Nisco, PhD (University of Texas at Dallas), will review outcomes of the highly successful 2026 CAIRIBU Urobiome Research Interest Group Summer Meeting in Madison, WI. Strategic ideas about advancing urobiome research will be discussed. Don't miss this event.

CAIRIBU Uro-Aging RIG

The CAIRIBU Uro-Aging Research Interest Group includes investigators and trainees interested in understanding the effects of aging in the lower urinary tract.

Mon., Sept. 28, 3:00 PM Eastern

(2 PM Central | 12 PM Pacific)

Zoom link available HERE

During this month’s Knowledge Exchange, Zohreh Izadifar, PhD (Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University) will describe her development of a human bladder chip. This technology, based on microfluidics, is expected to greatly enhance the study of the aging bladder, potentially leading to the ability to develop and test next-generation therapies to solve aging-related bladder problems, such as urinary tract infection, incontinence, interstitial cystitis, and neurogenic bladder.

Travel Support for Trainees Presenting Aging-Related Urology Research

A grant* recently obtained by Scott Bauer, MD, MS (University of California San Francisco), one of the leaders of the CAIRIBU Uro-Aging Research Interest Group, allows the CAIRIBU Interactions Core to provide financial support for trainees and early-stage investigators to present aging-related urology research at scientific meetings between now and the end of April 2027 (excludes the 2026 CAIRIBU meeting).

• Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis from now until 12/08/2026 (first come, first served)
• Your application should be in the form of an email to the CAIRIBU Interactions Core (cairibu@urology.wisc.edu) and should address the items in the table below. Appropriate attachments to the email should be included. Alternatively, you may include all required elements as a single PDF and attach it to the email.
• Applications will be considered until funds are exhausted
• Maximum award amount is $750; we anticipate 2-3 awards

* The grant (U24AG065204) is from the Clinician-Scientists Transdisciplinary Aging Research (Clin-STAR) Coordinating Center. In addition to supporting trainee travel to scientific meetings in fall of 2026 through end of April 2027, the Clin-STAR award provides financial programming support for initiatives aimed at advancing the interest in urologic aging research at the Collaborating for the Advancement of Interdisciplinary Research in Benign Urology (CAIRIBU) annual meeting.

CAIRIBU INVESTIGATORS AND TRAINEES IN ACTION

CAIRIBU investigators at the American Urogynecological Society annual meeting (Denver, Oct. 4-7, 2026)

• Alexis Dieter, MD, Georgetown University, CAIRIBU Collaboration Award recipient (2026)
• Lindsey Burnett, MD, PhD, UC San Diego, CAIRIBU Collaboration Award recipient (2026)
• Nazema Siddiqui, MD, MHSc, Duke University, CAIRIBU Urobiome Research Interest Group, prior CAIRIBU K12 scholar, prior CAIRIBU Collaboration Award recipient (2022)
• Feranmi Okanlami, MD, MS, University of Michigan, prior CAIRIBU K12 Scholar
• Alan Wolfe, PhD, Loyola University Chicago, CAIRIBU Urobiome Research Interest Group
• Abigail Shatkin-Margolis, MD, UC San Francisco, CAIRIBU K12 Scholar

Other CAIRIBU-affiliated investigators are co-authors on abstracts and posters that will be presented at the meeting. These include Cindy Amundsen, MD (PI, Duke University CAIRIBU KURe Program); Marsha Guess, MD, MS (University of Colorado, CAIRIBU Uro-Aging Research Interest Group); and Rose Khavari, MD (Houston Methodist, prior CAIRIBU Collaboration Award recipient, 2023).

CAIRIBU RESOURCES

CAIRIBU Community Resource Round-Up

• CAIRIBU Communique (monthly)
• CAIRIBU Trainee Newsletter (quarterly)
• CAIRIBU Compass (quarterly)
• CAIRIBU Funding Bulletin (bi-monthly)
• CAIRIBU Mobile App (from App Store; available for Android soon)
• CAIRIBU App Online (use it on your browser)
• CAIRIBU Research Interest Groups (most have monthly knowledge exchanges and other inroads for engagement and networking)
• CAIRIBU Community news (updated regularly online)
• CAIRIBU YouTube (up to nearly 170 recordings)
• CAIRIBU Virtual Forums (link to events)
• CAIRIBU Research Channels (links to research resources and other curated materials by topic)
• CAIRIBU Have You Read This? (publications by CAIRIBU-engaged investigators)
• Trainee and Early Investigators Resources (look under "Quick Links" for topics related to grant writing, mentoring, networking, and more)
• CAIRIBU Social Media (quick links to CAIRIBU LinkedIn, X, and more)

In development:

CAIRIBU Code Commons,

part of a larger collaborative CAIRIBU Computational Community, a hub for shareable computational methods, code, software, scripts, and analytical workflows that support urology research. Explore resources contributed by colleagues, showcase and share your own work, and contribute to a culture of open, reproducible science across the CAIRIBU Community.

This concept is currently in development and may ultimately be part of a broader "CAIRIBU Computational Core." Want to be part of the discussion? Contact the CAIRIBU Interactions Core at cairibu@urology.wisc.edu.

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.