Research Updates in Kidney and Urologic Health

Review Group Issues Strategic Plan for Bladder Research

Bladder research is not addressing critical opportunities, according to the Bladder Research Progress Review Group (BRPRG), which was formed by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to examine the state of bladder research in the United States. From early 2000 to July 2001, members of the BRPRG held meetings to intensively examine all areas of bladder-related problems and to develop a strategic bladder research plan. This plan, titled Overcoming Bladder Disease: A Strategic Plan for Research, was released in August 2002.

The BRPRG reviewed current funding for bladder research and concluded that clinical research in this area lags behind many other disease areas because of inadequate funding. The research plan calls for increased financial support to strengthen the national bladder research effort. BRPRG's recommendations for meeting infrastructure and resource needs include increasing the investigator workforce by training new investigators and attracting established investigators into the field, creating new bladder multidisciplinary research and training programs, and supporting data and tissue banks for bladder research.

The plan also includes recommendations for research into basic science areas, including bladder epithelium, connective tissue, muscle, nerves, and blood vessels. The recommendations also cover genitourinary tract problems in children, maturation and aging, bladder outlet obstruction, interstitial cystitis, urinary tract infection, diabetic bladder, urinary incontinence, and bladder cancer.

The plan establishes additional priorities for developing new technology-driven research techniques, such as stem cell therapy and tissue engineering, and for conducting studies that include epidemiology, outcomes evaluation, prevention, and bioethics.

To obtain a free copy of Overcoming Bladder Disease (Pub. # KU-185), call the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse at 1–800–891–5390 or order online. The plan can also be viewed at www.niddk.nih.gov/fund/other/brprg_book.pdf on the Internet.

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