Petra Popovics, PhD
Dr. Popovics left the program upon receipt of an independent K01 effective May 1, 2021, under the mentorship of Will Ricke, PhD, UWMF Professor in the Department of Urology. Dr. Popovics’ research focuses on the role of osteopontin in prostatic inflammation and fibrosis. Dr. Popovics recently observed that OPN expression was highy elevated in a rat model of inflammation-induced stroll expansion and prostatic fibrosis, as well as in human prostatic hyperplasia, indicating that OPN may be a valuable molecular target for treatment or presentation of prostatic fibrosis.
Ashleigh Brooks Theberge, PhD
Dr. Theberge completed the K12 program December 31, 2015, under the direction of Will Ricke, PhD.
Her research focused on microenvironmental regulation of angiogenesis in benign prostatic hyperplasia. Dr. Theberge completed four refereed publications during her K12 training. She is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Washington, Seattle. View Dr.Theberge’s CV
Heidi Wendell Brown, MD, MAS, FACOG, FPMRS
Dr. Brown completed the K12 program September 30, 2019, under the direction of Dr. Jane Mahoney. Dr. Brown is an Assistant Professor of Urogynecology in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology in the School of Medicine and Public Health. Dr. Brown’s primary research focus is on improving access to effective treatments for pelvic floor disorders. In 2016, she received a Wisconsin Partnership Program New Investigator Program Grant to study a community-based program that promotes self-management of bladder and bowel incontinence, in collaboration with the Wisconsin Institute for Health Aging’s Community Academic Aging Research Network (CAARN). She continues to work toward community-based strategies for self-management of incontinence and assessment of the efficacy of these programs. View Dr. Brown’s CV
UW Obstetrics and Gynecology – Brown Research Team
Diego Hernando, PhD
Dr. Hernando participated in the K12 program March 31, 2017 through April 1, 2018, under the direction of Dr. Scott Reeder and Dr. Will Ricke. Dr. Hernando left the program upon receipt of an NIH R01 award. Dr. Hernando is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Radiology in the School of Medicine and Public Health. Dr. Hernado’s primary research focus is development of more detailed and precise use of MRI to non-invasively assess the relationship between amount and distribution of intra-abdominal fat with metabolic syndrome, liver disease, and lower urinary tract disease. View Dr. Hernando’s CV
Teresa Te-Ying Liu, PhD
Dr. Liu left the program upon receipt of an independent K01 effective July 1, 2020, under the mentorship of Will Ricke, PhD, UWMF Professor in the Department of Urology, School of Medicine and Public Health. Dr. Liu’s research focuses on the role of estrogen receptors on benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) development and progression. She is further combining this work with investigations of the effects of aging on the prostate and lower urinary tract function. View Dr. Liu’s CV