American Urological Association Announces Recipients of Third Annual Data Grants

BALTIMORE, Feb. 7, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Urological Association (AUA) is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2017 AUA Data Grant Awards. These awards fund research proposals that address knowledge gaps, emerging and evidence-based data-driven research projects related to urologic care, workforce development and health policy, and will inform the urology community about key issues in urological care. Awardees receive a one-year grant of up to $25,000.

The AUA is proud to award the following researchers with its 2017 AUA Grant Awards:

S. Larry Goldenberg, CM, OBC, MD, FRCSS, FACS, FACAHS, Director of Development and Supportive Care, Vancouver Prostate Center Professor, Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Canada, will analyze health outcomes of men on Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT). This project was formed after a surge in off-label TRT prescriptions resulted in several highly debated consequences. Dr. Goldenberg aims to determine appropriate prescribing and monitoring patterns of men on TRT, the biochemical impact of TRT treatment on the actual measured testosterone level, as well as safety concerns surrounding TRT and cardiovascular and thromboembolic events.

Bruce L. Jacobs, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Urology, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, who aims to understand the comparative effectiveness and outcomes of cystectomy patients treated with neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy. He will assess the use of these therapies at the population level, as well as examine the survival rates associated with these two treatments.

Jeremy B. Shelton, MD, MSHS, Assistant Professor, Department of Urology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, will examine the trend in adoption of the AUA Quality (AQUA) Registry since its inception in 2014 and compare and contrast the characteristics of participant and non-participant groups. Among participating groups, he will evaluate how the AQUA Registry is being utilized, and work with practices to design a pilot implementation trial to explore ways of optimizing this new resource for quality improvement.

Justin Ziemba, MD, Instructor of Urology, Brady Urological Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, will study the costs and procedural trends of ambulatory urological surgery in the United States. Dr. Ziemba's study will review state databases of ambulatory surgery and outpatient urologic procedures to identify variations in procedure type, number and cost. The study will assess the influence of nonhospital-owned ambulatory surgery centers to gain a better understanding of how care is delivered, as well as identify areas of potential over-utilization relative to known measures of disease burden. Through this study, Dr. Ziemba aims to further quantify costs, outcomes and care delivery mechanisms at the provider, hospital, and population level.

"The AUA Data Grants are a great opportunity to keep our urologists and other research scientists engaged in projects and studies that further advance the specialty of urology," said J. Quentin Clemens, MD, chair of the AUA Data Committee. "The AUA is pleased to support the innovative projects led by Drs. Goldenberg, Jacobs, Shelton and Ziemba."

The AUA Data Grants were established in 2014. The AUA Data Committee, along with a review panel, determines the AUA Data Grant recipients through a comprehensive selection process. This ensures grants are awarded to individuals with data studies aimed at improving patient outcomes, and that demonstrate the greatest potential for impacting the practice of urology, or result in substantial changes in health care policy.

The AUA has allocated $100,000 to fund four projects each year. All AUA members are eligible to apply.

NOTE TO REPORTERS: For photos of award recipients or additional information about AUA Data Grants, please visit our website or contact the AUA Communications Office at 410-689-3932 / e-mail [email protected]. 

About the American Urological Association
Founded in 1902 and headquartered near Baltimore, Maryland, the American Urological Association is a leading advocate for the specialty of urology, and has more than 21,000 members throughout the world. The AUA is a premier urologic association, providing invaluable support to the urologic community as it pursues its mission of fostering the highest standards of urologic care through education, research and the formulation of health policy.

Contact:  Christine Frey, AUA
443-909-0839, [email protected]

SOURCE American Urological Association

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