Himanshu Arora, Ph.D., a research faculty member at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, is a recipient of the American Urological Association’s Urology Care Foundation 2020 Research Scholar Award. The association’s Southeastern Section is sponsoring funding for his two-year project, “Immune Modulatory Functions and Mechanism of Action of Nitric Oxide in Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer Micro-environment.”

The funding will allow Dr. Arora and his research partner, Ranjith Ramasamy, M.D., assistant professor of urology, to explore how nitric oxide could modulate the infiltration of pro- and anti-inflammatory macrophages to the site of cancer. Additionally, this study will allow them to explore the preclinical efficacy of growth-hormone-releasing hormone receptor (GHRHR) antagonists in combination with nitric oxide to study the functional aspects of nitric oxide action as a therapy against castration resistant prostate cancer.

The $40,000-a-year award for two years was based on potential for a successful career in urologic research, quality of mentorship, and high scientific merit of the proposed research project.