Praveen Thumbikat

The focus of research in my laboratory is to understand the immune basis of prostate disease in humans. We have a particular emphasis on chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS), a debilitating medical condition characterized by dysuria and pelvic pain. My laboratory is very interested in understanding the mechanism underlying inflammation of the human prostate and it's impact on prostate diseases. The laboratory utilizes comparative animal models that closely track human prostate disease to examine prostate disease mechanisms and also as tools for translational research. Some specific areas of research interest are as follows - 1. Th1/Th17 mechanisms in chronic pelvic pain: We are interested in understanding the mechanism of T cell mediated pain, the effectors of the pain pathway and measures to modulate Th1/Th17 immune response in animal models and ultimately in humans. 2. Chemokine mechanisms in chronic pelvic pain:We are in the process of identifying the mechanisms that appear to mediate chemokine mediated pelvic pain by focusing both on the prostate as well as on neuronal mechanisms of central sensitization. A further focus of this project is the role of mast cells and mast cell-released intermediates in the pathogenesis of chronic pelvic pain. Identification of biomarkers for CP/CPPS in humans is also an emphasis of this project. 3. Pattern recognition receptors in prostate inflammation: Deficiencies in TLR4 signaling pathways result in increased susceptibility to bacterial infection, and profound defects in innate and adaptive immunity. We are in the process of studying the microbial pathogenesis of prostatic bacterial isolates and dissecting TLR signaling pathways in prostate cells.