Margot Damaser Lab | Cleveland Clinic Research

Principal Investigator

Margot Damaser, PhD

Staff
Senior Rehabilitation Career Scientist, Louis Stokes Cleveland VA
Email: [email protected]
Location: Cleveland Clinic Main Campus

Research

We use such tools as wireless communication and integrated circuit design to improve treatments for conditions that are common among the elderly, including stress urinary incontinence (leakage of urine), fecal incontinence (leakage of stool), and pelvic organ prolapse (the genitourinary organs fall out of position in the pelvic region). We are also investigating potential treatments to regrow/renew damaged pelvic tissue, including nerves, muscles, and the connective tissue between organs, with the goal of curing these common problems.

Biography

Education & Professional Highlights

"CIMER Trained Mentor" indicates the principal investigator has completed mentorship training based on curriculum from the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research, aimed at advancing mentoring relationships and promoting cultural change in research.

Research

In my Urological Biomechanics Laboratory, we conduct regenerative medicine, tissue engineering and device development research aimed at improving the health of individuals with pelvic floor dysfunction, including urinary and fecal incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. We have developed devices for wireless catheter-free monitoring of bladder and colon function and dysfunction, and are conducting studies to validate and improve them. These devices can be utilized to better understand the neural control of the bladder and colon and to enable closed loop neuromodulation of these organ systems.

We also test cellular and noncellular methods of regenerating nerves, muscles and connective tissue that are damaged during childbirth and other polytraumatic injuries to the pelvic region. These regenerative therapies include stem cells, secretions of stem cells, electrical stimulation, and elastogenic nanoparticles. We have several patents and patent applications, and we are continuously working with corporate colleagues to license and translate this research to improve the diagnosis and treatment of these common pelvic floor disorders.

Our Team

Publications

Selected Publications

View publications for Margot Damaser, PhD
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Zuccaro Andrea, Simsar Ekin G, Addai Asante Naomi, Dogruel Tugce, Wang Lan, Malakalapalli Tejasvini, Damaser Margot, Uz Metin. Polymer Casting and Water Immersion-Based Large-Area Graphene Transfer for Flexible Electronics Fabrication. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2026. 41693631.

Chew Lauren E, Hannick Jessica H, Woo Lynn L, Weaver John K, Damaser Margot S. The Future of Urodynamics: Innovations, Challenges, and Possibilities. Neurourol Urodyn. 2026. 40365799.

Hernandez-Reynoso Ana G, Jeong Stacy, Trump Tyler, Damaser Margot S. Seventy-Five Years of NIH NIDDK Funding Has Increased Knowledge and Greatly Impacted Clinical Care. Neurourol Urodyn. 2026. 41869739.

Gross Michael D, Frainey Brendan T, Lyon Madison E, Lewis Kevin C, Elazab Mohamed, Bukhari Hassaan A, Tevis Tyler, Butler Robert S, Burhanna Reilly, Smith Cole, Goldman Howard B, Hoang-Roberts Ly, Damaser Margot S, Majerus Steve J A. Validation of a Wireless Catheter-Free Ambulatory Urodynamics Device in Women With Neurogenic Bladder. Neurourol Urodyn. 2026. 41195630.

Majerus Steve J A, Damaser Margot S. Validation of A Wireless Telemetric Bladder Pressure Monitoring System in Traumatic Thoracic Spinal Cord Injury in Yucatan Minipigs. J Neurotrauma. 2025. 41269117.

Han Jia, Hanzlicek Brett, Cabal Dario, Hacohen Yaneev, Rietsch Anna, Gunzler Douglas, Majerus Steve J A, Damaser Margot S, Bourbeau Dennis J. The effect of high frequency sacral nerve stimulation on lower urinary tract function in awake, healthy animals. Sci Rep. 2025. 40634454.

Sargusingh Mia J, Damaser Margot S, Hernandez-Reynoso Ana G. Enhancing Neuroplasticity via vagus nerve stimulation to improve urinary dysfunction after spinal cord injury: a perspective. Bioelectron Med. 2025. 40542413.

Damaser Margot S. Reply to 'The disruption of circadian rhythm as a potential mechanism of nocturia-like symptoms - a paediatric urology perspective'. Nat Rev Urol. 2025. 40169836.

Damaser Margot S. Disruption of circadian rhythm as a potential pathogenesis of nocturia. Nat Rev Urol. 2025. 39543359.

Elazab Mohammed, Hanzlicek Brett, Doelman Adam, Bourbeau Dennis, Majerus Steve Ja, Damaser Margot S. Optimization of activity-driven event detection for long-term ambulatory urodynamics. Proc Inst Mech Eng H. 2024. 39104258.

Maher Shaimaa, Gerber Daniel, Balog Brian, Wang Lan, Kuang Mei, Hanzlicek Brett, Malakalapalli Tejasvini, Van Etten Cassandra, Khouri Roger, Damaser Margot S. Contribution of pudendal nerve injury to stress urinary incontinence in a male rat model. Sci Rep. 2024. 38548832.

