Jennifer LaCross, DPT, PhD (University of Michigan-Flint), investigator in the CAIRIBU Uro-Aging Research Interest Group (Uro-Aging RIG), was awarded funding from the CAIRIBU Interactions Core, in partnership with the Clinician-Scientists Transdisciplinary Aging Research (Clin-STAR) Coordinating Center (U24AG065204)*, to present her research on gerontologic female urology at the 2026 International Continence Society Annual Meeting.

In the United States, less than one-quarter of women meet the recommended physical activity guidelines. Yet, patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) often are advised to refrain from physical activity. Dr. LaCross’ work seeks to advance understanding of the connections between aging, physical activity, and LUTS. Her abstract, “Association of Physical Activity with Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Older Women: The Study of Muscle, Mobility and Aging (SOMMA),” describes a cross-sectional analysis of physical activity levels and LUTS in a cohort of community-dwelling older women. In this study, she observed that greater physical activity volume contributed to LUTS, but higher intensity physical activity did not change reported LUTS. She also found that greater volume and intensity of physical activity was associated with a reduced likelihood of reporting severe urinary incontinence. Dr. LaCross collaborated with fellow CAIRIBU Uro-Aging RIG researchers, Scott Bauer, MD, MS (University of California San Francisco) and Candace Parker-Autry, MD (Wake Forest University), to complete this study. 

Congratulations, Dr. LaCross! 

*This travel award mechanism was made possible by a Clin-STAR Specialty Society Outreach Award granted to the CAIRIBU Interactions Core in collaboration with Scott Bauer, MD, MS. In addition to travel awards to support the dissemination of uro-aging research at scientific meetings, the Clin-STAR award will support expanded uro-aging research content the 2026 CAIRIBU Annual Meeting. This includes concurrent breakout sessions on the aging prostate, aging bladder, aging workforce, aging patients, and aging population and two aging-research keynote speakers: Ron Korstanje, PhD (The Jackson Laboratory) and Alexis Bakos, PhD, MPH, RN (National Institute on Aging).