Urology Research Laboratory Top Urology laboratory research within the University of Florida Department of Urology – Jacksonville focuses on basic and translational research in urological malignancies. Prostate cancer is a major area of strong emphasis in our research laboratories. The translational prostate cancer researchers have been working together with several clinical urology subspecialties, including urologist-oncologists with interests and research background in prostate, kidney and bladder cancers. In addition to the existing support and collaborations among the translational cancer researchers and clinical urology faculties, the research team members incorporate the expertise of the other departments including but not limited to surgery, hematology-oncology, laboratory animal, pathology and the Center for Data Solutions at the UF College of Medicine. Major Research Areas Protein Kinase D1 (PrKD) signaling pathway in prostate cancer PrKD regulation of MYC/MAX, AR-signaling in prostate cancer PrKD signaling and DNA damage repair activities of prostate cancer Cycline-dependent kinases and inhibitors and anti-apoptotic signaling pathways Prostate cancer health disparity in African-Americans Development of African-American prostate cancer cell lines, PDX models and organoids Gluocorticoid receptor (GR) and neuro-endocrine differentiation in NEPC Molecular targeted therapy for castration recurrent prostate cancer AR-dependent signaling and castration-recurrent progression of prostate cancer Preventive and therapeutic approaches using natural dietary and synthetic agents Male infertility, diabetes and obesity in cancer Biomarkers of prostate cancer progression to metastatic or castration recurrent state ResearchDr. Balaji's LaboratoryDr. K.C. Balaji is a urological oncologist and a physician scientist with a career-long interest in advanced prostate cancer. ResearchDr. Koochekpour's LaboratoryDr. Shahriar Koochekpour's lab focuses on cellular and molecular biology of cancer, analyzing gene expression and functions, oncogenes and tumor suppressors, genetics, health disparity research and translational prostate cancer research. ResearchDr. Shukla's LaboratoryDr. Sanjeev Shukla's research focus includes developing biomarkers for cancer, cell signaling and signal transduction pathways, gene expression, regulatory role of oncogenes/tumor suppressors, and preclinical tumorigenesis models.
ResearchDr. Balaji's LaboratoryDr. K.C. Balaji is a urological oncologist and a physician scientist with a career-long interest in advanced prostate cancer.
ResearchDr. Koochekpour's LaboratoryDr. Shahriar Koochekpour's lab focuses on cellular and molecular biology of cancer, analyzing gene expression and functions, oncogenes and tumor suppressors, genetics, health disparity research and translational prostate cancer research.
ResearchDr. Shukla's LaboratoryDr. Sanjeev Shukla's research focus includes developing biomarkers for cancer, cell signaling and signal transduction pathways, gene expression, regulatory role of oncogenes/tumor suppressors, and preclinical tumorigenesis models.