Epigenetics recognized as an important area of the National Urology Research Agenda

For those of us interested in urology research and epigenetics, this is good news:  The American Urology Association has brought together a team of experts encompassing urologists, researchers, the NIH and the Department of Defense Prostate Cancer Research Program to formulate the National Urology Research Agenda.  This document summarizes the current thinking and status of the field of urology research, and identifies the challenges that lay ahead; especially with our aging population.  If you are planning grant applications in this area, this might be a good document to read -- I personally was glad to see the inclusion of epigenetic studies on BPH - benign prostatic hyperplasia -- very little is known about the molecular pathogenesis of BPH -- but I can guarantee that there are indeed epigenetic changes in affected tissues.  If you think that you have a fundable project relating to these areas, you might want to try for some seed funding from the AUA - The application cycle for the 2011 AUA Foundation Urology Research Success Award will open in October. The awards will provide up to $10,000 in funds to be used by the applicant to initiate critical experiments while they await approved funding or to strengthen resubmission of an application that was scored but not funded.Check the AUA's website for more details in October.