The Non oncology and rare uro-andrological diseases Unit at IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele is dedicated to the preclinical, clinical and translational research on a wide spectrum of andrological diseases, functional and benign urological disorders, along with rare uro-oncological diseases.

From the Andrological standpoint, the unit combines cutting-edge clinical care with innovative research, addressing conditions ranging from common sexual dysfunctions to rare syndromes affecting male reproductive health. A key factor is the daily integration of laboratory science with clinical practice, with active collaboration between researchers and clinicians.

Clinical research within the unit covers a broad range of common conditions such as erectile dysfunction, Peyronie's disease, and premature ejaculation to rarest sexual dysfunctions. The main areas of investigation are epidemiology, risk factors, outcomes and exploration of innovative treatments. The same holds true for male factor infertility, with a special focus on enhancing sperm retrieval outcomes and investigating the increased susceptibility of infertile men to certain comorbidities. At the preclinical level, the unit conducts advanced research using cutting-edge technologies. Projects span from basic science to translational research. These include single-cell transcriptome profiling in patients with idiopathic germ cell aplasia (i.e., non-obstructive azoospermia), the most severe form of male infertility, aiming to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms. Other studies aim to investigate the immune aspects in male infertility using flow cytometry, develop INFERT_Lib (a gene library based on the whole exome sequencing (WES) of infertile men), and conduct comprehensive WES analysis of Testicular Germ Cell Tumors. Collectively, these projects aim to explore the molecular mechanisms of infertility, explore the immune system role, identify genetic determinants of infertility and testicular germ cell tumors, and assess genetic risk factors for malignancies in infertile men.

To these specific problems, the Non oncology and rare uro-andrological diseases Unit combines clinical and translational research in the field of male and female urinary disorders, also in the neuro-urological setting, and all benign pathologies of the uro-genital system (including urinary stones).

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