Among other achievement, our scientists at the Brady Urological Institute have:

• Developed the radical prostatectomy.
• Developed "nerve-sparing" approaches for radical prostatectomy and cystectomy.
• Pioneered the laparoscopic live donor nephrectomy, a procedure that has revolutionized kidney transplantation.
• First telerobotic mentoring system utilizing public phone lines.
• Developed the first endoscopic approach to transurethral resection of the prostate (TUR).
• Developed the systems used to classify and stage prostate cancer.
• Improved the use of PSA testing for early diagnosis and staging of prostate cancer.
• Pioneered the first gene therapy in urology.
• Discovered hereditary prostate cancer, and the linkage to the first hereditary prostate cancer gene.
• Discovered- the nuclear matrix protein, a major factor that regulates DNA; Brady scientists also were the first to characterize the prostate-specific nuclear matrix.
• Identified the most common genetic defect in prostate cancer.
• Discovered a gene that suppresses metastasis in prostate cancer.
• Determined the scientific basis for hormone-refractory prostate cancer (which cannot be controlled permanently with hormone therapy) - androgen-independent cells.
• Discovered the mechanism of cancer cells'response to hormone therapy - activation of a crucial cellular pathway called programmed cell death.
• Discovered the first mutation in an androgen-receptor gene.
• Made the first detailed map of alpha-adrenergic receptors (involved in the treatment of BPH) in the genito-uninary tract.
• Discovered that nitric oxide controls penile erection.
• Discovered a means of extracting intact prostate cancer cells from the blood which may lead to new forms of treatment.
• Characterized the role of telomerase (an enzyme that keeps cells from dying) in prostatic disease.