Basic Science Research

Research - Basic Science Research

Equally important to clinical work in the advancement of medicine is basic science or laboratory research, and here Columbia Urology offers a world-class program employing some of the nation's leading urologic basic scientists.

Dr. Cathy Mendelson and members of her laboratory focus on understanding the development of the urogenital system, while Drs. Cordon-Cardo and Abate-Shen and members of their labs are studying the origins of genitouretal cancers .

Carlos Cordon-Cardo, M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. Cordon-Cardo and members of his lab are using innovative approaches and cutting-edge technologies to investigate how mutations of critical genes can act together to influence the development and progression of bladder and prostate cancer.

Dr. Cordon-Cardo pioneered a "systems biology" approach to identify genetic alterations in cancer, and has used this approach to uncover the significance of specific mutations (p53, Rb, and the Pten pathway) in the progression of bladder and prostate cancer. These innovative studies have led to the development of promising new clinical trials aimed at bladder preservation and therapeutic targeting. In their most recent studies, the Cordon-Cardo laboratory have linked discrete mutations in adult stem cells with the development of prostate cancer, making the important observation that certain tumors originate from distinct stages in stem cell development.

Cory Abate-Shen, Ph.D.
The research in Dr. Abate-Shen's laboratory is aimed at understanding the mechanisms underlying cancer development using genetically-engineered mouse models. Members of the laboratory have developed outstanding models of both prostate and bladder cancer and are using these models to understand the molecular mechanisms involved in disease progression as well as to develop new approaches for the prevention and treatment of these deadly cancers.

In particular, studies in the Abate-Shen laboratory have identified two signaling pathways that are responsible for hormone-refractory prostate cancer, the most deadly form of the disease and have shown that inactivation of these pathways blocks tumor growth. These studies have lead to the development of new clinical trials for patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer.

In addition, the Abate-Shen laboratory has developed novel models of invasive bladder cancer and is using these models to understand how this deadly disease arises and to develop new therapeutic treatments.

Cathy Mendelsohn, Ph.D.
Developmental defects of the urinary tract are among the most common developmental anomalies in newborns, and can lead to severe kidney damage.

Studies in the Mendelsohn laboratory are focused on understanding how the kidney, ureter, bladder, and urethra develop during fetal development. The lab's goal is to use mouse models of normal and abnormal development to identify the cellular mechanisms and genetic pathways that are crucial for normal urinary tract formation.