BALTIMORE, March 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The American Urological Association (AUA) has announced the three 2026 selections for its Data Research Program, funding innovative studies that use real‑world data to advance urological care and workforce insights.
The AUA Data Research Program launched in May 2023 and supports up to six research projects annually using data from AUA Data Repositories to address key knowledge gaps and emerging research questions related to urological care, workforce development, and health policy.
“We are excited to continue to broaden the capabilities and reach of the Data Research Program as we fund three impactful projects for 2026. We congratulate the investigators and look forward to having the AUA partner with them to address the important research questions in their work,” said Richard S. Matulewicz, MD, MSCI, MS, chair of the AUA Data Research Program.
Awardees conduct clinical and workforce studies using real-world clinical data from the AUA Quality (AQUA) Registry and population-representative AUA Annual Census data. The AUA provides complimentary data access, full analytical support from AUA statisticians, assistance with developing methodology for abstracts and publications, and a $2,000 stipend to cover costs for knowledge dissemination.
“In year three of the Data Research Program relaunch, we are excited to explore new disease conditions. This highlights the AUA commitment, along with partner Verana Health, to cultivate novel data solutions to advance the field of urology,” said Ray Tan, MD, MSHPM, chair of the AUA Data Committee. “The next cycle of the Data Research Program will include a special opportunity for investigators to propose new questions for inclusion in the 2027 AUA Annual Census. This option is designed to address emerging policy or workforce needs and will provide researchers with targeted, timely data to support their research efforts.”
Congratulations to the 2026 awardees:
Principal Investigator Divya Ajay, MD, MPH, will receive this award for an AQUA data project titled, “Vaginal Estrogen in Women Cancer Survivors with Recurrent UTIs and Overactive Bladder: Trends, Determinants, and Outcomes in Urology”.
Principal Investigator Kenneth Softness, MD, and co-investigator Caleb Nelson, MD, MPH, will receive this award for an AQUA data project titled, “Access gaps in Beta-3 Agonist Therapy in Neurogenic Bladder using the AQUA Registry”.
Principal Investigator Connor O’Leary, BA, and co-investigators Saum Ghodoussipour, MD; Vignesh Packiam, MD; Thomas Jang, MD; and Hari Iyer, MD, will receive this award for an AQUA data project titled, “Evaluating and enhancing risk stratification models and intravesical therapies for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) using U.S. Real-World.”
To learn more about the AUA Data Research Program visit https://www.auanet.org/dataresearchprogram.
About the American Urological Association: Founded in 1902 and headquartered near Baltimore, Maryland, the American Urological Association is a leading advocate for the specialty of urology and has nearly 25,000 members throughout the world. The AUA is a premier urologic association, providing invaluable support to the urologic community as it pursues its mission of fostering the highest standards of urologic care through education, research and the formulation of health policy.
- AUA Funds Three Innovative Projects Through Its Data Research Program to Advance Urological Research