Project Grant R01DK146259

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases awarded $713,227 to the University of Wisconsin–Madison on August 20, 2026, under the Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.847, Project Grant R01DK146259).

The award funds research on the role of A-fiber mechanosensitive neurons in bladder function and urologic disease phenotypes, with focus on urologic chronic pelvic pain syndrome (UCPPS). The research team has developed new tools for labeling, silencing, and stimulating bladder mechanoreceptors that express the TRKB marker, enabling mouse studies to test how mechanoreceptors contribute to bladder function and dysfunction, with particular attention to sex differences between females and males. The work includes characterization of a reliable model of bladder inflammation to understand changes in voluntary urination patterns. The research addresses a significant gap in neurourology, as mechanoreceptors—neurons that sense bladder distention—have been difficult to study because they do not express pain-related markers typically used in bladder pain research.

Performance occurs in Madison, Wisconsin 53715. The period of performance runs through May 31, 2031. The award supports extramural basic biomedical research to improve understanding of mechanisms underlying urologic disease and lead to improved prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.