Erasmus Urology Research

Urinary Biomarkers

Prognostic and predictive biomarkers are pivotal for the management of clinical prostate cancer. Next to circulating markers in the blood, our research concentrates on the sensitivity and specificity of markers excreted in the urine, validated in our well annotated extensive banks of various biomaterials.

The Urinome Project: collaborative initiative to integrate urinary biomarker research for all urogenital diseases

Within the Urology discipline, urine is the most important biofluids for disease diagnostics. Urine biomarker research is conducted and implemented for a wide range of abnormalities of the kidneys, prostate and bladder, whether transplantation, infection, stones, cancer or any other disease. Within large collaborative consortia, we join forces to integrate urine-based diagnostics. (Guido Jenster, Chris Bangma)

Small RNA biomarkers

Extracellular Vesicles found in urine (uEVs) and other body fluids are a rich source of minimally-invasive, liquid biopsy, biomarkers that can assist the diagnosis and prognosis of prostate cancer. I focus on the establishment of marker signatures based on different small RNA (e.g. miRNA, snoRNA, sdRNA, tRNA, and tRFs) found in uEV and the development of efficient, clinically applicable protocols and techniques for their detection. (Elena Martens)

Key words: liquid biopsy, minimally-invasive, extracellular vesicles, EV, exosomes, biomarker, RNA, snoRNA, tRNA, tRF, miRNA, urine, prostate cancer

People working on the project