Hanzlicek Brett, Bourbeau Dennis, Damaser Margot S. Wireless and Catheter-Free Bladder Pressure and Volume Sensor. IEEE Sens J. 2024. 38500510.

Damaser Margot S. Is the time right for a new initiative in mathematical modeling of the lower urinary tract? ICI-RS 2023. Neurourol Urodyn. 2024. 38149773.

Majerus Steve, Nguyen Carvell, Brose Steven, Nemunaitis Gregory, Damaser Margot, Bourbeau Dennis J. Automated closed-loop stimulation to inhibit neurogenic bladder overactivity. Proc Inst Mech Eng H. 2024. 37132028.

Damaser Margot S. Can we improve techniques and patients' selection for nerve stimulation suitable for lower urinary tract dysfunctions? ICI-RS 2023. Neurourol Urodyn. 2024. 38048061.

Damaser Margot. Can we use machine learning to improve the interpretation and application of urodynamic data?: ICI-RS 2023. Neurourol Urodyn. 2024. 37921238.

Majerus Steve J A, Damaser Margot S. Assessing Neurogenic Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction after Spinal Cord Injury: Animal Models in Preclinical Neuro-Urology Research. Biomedicines. 2023. 37371634.

Frainey Brendan T, Majerus Steve J A, Derisavifard Samir, Lewis Kevin C, Williams Anna R, Balog Brian M, Butler Robert S, Goldman Howard B, Damaser Margot S. First in Human Subjects Testing of the UroMonitor: A Catheter-free Wireless Ambulatory Bladder Pressure Monitor. J Urol. 2023. 37293725.

Frainey Brendan T, Majerus Steve J A, Derisavifard Samir, Lewis Kevin C, Williams Anna R, Balog Brian M, Butler Robert S, Goldman Howard B, Damaser Margot S. Reply by Authors. J Urol. 2023. 37293724.

Balog Brian M, Deng Kangli, Askew Tessa, Hanzlicek Brett, Kuang Mei, Damaser Margot S. Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Is Indispensable to Continence Recovery after a Dual Nerve and Muscle Childbirth Injury Model. Int J Mol Sci. 2023. 36902428.

Damaser Margot S. Effects of mesenchymal stem cells and heparan sulfate mimetics on urethral function and vaginal wall biomechanics in a simulated rat childbirth injury model. Int Urogynecol J. 2023. 36662271.

Sun Li, Billups Alanna, Rietsch Anna, Damaser Margot S, Zutshi Massarat. The Effect of Dosing of on Anal Sphincter Regeneration. Tissue Eng Part A. 2023. 36341592.

Damaser Margot. Distinctive structure, composition and biomechanics of collagen fibrils in vaginal wall connective tissues associated with pelvic organ prolapse. Acta Biomater. 2022. 36055614.

Damaser Margot S. Potential role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of diabetic bladder dysfunction. Nat Rev Urol. 2022. 35974244.

Damaser Margot. Foundational science and mechanistic insights for a shared disease model: an expert consensus : Developed by the AUGS Basic Science Subcommittee and IUGA Special Interest Group. Int Urogynecol J. 2022. 35674811.

Yuan Xiaoyi, Balog Brian M, Lin Dan Li, Hanzlicek Brett, Kuang Mei, Yan Hao, Majerus Steve J A, Damaser Margot S. Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Is an Important Therapeutic Factor in Mesenchymal Stem Cell Secretions for Treatment of Traumatic Peripheral Pelvic Injuries. Front Cell Neurosci. 2022. 35663428.

Sun Li, Billups Alanna, Rietsch Anna, Damaser Margot S, Zutshi Massarat. Stromal cell derived factor 1 plasmid to regenerate the anal sphincters. J Tissue Eng Regen Med. 2022. 35092171.

Damaser Margot S. Mouse Knockout Models for Pelvic Organ Prolapse: a Systematic Review. Int Urogynecol J. 2022. 35088092.

Damaser Margot S. Time course for urethral neuromuscular reestablishment and its facilitated recovery by transcutaneous neuromodulation after simulated birth trauma in rats. Sci Rep. 2021. 34732833.

Janssen Kristine, Deng Kangli, Majerus Steve J A, Lin Dan Li, Hanzlicek Brett, Butler Robert S, Damaser Margot S. Transurethral versus suprapubic catheterization to test urethral function in rats. Sci Rep. 2021. 34257341.

Balog Brian M, Deng Kangli, Askew Tessa, Kuang Mei, Hanzlicek Brett, Damaser Margot S. Brain derived neurotrophic factor mediates accelerated recovery of regenerative electrical stimulation in an animal model of stress urinary incontinence. Exp Neurol. 2021. 34102241.