Janerys Rodríguez Montalvo
INTERNSHIP AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
REFLECTION: PRE-PRACTICE
Medical research is an essential tool for society, as it allows us to further understand complex health problems and develop solutions that improve lives. This will be my first internship experience with the University of Wisconsin-Madison, particularly in the branch of "Urology Research." Participating in this program means gaining valuable firsthand experience in tackling these challenges. The prevalence of non-malignant urinary disorders highlights the need for innovative approaches. I'm eager to contribute to a collaborative environment where diverse perspectives can lead to breakthroughs in diagnosis, treatment, and ultimately, improved patient care.
In this practice, we aim to investigate the impact of hormonal influences on genitourinary development, with a specific focus on urinary bladder tissue engineering. This project is crucial because the genitourinary system's development is highly influenced by hormonal changes. By exploring how hormones like testosterone and estrogen affect the development of urinary bladder tissues, we hope to create more effective and personalized treatments for patients with genitourinary disorders. Understanding these influences can lead to advancements in medical treatments and tissue engineering techniques. Ultimately, this research has the potential to improve patient outcomes by informing the development of targeted hormonal therapies or hormone-responsive biomaterials for genitourinary disorders.
Our primary objective is to delineate the mechanisms through which hormonal influences govern the development and functionality of the urinary bladder. This understanding is vital for tissue engineering, where replicating the natural development processes can enhance the success of engineered tissues. Additionally, this project will explore the interplay between hormonal changes and tissue development. Potentially this could lead to innovations in how we approach regenerative medicine. By examining these mechanisms, we anticipate developing new strategies for creating engineered tissues that mimics the natural bladder, leading to improved patient outcomes.
To support our main project, we will reference various studies, including one conducted by my co-mentor Dr. Gabriela Oliveira; "Puberty Blocker, Leuprolide, Reduces Sex Differences in Rough-and-Tumble Play and Anxiety-like Behavior in Juvenile Rats." This research provides valuable insights into how puberty blockers, specifically Leuprolide, can modulate behavior and development in juvenile rats. By understanding the broader impacts of hormonal manipulation, as shown in the study, we can better predict and control similar effects in genitourinary development. The findings from this supporting paper will help us refine our methodologies and ensure that our tissue engineering practices account for the complex hormonal environments that influence development. By incorporating insights from multiple urological research community papers on hormonal modulation in development, we can ensure our genitourinary tissue engineering strategies consider the intricate hormonal influences.
Through this practice, we expect to learn how specific hormones, particularly during critical periods of development, influence the structural and functional maturation of the urinary bladder. We aim to identify key hormonal pathways that can be targeted in tissue engineering to replicate natural development processes accurately. Additionally, by integrating findings from the supporting research on puberty blockers, we hope to gain a deeper understanding of how hormonal modulation can be used therapeutically to control or correct developmental anomalies in the genitourinary system. Ultimately, this experience will enhance our ability to engineer functional urinary bladder tissues, paving the way for new treatments and interventions for patients with genitourinary disorders. By elucidating the relationship between specific hormones and urinary bladder development, this project will not only guide the design of targeted tissue engineering strategies but also lay the groundwork for exploring the therapeutic potential of hormonal modulation in correcting genitourinary malformations.
