Dr. Odom began his career as a paramedic and obtained a BS in Emergency Medical Care from Western Carolina University before transitioning into basic science research. He then earned a PhD in Physiology from East Carolina University where his research focused on neurovascular mechanisms responsible for erectile dysfunction following prostate cancer treatment. In 2020, he joined the Duke University Urinary Dysfunction Laboratory as a postdoctoral associate.
As a KURe scholar, Dr. Odom’s research focused on diabetic bladder dysfunction and NLRP3 inhibition as a promising potential therapeutic intervention. Inflammation mediated through NLRP3 inflammasome activation directly contributes to the progression of diabetic bladder dysfunction through unknown mechanisms. Currently, there are no effective treatments for diabetic bladder dysfunction and NLRP3 inhibition is a promising potential therapeutic intervention. He continues this line of research is his current position as an Assistant Professor in the department of Urology at Duke University.