September 20, 2025
Dr. Jim Hokanson, Assistant Professor in the Marquette–MCW Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, has been awarded a $432,000 R21 grant from the NIH National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases for the project titled “Animal Model and Resource Development for Preclinical Lower Urinary Tract Research.” The project aims to advance rat models of overactive bladder to facilitate preclinical investigations into neuromodulation therapy.
Neuromodulation therapy, which involves delivering electrical pulses to the nervous system (like a cardiac pacemaker) is a common approach to treating overactive bladder. Although neuromodulation provides therapeutic benefits, its underlying mechanisms are not fully understood, and there is significant potential to improve its efficacy and develop new strategies. Currently, preclinical trials looking to better understand the therapeutic mechanisms of neuromodulation therapy for overactive bladder take advantage of various animal models, particularly rat models due to their low cost and ease of use. Unfortunately, the rat models currently used, in particular healthy rats or those that have had their bladders irritated with chemicals, are thought to poorly reflect the type of bladder dysfunction that occurs in people.
For this reason, Dr. Hokanson and collaborators at the Medical College of Wisconsin and the University of Wisconsin—Madison will generate a comprehensive dataset measuring urological function across multiple rat strains (models) with varying physiological characteristics, including hypertension, obesity, and diabetes. By capturing how urological function differs under these conditions, the dataset will provide critical insights for designing and optimizing neuromodulation interventions and other therapies. All collected data and accompanying analysis tools will be made publicly available through a dedicated portal to support consistent, reproducible research and facilitate the broader community’s ability to reanalyze and build on these findings. This resource is intended to accelerate preclinical research and ultimately support the development of more effective treatments for urinary disorders.
Dr. Hokanson is the director of the Pelvic Diagnostics & Therapeutic Laboratory, also known as PDAT, which focuses on developing novel therapeutics and diagnostic tools, with an emphasis on electrical stimulation therapies for urinary incontinence and other pelvic floor disorders. Co-investigators on the project include Dr. Aaron Mickle, Associate Professor in the Department of Physiology at the Medical College of Wisconsin, and Dr. Kimberly Keil Stietz, Assistant Professor in the Department of Comparative Biosciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
The Pelvic Diagnostics & Therapeutics Lab focuses on the development of novel therapeutics, particularly electrical stimulation therapies, for treating pelvic floor diseases, with a primary focus on urinary incontinence. To improve therapy design and therapy selection, PDAT is also working on creating new diagnostics tools and improving those that already exist.
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