Gastroenterology, Urology, and Hepatology

GI tract dysfunction is due in no small part to changes to the enteric nervous system -- a mesh-like network of neurons that regulates all functions of the intestingal tract. Faculty in this focus area explore how neurotransmitters released from enteric nerves regulate gut function.

After stroke and Partonson's Disease, bladder dysfunction is the leading negative effector of quality of life. Yet, little is known about normal bladder function -- let alone how bladder dysfunction occurs. Faculty in the urology focus area are seeking to uncover how bladder fullness is sensed, as well as understand how and why children are uniquely susceptible to changes in bladder function caused by life stress.

Liver injury can arise from many factors, but most cases of acute liver failure in the U.S. are due to drugs. Unfortunately, therapy for liver damage is limited, and methods used currently to predict which drugs are likely to cause liver injury are inadequate. Faculty in this focus area are working to understand mechanisms by which liver damage occurs, particularly focusing on the role of inflammatory factors and coagulation pathways.