Basic Science
The Department of Urology's basic science research focuses on understanding:
- How and why prostate cancer (Pca) cells respond to hormonal therapies
- What causes prostate cancer to progress to metastatic and castrate-resistant cancer
Investigators Robert J. Matusik, PhD and Renjie Jin, MD, PhD successfully isolated a DNA fragment (probasin promoter) that can be manipulated to limit gene expression to the prostate and measure androgen receptor (AR) activity. This breakthrough allows for the creation of mouse models for prostate cancer that reproduce the full spectrum of transformation seen in human prostate disease including:
- Benign hyperplasia
- Pre-neoplastic lesions
- Local invasive carcinoma
- Androgen-dependant cancer
- Progression to NEPC (neuroendocrine prostate cancer)
Translational Research
Testing therapies in our mouse models let us take research findings from the bench to the patient. We also research in the reverse, to confirm if genetic changes seen in human disease are sufficient to drive prostate cancer in mouse models.