The Society for Basic Urologic Research (SBUR) is pleased to announce our in-person spring meeting with our affiliates at the AUA Annual Meeting. We invite you to attend our spring SBUR meeting to be held in New Orleans, Louisiana on Saturday, May 14, 2022. The 1-day meeting will consist of a joint SBUR morning session in conjunction with the Society of Urologic Oncology (SUO). The meeting will be organized by Dr. Daniel Lin, SUO President-elect, and William Ricke, SBUR President-elect. We will meet from 8:00 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. at the Morial Convention Center in La Nouvelle Room C. The theme of the SBUR/SUO meeting is “The Role of Aging and Hormone Resistance Mechanisms in Cancer and Disease Progression.”

During the morning session, the Donald Coffey Lecture will be presented by Dr. Judith Campisi, Professor at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging. Dr. Campisi’s stellar career has highlighted training of the next generation of scientists, and her research is focused on aging biology, especially as it relates to cellular senescence. Additional presentations will be covered by Darren Baker, PhD (Mayo Clinic). His presentation will focus on the role of cellular senescence in the kidney and how senescent cells promote aging and cancer. Dr. David Jarrard (University of Wisconsin-
Madison) will discuss the latest findings in epigenetics that drive age-related prostate cancer and may prove useful in biomarker development. The role of mitochondrial function in the bladder will be deliberated by Cathy Mendelsohn, PhD (Columbia University). Molecular mechanisms including PPAR-gamma function and new models of bladder cancer will be discussed.

The latest insights on castration-resistant mechanisms in the prostate and potentially other organs will be detailed by Colm Morrisey, PhD (University of Washington) and Amina Zoubeidi, PhD (University of British Columbia). Dr. Morrisey will highlight resistance mechanisms in both androgen receptor-positive and androgen receptor-negative cancers. Dr. Zoubeidi will converse on how androgen receptor activity controls phenotypic plasticity and drug resistance. Collectively, new therapeutic targets for castration resistance will be presented.

Currently, we are planning a “bring your own lunch” to meet and greet with SBUR members, trainees and colleagues over the noon hour. Details on the location and nearby takeout restaurants will follow in a forthcoming announcement.

The SBUR afternoon session is organized by our spring program committee: Hannelore Heemers, PhD (Cleveland Clinic), Bernadette Zwaans, PhD (Beaumont Health), Susan Kasper, PhD (University of Cincinnati) and William Ricke, PhD. We will meet from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside Hotel in Marlborough Room A&B. The theme of this year’s afternoon session is “Aging and Androgen Therapy Resistance in the Lower Urinary Tract.”

The spring SBUR meeting will consist of 2 sessions. Session I in the afternoon will address mechanisms associated with aging in the lower urinary tract. Although age, defined by units of time (eg years), is commonly linked to benign and malignant diseases, little is known about molecular mechanisms driving the hallmarks of the aging processes, such as mitochondrial dysfunction and cellular senescence. We have put together an exciting panel of scientific experts inclusive of junior through senior researchers to discuss these processes as well as provide new insights for therapeutic targets of these under studied areas.

In Session I, Teresa Liu, PhD (University of Wisconsin-Madison) will present a compelling story whereby loss of mitochondrial complex I leads to lower urinary tract dysfunction. Therapeutically targeting mitochondrial dysfunction may provide new treatment regimens for benign prostatic hyperplasia/lower urinary tract symptoms. Further supporting an aging biology contribution to bladder abnormalities and dysfunction, Indira Mysorekar, PhD (Baylor College of Medicine) and Lori Birder, PhD (University of Pittsburgh) will present their latest findings and discuss important biological pathways that may be targeted therapeutically. Lastly, Bernadette Zwaans, PhD (Beaumont Health) will discuss the effects of radiation treatment on aging hallmarks negatively contributing to bladder function. A lively discussion will ensue at the conclusion of Session I.

Session II in the afternoon will center on the role of therapy resistance mechanisms in androgen target tissues. Haojie Huang, PhD (Mayo Clinic) will discuss the noncanonical androgen receptor function in the development of castration resistance. Petra Popovics, PhD (University of Wisconsin-
Madison) will discuss the role of translational repression as a putative mechanism of castration resistance in the prostate and potentially other organs. Cellular aspects of 5alpha-reductase inhibitor induced lineage plasticity in benign prostatic hyperplasia will be explored by Doug Strand, PhD (University of Texas Southwestern). Scott Dehm, PhD (University of Minnesota) will introduce new molecular findings involved in the development of castration-resistant prostate cancer. At the conclusion of Session II, we will further discuss these new molecular and cellular insights into therapy resistance as well as the next generation of therapies.

I welcome all our members, trainees, urology colleagues and prospective members to join us for this exciting day of research, interaction and networking. On behalf of the Program Committees, I would like to express my gratitude to this year’s outstanding faculty and trainee members for their support of and participation in the 2022 spring meetings. We hope you, the SBUR members, affiliates and trainees will find the topics of this year’s meetings thought provoking and motivating. Stay healthy, both mind and body; we are looking forward to hosting you and interacting with you in person in New Orleans!

About SBUR

Since its inception in 1986, SBUR has been committed to education, innovation, advocacy and excellence in basic urology research. SBUR is focused on promoting collaboration and dialogue between researchers and clinicians, and providing a forum for dissemination of ongoing research and expertise in urological diseases.