Research undertaken at the UW-Madison George M. O’Brien Center for Benign Urology Research is dedicated to improving urologic health in aging men. The center is a multi-site research cooperative between the University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Massachusetts-Boston, University of Texas-Southwestern, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Current Projects
In addition to building research tools and improving technology for benign urology research, the U54 O’Brien Center for Benign Urologic Research also supports basic science and translational research.
Resources for Researchers
The U54 O'Brien Center for Benign Urologic Research provides funding opportunities, technical resources, and protocols for researchers.
Seminars and Events
Visit our Seminars and Events page for a full list of upcoming and past seminars and events hosted by the O'Brien Center.
MISSION
The O’Brien Centers were established by the NIDDK in 1987 as P50 programs and worked independently. They were converted to the U54 mechanism in 2012 to encourage collaboration between funded centers and sharing with the larger research community with the following mission:
- Support the next generation of urologic researchers by providing meaningful education, support, and mentoring
- Cultivate new research tools and ideas by expanding the collaborative network within and outside of the traditional urologic research field
- Enhance knowledge of mechanisms associated with normal development, function, and disease pathology related to the urinary tract, kidney, and prostate
- Translate knowledge and tools generated from our collaborations to the clinical setting to reduce the burden of benign urologic illness by developing and testing therapies to better treat, manage, and prevent these diseases
GOALS
The goals of the O’Brien Center are to:
- Identify factors that cause urinary dysfunction in aging men
- Build consensus around research approaches to model urinary dysfunction in rodents
- Provide opportunities for established investigators to transition into the field of benign urology
- Secure the future of urologic research by promoting development of the next generation of urologic researchers
- Disseminate urologic research knowledge through seminars, workshops and symposia
OTHER U54 O’BRIEN CENTERS FOR BENIGN UROLOGY RESEARCH
Columbia University George M. O’Brien Urology Center
The Columbia University O’Brien Urology Center brings together research programs in Human Genetics and Mouse models to address the causes of congenital urinary tract malformations.
University of Pittsburgh O’Brien Urology Research Center
The University of Pittsburgh O'Brien Urology Research Center's mission is to identify new targets for developing novel preventative & therapeutic treatment approaches for BPH.
Latest News
UW O’Brien Center SPUUR Program Now Accepting Applications for 2023
Calling all undergraduates! We are thrilled to notify you of a 12-week research/internship opportunity at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Summer 2023. The Summer Program for Undergraduate Urology Research (SPUUR) seeks new and enthusiastic thinkers for …
January 26, 2023Dr. William Ricke elected 2023 Society for Basic Urologic Research (SBUR) President
Congratulations to Dr. William Ricke, UW O’Brien Center Director, UW Department of Urology Director of Research and The UWMF Professor of Urologic Research, for being elected 2023 Society for Basic Urologic Research (SBUR) president!
December 27, 2022Dr. Kimberly Keil Stietz awarded Stanford Opportunity Pool grant
Congratulations to Dr. Kimberly Keil Steitz, UW O’Brien Center Biomedical Core Co-Director, for being awarded a Stanford Opportunity Pool grant! The grant, titled Impact of Developmental PCBs on Neural Activity in the Pontine Micturition Center, …
December 27, 2022New publication in J Am Soc Mass Spectrom
A new collaborative work between the laboratories of Drs. William Ricke and Lingjun Li in the Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry provides insight as to how porous graphitic carbon separations may be …
December 27, 2022Strong showing by UW O’Brien Center at the 2022 CAIRIBU Annual Meeting
The UW O’Brien Center had a strong presence at the 2022 Advancement of Interdisciplinary Research in Benign Urology (CAIRIBU) Annual Meeting in Bethesda, MD 11/30-12/2/2022. Presenters Chad Vezina (Professor, UW Comparative Biosciences & UW O’Brien …
December 27, 2022- More News