J. Curtis Nickel, MD, FRCSC, presented “An Introduction to the Urinary Microbiome: Part 3 – Manipulating the Microbiome for Urologic Health” for the Grand Rounds in Urology audience in September 2020.

How to cite: Nickel, J. Curtis. An Introduction to the Urinary Microbiome: Part 3 – Manipulating the Microbiome for Urologic Health” September 2020. Accessed Dec 2024. https://dev.grandroundsinurology.com/an-introduction-to-the-urinary-microbiome-part-3-manipulating-the-microbiome-for-urologic-health/

An Introduction to the Urinary Microbiome: Part 3 – Manipulating the Microbiome for Urologic Health – Summary:

In the third lecture of a three-part foundational series for Grand Rounds in Urology’s Next Generation Microbiome and Urologic Infections Learning Center, J. Curtis Nickel, MD, FRCSC, Professor of Urology at Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada, discusses possible ways to manipulate the microbiome to promote urologic health. He explains that, at present, there are four basic ways to positively influence the microbiome: eating a good diet, exercising, avoiding environmental pollution, and avoiding unnecessary antibiotics. Dr. Nickel also discusses various potential treatments currently being explored that involve manipulating the microbiome for managing disease, such as: gastrointestinal recolonization with Oxalobacter formigenes to treat urinary stone disease; targeting particular microbiota for cancer management; using Lactobacillus probiotics, fecal transplants, urine transplants, and a whole-cell inactivated bacteria vaccine to protect against urinary tract infections; and phage therapy. Dr. Nickel concludes that urologists do not have to always kill off bacteria, including seemingly pathogenic bacteria, but rather they need to understand how the bacteria changes in various disease states.

After watching, be sure to visit the other parts of this lecture series (linked below) and explore our learning center.

An Introduction to the Urinary Microbiome: Part 1 – A Primer

An Introduction to the Urinary Microbiome: Part 2 – Impact on Urinary Disease

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Nickel is the Canada Research Chair in Urologic Pain and Inflammation and a Professor of Urology at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. He is also a staff urologist at Kingston General Hospital. Dr. Nickel’s research covers inflammatory, benign prostate, and pain diseases of the urinary tract. He has over 550 publications, is on the editorial board of eight urology journals, serves as editor of the AUA Update Series, has presented in 45 countries, and is funded by the US NIH and Canadian CIHR. He has been awarded a CIHR Tier I Canada Research Chair (until 2021), as well as an AUA Distinguished Contribution Award and SIU Academy Award. He is currently Immediate Past-President of the Canadian Urological Association.