Kymora Scotland, MD, PhD Discovers Bacterial Role in Calcium Oxalate Kidney Stones

Kymora Scotland, MD, PhD, member of the CAIRIBU Urobiome Research Interest Group, led a team that discovered bacteria are present in the most common type of kidney stone – calcium oxalate kidney stones. Previously, only struvite stones have been shown to contain bacteria, while calcium oxalate stones have been considered “noninfectious” and not associated with a bacterial presence.

Ask a PI – Aruna Sarma, PhD

You learn how to publish through an iterative process of writing, feedback, and mentorship. Early on, I gained experience by co-authoring papers, revising drafts based on mentor feedback, and observing how seasoned investigators structured arguments and interpreted …

J. Quentin Clemens AUA Victor A. Politano Award

J. Quentin Clemens, MD was recently awarded the American Urological Association’s Victor A. Politano Award for outstanding leadership and groundbreaking research in the fields of urinary incontinence and interstitial cystitis. Congratulations Dr. Clemens.

CAIRIBU 2025 Best Poster Winners

The CAIRIBU 2025 meeting, held December 3rd-5th in Madison, WI, was a huge success! The meeting featured a trainee and early-stage investigator pre-meeting, six scientific sessions, various breakout sessions, and two poster sessions. All poster presenters were scored on the quality of their posters and their presentation skills. See the top-rated posters in twelve categories that were awarded the title of Best Poster.

Alexandra Polasko, PhD Receives 2025 RISE Award

Alexandra Polasko, PhD, received a 2025 Recognizing Individuals for Support and Empowerment (RISE) Award. These awards celebrate faculty, staff, postdoctoral scholars, and residents who have exemplified exceptional mentorship for visiting medical students from Historically Black Medical Colleges (HBMCs).

CAIRIBU Best Abstracts Announced

All 98 abstracts submitted to the 2025 CAIRIBU Annual Meeting were reviewed and scored by leaders in the CAIRIBU community. The top 3 abstracts were submitted by: (1) Ashika Goel, graduate student, Michigan State University; (2) Ananya Pinnamaneni, undergraduate student, Duke University; and (3) Hannah Anderson, graduate student, Medical College of Wisconsin