Researchers
Duane Hickling

Duane Hickling

M.D.,M.SCI., FRCSC

Clinician Investigator, Acute Care Research

Ottawa Hospital Research Institute

Assistant Professor, Divison of Urology

Department of Surgery

Contact

dhickling@toh.on.ca
ORCID 0000-0002-7282-6763

Bio

Dr. Hickling's research focuses on urinary tract infections and understanding how the body defends against these at the molecular level. Dr. Hickling is a clinician investigator at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, urologist at The Ottawa Hospital and assistant professor in the Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ottawa. After obtaining his MD at Western University, he completed his residency training at The Ottawa Hospital/University of Ottawa and then went on to do a three-year combined clinical and research fellowship at New York University. There he trained in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery, receiving a Master’s degree in Clinical Investigation – Translational Research.

Research Goals and Interests

Research Interests: 

 1.  Host Defense Mechanisms in Urinary Tract Infection The overall goal of our research is to better understand UTI pathogenesis as it relates to the host.  Specifically, we are interested in studying constitutive and inducible expression of antimicrobial peptides/host defense proteins in the lower urinary tract.   At the present time, our program integrates in vitro, in vivo and clinical approaches to better understand the roles of LL-37 in UTI pathogenesis.   This important work will lay the foundation for future translational projects pertaining to the UTI and catheter biofilm prevention.   

 2. Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections This research program is focused primarily on uncovering those clinical factors that make some individuals prone to recurrent UTI.  By studying patient demographics and select biomarkers we hope to gain a better understanding of susceptibility to UTI in certain at risk populations and in those who are otherwise seemingly healthy.

Current Research Projects



 

1.      LL-37 and IDR1080 use for the prevention of catheter-associated urinary tract infection. 

Hickling DR, Tanphaichitr N.  Ottawa Hospital Research Institute In this study we aim to prevent catheter-associated UTI and non-infectious complications through the use of human antimicrobial peptide LL-37 and a bioengineered synthetic human defense peptide IDR1080.   

 

2.      A proteomics approach to recurrent UTI.  

Hickling DR., Tanphaichitr N. Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. In this study we aim to compare constitutive antimicrobial peptide expression in those susceptible to recuurent urinary tract infections vs. matched controls utilizing parallel mass spectrometry.   

 

3.      Incidence of and risk factors for urinary tract infection following mid-urethral sling surgery. 

Hickling DR, Breau RH.  Ottawa Hospital Research Institute.  In this study we will describe the incidence of and risk factors for urinary tract infection  in patients follow for 30 days following mid-urethral sling surgery utilizing a large multicenter surgical outcomes database. 

Related Research at The Ottawa Hospital