DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application seeks support for a Multidisciplinary K12 Urologic Research (KURe) Career Development Program at the Scott Department of Urology at Baylor College of Medicine. The research emphasis of this program is in the areas of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms, male reproductive biology and infertility, as well as pediatric urology/genitourinary development. The training faculty includes 10 Ph.D/M.D., Ph.D. mentors and 5 M.D. clinical advisors. Dr. Lamb will serve as Program Director and Dr. Boone as Co-Director of the KURe. The major research areas in the program include: cell biology, steroid hormone receptors and growth factor signaling, male reproductive biology, genetics, aging, pediatric urology/developmental biology and gene disruption. The trainees will be Ph.D. fellows, M.D. fellows/Junior Faculty. Our program attracts highly qualified trainees who seek an intensive and substantial research training in men's health research with an emphasis on clinical translation. We have a defined recruitment plan that emphasizes the recruitment of women and minorities. The strengths of the training environment include highly respected, well-funded, experienced faculty, the high national ranking for NIH funding of a Urology department, a structured mentoring and pilot project program and required coursework, a cell biology graduate program with relevant course work and depth in both cell biology and genetics. Our long-term goal is to train these young investigators to successfully compete for peer-reviewed funding and eventually to increase basic and translational research efforts in urologic research. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This application focuses on a plan to train young Urologists and Ph.D. fellows in basic and translation research in areas of Urology relating to problems of lower urinary tract symptoms (benign prostatic hyperplasia, erectile dysfunction and bladder storage and voiding problems), birth defects and the controls of basic testis and genital tract function.