Research at Scott Department of Urology
Clinical Trials
The Scott Department of Urology is a leader among Baylor’s clinical departments in its commitment to research activities. Members of the department are involved in research in basic science laboratories, in translational research, and in clinical research, including an extensive current ongoing Clinical Trials Program.
Research Program Initiatives
Working to translate results of successful laboratory research to improvements in patient care, the research faculty has worked with clinicians to introduce new diagnostic tools and to develop new treatments, such as gene therapy, for prostate cancer. Other tests resulting from research include the new prostate cancer tumor marker tests designed for use with a treatment nomogram.
In the Laboratory for Male Reproductive Research and Testing, scientists are studying genetic causes of infertility. Our LMRRT is well known for translational and basic research that has quickly provided clinically useful diagnostic tests and treatments. Several of these tests have considerably reduced the time, inconvenience, and discomfort that patients experienced with previously available tests. Many of the new techniques represent the current standard of care used by urologists throughout the world and include the SCI (sperm capacitation index) to more precisely define sperm that are ineffective and an ICSI-SPA test, using a hamster model, to predict the success of human fertilization. In the neurourology laboratory, scientists are investigating the uses of botulinum toxin in treatment of urinary incontinence. Researchers are investigating new strategies for the prevention of recurrent bladder cancer and the treatment of invasive and metastatic cancer.
The Scott Department of Urology is engaged in multi-disciplinary health services research to assess and improve patient quality of life and decision-making regarding treatment choices with respect to genitourinary cancers. Faculty collaborate with other researchers at the Houston Center of Excellence in Health Services Research at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center and other academic centers around the country.
Research Funding
Research activity in the Scott Department of Urology is expanding rapidly, as it is in Baylor College of Medicine. The major portion of research support comes from external funding agencies such as the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Defense, Cap CURE, and private industry. Opportunities exist for individuals and corporations to support our research efforts. The basic laboratory research is focused principally in the areas of gene therapy, oncology, molecular and cellular biology of the prostate, male reproductive biology, and neurophysiology of the bladder.