Jekyll2026-07-07T15:50:15+00:00https://neurourolabs.com/feed.xmlaamickleAn engaging 1-3 sentence description of your lab.New Funding for studying bladder interoception using fMRI2026-05-29T00:00:00+00:002026-07-07T15:49:31+00:00https://neurourolabs.com/2026/05/29/fmriAUACongratulations to Bettega Lopes for being named a 2026 – 2028 Research Scholar Award Recipient. This award will help support his research project “Mapping the interoceptive function of bladder cells using fMRI”

]]>New Funding for Spinal Cord Injury Work2026-05-10T00:00:00+00:002026-07-07T15:49:31+00:00https://neurourolabs.com/2026/05/10/TNSr01Congrats to Jim Hokanson - PI and the team on being awarded a new 5-year R01 “Optimization of Chronic Neuromodulation in Treating Neurogenic Bladder Dysfunction”. In collaboration with our lab and Philipp Gutruf, we will be developing technology and a knowledge base to better understand how tibial nerve stimulation (TNS) improves bladder function following spinal cord injury.

Abstract: Lower urinary tract dysfunction is a significant impairment for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI), and tibial nerve stimulation (TNS) shows promise in enhancing bladder function in this population. However, key questions remain regarding the impact of TNS dosing variables (including dosing duration, intra-dose duration, and time between doses), the timing of interventions in relation to injury, and the long-term effectiveness of chronic TNS application. Testing these approaches in humans is difficult due to patient heterogeneity and variable compliance. As such, TNS studies in humans tend to focus solely on the efficacy of a single approach rather than optimizing or testing different approaches. Pre-clinically, existing research primarily involves acute stimulation in healthy animal models, which limits insights applicable to chronic clinical settings. To address these gaps, this proposal aims to utilize a novel wireless tibial nerve stimulator to explore unanswered questions about TNS therapy for neurogenic bladder disorders. The investigation will focus on three main aims: 1) evaluating the influence of TNS dosing on functional bladder recovery post-SCI, assessing the effects of varying dosing intervals and durations; 2) assessing the optimal timing for TNS intervention during different recovery phases of SCI to enhance therapeutic efficacy; and 3) evaluating how chronic TNS dosing duration influences efficacy in a rat model of SCI. These studies aim to clarify TNS stimulation parameters and improve therapeutic outcomes, which is integral information for ultimately informing future clinical trials and improving care for patients with neurogenic bladder disorders.

]]>New paper from the lab2026-04-17T00:00:00+00:002026-07-07T15:49:31+00:00https://neurourolabs.com/2026/04/17/EngPaperCongratulations to Hannah Anderson, co-first author, and the rest of the team on the publication of “A Stretchable Optogenetic Probe for Wireless Control of Bladder Nociception”. This collaboration with Sang Min Won’s group to develop a wireless optogenetic device to manipulate opsins expressed in the bladder. Read Here

]]>Gabbie Presents at SUFU 20262026-03-01T00:00:00+00:002026-07-07T15:49:31+00:00https://neurourolabs.com/2026/03/01/Sufu26Congratulations to Gabbie Robilotto on having her abstract selected as one of the top 10 basic science abstracts at the SUFU 2026 meeting in San Juan, PR!

]]>Hannah Anderson was awarded an NIH NRSA!2026-02-16T00:00:00+00:002026-07-07T15:49:31+00:00https://neurourolabs.com/2026/02/16/HannahNRSACongratulations to Hannah Anderson on being awarded an NRSA Graduate Student Fellowship. Her project “Defining the Role of Angiotensin II Type 2 Receptor in Bladder Physiology and Pathophysiology with Mouse Models” investigates the role of the renin-angiotensin system, specifically the role of the angiotensin II type 2 receptor, in bladder physiology and pathophysiology. Aim 1 will evaluate the physiological role in naïve mouse bladder tissue, and Aim 2 will evaluate the effects of AT2R agonism in a mouse model of bladder disease.

Read more about it on Marquette Today

]]>Top Abstract Award for Hannah Anderson2025-12-15T00:00:00+00:002026-07-07T15:49:31+00:00https://neurourolabs.com/2025/12/15/CAIRIBU_2025Congratulations to Hannah Anderson, whose abstract “Angiotensin II type 2 receptor agonism elicits sex differences in murine bladder contractile responses ex vivo” was selected as one of this year’s top 3 abstracts at CAIRIBU 2025. There were more than 90 abstracts submitted, so this is quite an accomplishment. Since the meeting was in Madison, WI, the whole lab was able to attend, and it was a great experience. We are looking forward to next year!

Hannah Presenting Work at CAIRIBU 2025.
Hannah Presenting Work at CAIRIBU 2025.
Mickle Lab at CAIRIBU 2025.
Mickle Lab at CAIRIBU 2025.
Hannah Anderson with other Best Abstract Winners.
Hannah Anderson with other Best Abstract Winners.
]]>New Paper2025-10-06T00:00:00+00:002026-07-07T15:49:31+00:00https://neurourolabs.com/2025/10/06/Local_Urothelial_PaperCongrats to Firoj Alom on leading a recent project on local urothelial signaling and contractions, which was just published in Scientific Reports. Here is a brief summary: Signaling molecules released from the urothelium are known to play a sensory role in bladder contractions via neuronal signaling. It is also theorized that these molecules released from the urothelium could act locally to induce urothelial cell-mediated local bladder contractions. Here, we validated using an optogenetic technique that specific urothelial cell stimulation can induce urothelial cell-mediated local bladder contraction and studied signaling mechanisms of these local bladder contractions. Our approach in this study will have an impact on biomedical research regarding how we study the urothelial-to-detrusor muscle communication and the changes that may occur under disease conditions.

]]>New Funding2025-09-09T00:00:00+00:002026-07-07T15:49:31+00:00https://neurourolabs.com/2025/09/09/NRSA_Gabbie_2025Congratulations to Gabbie Robilotto on the funding of a 2-year NIH F31 Award entitled “Evaluation of the influence of angiotensin type 1 receptor expression under disease conditions in an autoimmune cystitis animal model”. Based on data she collected while the lab was at the University of Florida, Gabbie proposes to investigate if Ang-II signaling contributes to pathological changes in the bladder in a chronic bladder inflammatory mouse model, with specific focus on AT1R, and how this relates to disease conditions in interstitial cystitis/ bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS).

]]>New Funding2025-07-01T00:00:00+00:002026-07-07T15:49:31+00:00https://neurourolabs.com/2025/07/01/ImagineMore_Alom_2025Congratulations to Dr. Firoj Alom (postdoc) on his recent grant award! Dr. Alom was awarded the Imagine More Postdoc Award. His project will evaluate the use of ampakines to improve diabetic bladder dysfunction.
Read more about the event here

]]>aaron-mickleWork Anniversary!2025-06-15T00:00:00+00:002026-07-07T15:49:31+00:00https://neurourolabs.com/2025/06/15/bhavana%20anniversaryCongratulations to Bhavana Talluri on 5 Years at MCW. We are so lucky to have you in the Group!

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