CAIRIBU TRAINEE

NEWSLETTER

COLLABORATING FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH IN BENIGN UROLOGY

ISSUE No. 5 || 7.15.26

In each issue of the CAIRIBU Trainee Newsletter, trainees have the opportunity to submit questions to be answered by investigators from the CAIRIBU Community. 

This issue features insights from Principal Investigator, Johanna Hannan, PhD, postdoctoral fellow and CAIRIBU K12 Alum, Alexandra Polasko, PhD and Principal Investigator of the CAIRIBU Interactions Core, Kristina Penniston, PhD. 

Samantha Ye is an undergraduate research intern working with Nicholas Steers, PhD, at Columbia University. She received a CAIRIBU Research Training & Development Grant to support a summer experience in Dr. Steers’ lab in 2025. Funds were used to help cover the cost of airfare to and from New York City. Read about her experience below: 

“The CAIRIBU Research Training & Development Grant provided me with the opportunity to conduct summer research at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, where I expanded my experience in urology through computational and translational research. I developed my bioinformatics skills by analyzing bulk-RNA sequencing datasets and gained exposure to interdisciplinary approaches that strengthened my understanding of kidney immunology and urologic disease. Having the opportunities to present my work at the CAIRIBU Summer Jamboree and the CAIRIBU Graduate Student Seminar has strengthened my scientific communication skills and allowed me to receive thoughtful feedback from experts across diverse disciplines. These experiences have reinforced my aspiration to become a physician-scientist that continues contributing to translational urology research.”  

This workshop comes from the June 2026 installment of the 3-part virtual CAIRIBU Trainee Summer Camp presented by the CAIRIBU Urobiome RIG. In this session, Audra Crouch, PhD (The Ohio State University) demonstrates how to use R, an open-source statistical software, to create figures and graphs for research publications, presentations, and more. Using relative abundance data as an example, she walks through how to create a simple and complex boxplot.

Popovics Lab at Old Dominion University – Research Assistant (Norfolk, VA) 

The Popovics Lab at Old Dominion University seeks a full-time research assistant. The laboratory conducts basic and translational research focused on benign prostate disease. The successful candidate will support projects investigating the prostate transcriptome, proteome, and lipidome in mouse models of inflammation and hyperplasia, as well as in human specimens. Responsibilities will include mouse breeding, genotyping and urinary testing and performing chemical, biological, molecular, surgical, and other laboratory techniques in support of these studies.  

CAIRIBU Trainee & ESI Pre-Meeting, Travel Awards, and Trainee Social 

This half-day meeting is planned by and for trainees and early-stage investigators from the CAIRIBU Community. The Trainee & ESI Pre-Meeting takes place on the first day of the CAIRIBU Annual Meeting, December 9th from 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM. No separate registration for the Pre-Meeting is required. Content is focused on communicating science, successfully transitioning the stages from trainee to independent investigator, and understanding the research funding landscape. 

CAIRIBU Travel Awards to offset the cost of attendance to the annual CAIRIBU meeting are available to trainees and early-stage investigators (those within 10 years of their terminal degree) who submit an abstract. Abstracts are eligible for “best abstract” consideration and the opportunity to deliver a podium presentation. Others will present posters and be eligible for “best poster” awards in several categories. To be eligible for a CAIRIBU Travel Award, submit an abstract, read and agree to the Travel Award conditions, and complete the application on or before October 19th. For the first time this year there will be a Trainee & ESI Social from 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM on Tuesday, December 8th at Camp Trippalindee at the Graduate Hotel (601 Langdon St, Madison, WI 53703). 

Annual CAIRIBU Summer Student Jamboree 

This virtual event features presentations from undergraduate students associated with the CAIRIBU U54 O’Brien Urology Research Centers and the UW-Madison R25 Summer Program for Undergraduate Urology Research. Students will present research from their summer experiences on a variety of urology topics, including benign prostate and bladder conditions, congenital urinary tract abnormalities, urinary tract infection, and environmental toxins. Sixteen students will represent a dozen investigators who mentored them through their projects. Support the next generation of urology researchers by tuning into this event. 

2026-2027 ARCTICS Community Forums

Advancing the Research Capacity of Trainees and Investigators in early Career Stages (ARCTICS). This virtual monthly series is aimed at enhancing the skills and knowledge of trainees and early-stage investigators. This year topics include: CAIRIBU Resources & Funding Mechanisms, Modern Networking Strategies for Scientists, How to Design a Scientific Poster, Applying & Interviewing Across Career Stages, Using AI for Research and much more! Speakers include established and experienced investigators from a broad range of fields.  

We want to hear from you! Use the short survey below to submit your question for a future issue of the CAIRIBU Trainee Newsletter. You'll also have the chance to share your thoughts on how we're doing and what you'd like to see in upcoming editions. Now anonymized.

See previous issues that feature more expert advice and include overviews of various NIH funding programs to help guide trainees through the research funding landscape. New issues of the Trainee Newsletter are released quaterly on the 15th of January, April, July, and October.