The acclaim that has been received by Duke Urology in understanding, diagnosing, and treating urologic diseases is the result of combined excellence in patient care with superior clinical and laboratory research. Daily research activities are directed by Lionel L. Banez, MD, Paul C. Dolber, PhD, Stephen J. Freedland, MD, and Leon L. Sun, PhD, and carried out by post-doctoral fellows, urology residents, students, and technicians in state-of-the-art laboratory facilities.

 

Experimental Urology Research laboratories are located on the fourth floor of the Medical Sciences Research Building on the Duke Medical Center campus. These modern, fully equipped biochemistry and molecular biology labs include two labs dedicated to tissue and cell culture complete with sterile cell culture hoods and CO2 incubators. A support lab is also available to house major equipment such as superspeed and ultra centrifuges, a floor shaking chamber, a Leica/2020 cryotome, and -150°C freezers. Other available equipment includes a sliding-door cold box for dialysis/storage, micro-centrifuges, table-top clinical centrifuges, superspeed floor centrifuge and ultra-centrifuge (with several rotors), thermostated water baths, bacterial incubator, floor-shaking environmental chamber, -20ƒC freezers, electrophoresis equipment [DNA sequencing gel, horizontal agarose gel and protein electrophoresis (1-D and 2-D) apparatuses], gel-dryer, micro-analytical balance, UV/Vis spectrophotometer, liquid scintillation counter, PCR machine, radioligand binding apparatus, gamma counter, laminar flow cell culture hood, CO2 incubators, stage microscope and cryotome. Researchers also have shared access to a Molecular Dynamics PhosphorImager, flow- and high-pressure liquid chromatographs, luminometer, and confocal microscope.

 

Computer resources are available within the urology labs networked into the Duke University Medical Center and the Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center system. Through these facilities, protein and nucleic acid databases are accessible. Word processing, spreadsheet, graphics and statistical software are available. Also, ample technical support is available through the Department of Surgery at Duke University Medical Center.

 

Neurourology Research laboratories are located at the Durham Veteran's Administration Hospital located adjacent to the Duke Medical Center complex and in Research Triangle Park. These laboratories contain equipment for conducting cystometry, electrophysiology, neuroanatomy, and in vitro contractility studies.

 

 

 

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