Areas of Research
Overactive Bladder (OAB)
Underactive Bladder (UAB)
Voiding Dysfunction
Neurourology
Artificial Urinary Sphincter for the treatment of (Male/Female) Stress Urinary Incontinence
Urogynecology/Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery
Transitional Urology: adults with congenital genitourinary abnormalities
Minimally Invasive Pelvic Surgery: pelvic organ prolapses, urinary fistulas
Active Research Projects
The multidisciplinary nature of our focused Research Lab has been the major strength of our research since we began our work in 2000. Keep reading to find out what we are currently investigating.
MS Bladder Trial
This phase II randomized double-blind sham-controlled single center clinical trial is designed to evaluate the effects of targeted repetetive transcranial magnet stimulation (rTMS) in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) by investigating restorative reorganization of brain function and improvement of urinary frequency, urgency and incontinence. (ACTIVELY RECRUITING)
Individualized Tibial Neuromodulation at Home for Restoration of Bladder Function in Multiple Sclerosis
This is a pilot feasibility study evaluating home-based tibial neuromodulation (TNM) for overactive bladder in patients with multiple sclerosis or demyelinating disease. Participants will use either an implantable (Altaviva) or transcutaneous/wearable (Zida) tibial nerve stimulation device, self-administered at home over 12 weeks, to assess feasibility, safety, tolerability, and preliminary effectiveness on bladder symptoms and quality of life. The study also uses fMRI before and after treatment to explore supraspinal brain-bladder network changes underlying treatment response. It is described as the first prospective trial testing home-based TNM specifically in this population.
Non-invasive brain neuromodulation in men for management of incontinence after prostate treatment: a proof-of-concept study
This is a randomized, single-session, mechanistic proof-of-concept study enrolling men with incontinence after prostate treatment (IPT), most often following radical prostatectomy. Participants are randomized 1:1 to a single session of either high-frequency (excitatory) or low-frequency (inhibitory) repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) targeted at the pelvic supplementary motor area (pSMA) using neuronavigation. It's framed as the first study to directly target central neuromodulation pathways for IPT, since all current treatments act only on peripheral structures, with the goal of informing a future sham-controlled rTMS trial.
Identification of Supraspinal Regions of Interest in Underactive Bladder
This is a prospective observational cohort study enrolling adults with underactive bladder (UAB) and healthy controls. The study uses functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during a natural bladder-filling and voiding paradigm to characterize supraspinal brain activity and functional connectivity underlying UAB. The study aims to identify novel brain-centered neuromodulation targets for UAB, a condition that currently lacks effective, evidence-based treatments.
Urine Biobank Registry for Neurogenic Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction (NLUTD) Urodynamic Studies
This is a prospective urine biobank registry, not an interventional trial, aiming to enroll 300 adults with neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction undergoing clinically indicated urodynamic studies between 2026 and 2029. The primary objective is simply to build this biobank/registry infrastructure, linking banked urine samples to urodynamic phenotyping, to support future research studies (e.g., urinary biomarker discovery for risk stratification and disease monitoring in NLUTD, rather than to test any specific hypothesis itself.
Home Neuromodulation for Neurogenic Bladder Management in Spinal Cord Injury: A Hybrid Implementation-Efficacy Trial
This is a three-arm, first-in-human randomized trial testing the Injectrode, a minimally invasive implantable tibial nerve stimulation device, in 21 adults with chronic, non-progressive spinal cord injury and neurogenic bladder on stable overactive bladder medications. Participants are randomized to bilateral implantable stimulation (iTNS), unilateral iTNS, or sham iTNS over 8 weeks, and outcomes are compared against their prior experience with transcutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (tTNS), an external electrode-based approach with known limitations (skin issues, inconsistent delivery). It's described as the first study of implantable tibial nerve stimulation specifically in the spinal cord injury population (SCI).
Completed Research Projects
Suprapubic Bulbocavernosus Reflex Stimulation
Supraspinal Targets in Neurogenic Voiding Dysfunction
Higher Neural Changes following Medications used for Overactive Bladder Management
Intra-detrusor Injections of Botulinum Toxin-A in Adults with Myelomeningiocele
Clinical outcomes of patients with congenital genitourinary anomalies, such as spina bifida
Assessment of female stress urinary incontinence
Quality of Life after Bladder Surgery in Neurogenic Bladder Patients
Procedureal Discomfort Related to Intradetrusor Botox Injections
Transcutaneous Tibial Nerve Stimulation for Acute and Chronic Spinal Cord Injury Neurogenic Bladder
Higher Neural Contribution Underlying Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Men with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Undergoing Bladder Outlet Procedures
Deep brain stimulation in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms
Treatment of overactive bladder with BOTOX® versus tibial nerve stimulation
Dysport treatment in patients with neurogenic urinary incontinence
Understanding Bladder Control Through fMRI Imaging
