Research Type – Translational/clinical Research
Workshop Category – Pelvic Pain Syndromes
Length – 90 minutes
Level – Basic
Target Audience – Urology/Urogynaecology/Bowel Dysfunction/Pure and Applied Science/
Keywords – animal model, pain pathway, current treatment, bioinformatics, artificial intelligence
**Suggested prior reading/learning **
- Clemens JQ, Erickson DR, Varela NP, Lai HH. Diagnosis and treatment of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome. J Urol. 2022;208(1):34-42.
- Nunez-Badinez et al. Preclinical models of endometriosis and interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome: an Innovative Medicines Initiative-PainCare initiative to improve their value for translational research in pelvic pain. Pain. 2021;162(9):2349-2365.
- Inal-Gultekin G, Gormez Z, Mangir N. Defining Molecular Treatment Targets for Bladder Pain Syndrome/Interstitial Cystitis: Uncovering Adhesion Molecules. Front Pharmacol. 2022;13:780855.
- Neuhaus J, Berndt-Paetz M, Gonsior A. Biomarkers in the Light of the Etiopathology of IC/BPS. Diagnostics (Basel). 2021;11(12):2231.
- Akiyama Y, Luo Y, Hanno PM, Maeda D, Homma Y. Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome: The evolving landscape, animal models and future perspectives. Int J Urol. 2020 Jun;27(6):491-503.
- Ueda T, Hanno PM, Saito R, Meijlink JM, Yoshimura N. Current Understanding and Future Perspectives of Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome. Int Neurourol J. 2021 Jun;25(2):99-110.
- Kalkan H, Akkaya UM, Inal-Gültekin G, Sanchez-Perez AM. Prediction of Alzheimer's Disease by a Novel Image-Based Representation of Gene Expression. Genes (Basel). 2022 Aug 8;13(8):1406.
- Inal-Gültekin G, Çetin Z, Mangır N. Exploring Drug Repurposing for Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome: Defining Novel Therapeutic Targets. Neurourol Urodyn. 2024 Dec 26. doi: 10.1002/nau.25651. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39723619.
EDUCATIONAL VALUE
Since its first definition in the late 17th century, there have been no major advancements in the treatment of IC/BPS. This could be partly explained by the lack of an organized, multidisciplinary, and multinational effort to understand disease mechanisms and underlying pathophysiological pathways.
The science of bioinformatics and artificial intelligence can offer unique opportunities in processing clinical data that can facilitate understanding of underlying pathologies.
There have also been recent studies on developing improved experimental models that can replicate pathophysiological pathways in IC/BPS in humans.
This course will gather clinicians and scientists from different disciplines to take a snapshot of the current clinical status of IC/BPS treatment and define the available trends in artificial intelligence and translational medicine. The potential contribution of findings of computational science and bioinformatics will be explored by a multidisciplinary group of researchers. Developments in search for a more representative source of experimental models will be explored.
SPEAKERS
Chair: Francisco Cruz
Full Professor of Urologist and Researcher in the area of Functional Urology. Authored numerous papers and chapter books and oriented 16 PhD thesis in the area of Functional Urology. Has been primary investigator in several national and International Research projects, including EU funded consortiums for bladder research. Until 2019 was a member of EAU Guidelines panel for urinary incontinence. Chairman of the European Association of Urology and was a member of ICIUD panel on male LUTS and Incontinence, Scientific Committee of the EAU, consultant of the EAU International Relations Office. Member of the ICI, committe on LUT pharmacology. Is in the Editorial Board of NAU, Eur Urol, BJU International, Frontiers in Urology and Continence. Is a frequent reviewer to prestigious journals in the area of Functional Urology.
Abreu-Mendes et al. Diagnostics (Basel). 2022 Apr 20;12(5):1037
Abreu-Mendes et al. J Clin Med . 2022 Sep 26;11(19):5659
Abreu-Mendes et al. Toxins (Basel) . 2022 Nov 10;14(11):775
Speaker 1– Ana Charrua, PhD
Translational Researcher in the field of IC/BPS. Has been using animal models of IC/BPS for more than 20 years. Has studied IC/BPS pain pathways and helped characterize and develop new animal models of IC/BPS. Works both with basic and clinical scientists in the field of IC/BPS.
Recent publications:
Wyndaele M. et al. Neurourol Urodyn. 2024 Aug; 43(6):1283-1292. doi: 10.1002/nau.25310.
Matos et al. Neurourol Urodyn. 2024. doi: 10.1002/nau.25376
Coxon et al. Pain. 2023; 164(11):2528-2539
Neto et al. Biomedicines. 2023; 11(3):696.
Speaker 2 – Dick Jansen, MD PhD
Both clinical MD specialized in treating chronic bladder and pelvic pain patients and researcher (clinical and basic science) investigating epithelial dysfunction and repair in IC/BPS. He has developed in vitro and in vivo models to adequately assess barrier and repair mechanisms and the effects of GAG therapies on the bladder wall.
Recent publications:
van Ginkel at al. Curr Opinion Urol. 2023; doi; 10.1097
Rozenberg et al. Curr Opinion Urol. 2023; doi; 10.1097
Janssen DA et. al. J. Urol. 2013; 189(1):336-42
Speaker 3 – Naşide Mangır
Consultant urologist and clinical academic at the Department of Urology as a full- time staff member. She specializes in treating men and women with functional problems of the urinary tract. Her unit provides multidisciplinary treatment to approximately 100- 120 patients, mainly women, with bladder pain syndrome. Her research focuses on urinary tract reconstruction using tissue engineering, novel vaginal patch for use in women with urinary incontinence.
Recent publications:
Mangir N, Güler H, et al. Neurourol Urodyn. 2025 Jan;44(1):136-142.
Serinçay H, Güler HU, Ulubayram K, Mangır N. Ther Adv Urol. 2023 Jun 26;15:17562872231182217.
Shafaat S, Mangir N, et al. Neurourol Urodyn. 2022 Apr;41(4):905-917.
Lopez SR, Mangır N. Ther Adv Urol. 2021 Jun 12;13:17562872211022478.
Speaker 4 - Güldal Inal Gültekin
Basic science researcher in the field of rare disorders. Has been involved in whole gene sequencing, in-silico mutation analysis using bioinformatic tools and analyses for over 10 years. Studies in analyzing the connections between hub genes, protein-protein interactions and molecular pathways that lead to IC/BPS.
Recent publications:
Inal-Gültekin G et al. Neurourol Urodyn. 2024 Dec 26. doi: 10.1002/nau.25651.
Inal-Gultekin G et al. Front Pharmacol. 2022;13:780855
Kalkan H et al. Genes (Basel). 2022;13(8):1406