Computational research aims to alleviate embarrassing bladder problems

Scientists from the University of Birmingham and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay are working together to develop new ways of treating bladder overactivity, a problem which affects millions of people worldwide. The joint research focuses on understanding the electrical activity in the bladder and how this goes wrong and causes urinary incontinence. Bladder overactivity is a common condition that increases in prevalence with age and often arises in people with diabetes, Parkinson's disease, urinary tract infections and following spinal cord injury. Existing treatments are very poor, mainly due to side effects which limit their use. To that end, there is a pressing need for research such as this to develop better therapies, particularly as populations continue to age. The researchers will use computational tools, developed by Professor Rohit Manchanda from IIT Bombay, to analyse the bladder. The tools provide insight into how cells regulate their electrical behaviour and have been widely used to understand the electrical activity of the brain.