Overview
Dr. Hughes received his Ph.D. from the Medical University of South Carolina and was a post doc at both the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and NIH. He then joined the faculty of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where he rose to the rank of Associate Professor (with tenure). Following a brief stint as the director of the biology division of a start-up pharmaceutical company, he joined forces with Dr. Purves at the Medical University of South Carolina to begin this lab focused on benign urinary disorders. Dr. Hughes has been at Duke since 2015. He is currently an Assistant Professor working within the Department of Surgery and Division of Urology. He serves as the Director of the Urinary Dysfunction Laboratory which studies the role of inflammation in disorders such as bladder outlet obstruction and diabetic bladder dysfunction. In association with Dr. J Todd Purves, this lab has been instrumental in demonstrating the central importance of the NLRP3 inflammasome in sensing the biochemical stressors associated with these disorders and translating them into an inflammatory signal. This signal is ultimately responsible for changes in voiding function, denervation and fibrosis.
Current Appointments & Affiliations
Assistant Professor in Urology
·
2021 - Present
Urology,
Clinical Science Departments
Recent Publications
MP32-19 CHARACTERIZING THE ACTIVITY OF INFLAMMASOME GENES AND THEIR ASSOCIATION WITH ONCOLOGICAL OUTCOMES IN PROSTATE CANCER
Conference Journal of Urology · May 2025 Full text CitePD09-12 NECROPTOSIS OF SCHWANN CELLS IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DIABETIC DECREASE IN EFFERENT NEUROTRANSMITTER RELEASE IN BLADDER SMOOTH MUSCLE IN MALE AKITA MICE
Conference Journal of Urology · May 2025 Full text CiteMale Akita diabetic mice develop underactive bladder independent of NLRP3 that can be prevented with blood glucose control.
Journal Article Continence (Amst) · December 2024 AIM: Diabetic bladder dysfunction (DBD) is the most common diabetic complication. Patients present with overactive symptoms, underactive symptoms, or both. While strict glucose control may be expected to reverse DBD, prior studies have not been supportive. ... Full text Link to item CiteRecent Grants
Duke KURe Program
Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases · 2013 - 2028Inflammasome Mediated Inflammation in Diabetic Bladder Dysfunction
ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2019 - 2025Aberrant remodeling of bladder following infection
ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2019 - 2024View All Grants
Education, Training & Certifications
Medical University of South Carolina ·
1992
Ph.D.
Clemson University ·
1987
B.S.