CAG Regenerative Medicine for Urogenital Surgery and Fertility (SURF)

The CAG-SURF aims to provide faster and better treatment for patients suffering from rare conditions in the urinary tract and genitals, also known as the urogenital organs. The CAG will be developing new surgical strategies and methods for improving tissue healing and regeneration with a view to healing or replacing damaged or sick organs, tissue and cells. For this purpose, the CAG will be using techniques for producing artificial organs, tissue reconstruction and therapeutic stem cells.

The CAG focusses on reconstruction of the urogenital organs and restoring fertility in paediatric and adult patients. Both areas meet an unmet clinical need for advanced knowledge at the cellular level.

Regenerative medicine for reconstructive urogenital surgery

Urogenital organ defects may have severe negative effects on the bladder function, including urinary incontinence, risk of urinary tract infection and secondary kidney failure. These patients often experience reduced quality of life, and some suffer from reduced mobility and experience a loss of autonomy as their need for help involves a sensitive, intimate part of the body. Severe birth defects of e.g. the bladder, penis, testicles and vagina are examples of conditions where lack of urogenital tissue may cause severe disease and repeated attempts at surgical reconstruction at human as well as health financial costs.

Regenerative medicine for surgical fertility preservation

Paediatric patients with birth defects or genetic diseases may have a high risk of reduced fertility (infertility). Infertility is a growing problem in Denmark and other countries, and the WHO estimates that more than 48 million couples and 186 million individuals globally suffer from infertility. Inability to conceive may greatly affect the individual’s sense of identity and lead to stress, sorrow, guilt and depression. Loss of fertility is a traumatic experience, as most people wish to be able to have children biologically.

In men, infertility is often the result of sperm issues. In women, infertility can be a result of abnormalities in the ovaries, uterus, uterine tube or endocrine system.

Infertility may also be a result of cancer treatment, though, as chemotherapy and radiation can destroy or reduce the quality of the gametes. Survivors of childhood cancer risk becoming permanently infertile. Especially boys who have survived childhood cancer have a high risk of infertility of around 23-30 per cent, as they are unable to produce and deposit mature sperm cells before reaching puberty.

The CAG-SURF cooperates with experts in paediatric surgery, paediatrics, urology, male and female infertility, foetal medicine, biomechanics, biomaterials science, cell biology and genetics. The researchers thus represent a series of scientific disciplines and areas of medical expertise which joined together can make a difference for patients suffering from urogenital diseases.

In order to share knowledge on new research results and ensure implementation in clinical practice, the CAG will establish organisational and educational platforms supplemented with collaborations with industry partners within production. Furthermore, it will make new knowledge available to students, health professionals and patients through e.g. theoretical and clinical seminars, webinars and publications.

Strengthened research, communication and development of techniques within regenerative medicine may lead to significantly improved organ function, treatment and quality of life for patients suffering from various rare conditions.