Bourbeau, Dennis, PhD
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Investigator
Cleveland FES Center
Biomedical Engineer & Research Investigator
Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center
Associate Professor, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
MetroHealth System
Associate Professor
Case Western Reserve University
CONTACT INFORMATION
Program Contact:
Dennis Bourbeau
Contact Number:
(216) 791-3800 x 64845
Contact Email:
dbourbeau@fescenter.org
Dennis Bourbeau, PhD, is an Associate Professor at Case Western Reserve University, a Research Investigator in the Research Service at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, and a Biomedical Engineer with the Department of Veterans Affairs. He conducts research in collaboration with MetroHealth System.
Dr. Bourbeau’s research focuses on the neurophysiological control of pelvic functions—including bladder, bowel, and sexual function—and the development of neurostimulation technologies to restore these functions when they are impaired by spinal cord injury (SCI) or other neurological disorders. His work addresses significant unmet needs for individuals with SCI, for whom bladder and bowel dysfunction can substantially affect health, independence, quality of life, and participation in daily and social activities. His approach is centered on understanding sensory feedback and using electrical stimulation to engage neural pathways and spinal reflexes that remain intact following neurological injury.
A major focus of Dr. Bourbeau’s research is developing innovative approaches to improve bladder control and enable catheter-free bladder emptying. His team has investigated high-frequency sacral nerve stimulation as a potential approach to reducing pelvic floor and anal sphincter activity and facilitating bladder emptying. In early human work, his team successfully implanted a sacral nerve stimulation device in a participant with SCI and demonstrated the ability to achieve bladder emptying without a catheter using high-frequency stimulation.
Dr. Bourbeau also develops neuromodulation approaches for urinary incontinence and neurogenic bowel dysfunction. His research has demonstrated that genital nerve stimulation can improve bladder control, urinary continence, and quality of life, while patterned electrical rectal stimulation has shown potential to improve bowel emptying. In parallel, he collaborates on the development of implantable bladder and bowel sensors and closed-loop stimulation systems that can continuously monitor organ activity and guide therapeutic stimulation. Together, these efforts seek to translate advances in neuroengineering into practical technologies that can improve independence and quality of life for Veterans and others living with neurological disorders.
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
- Bladder Neurostimulation and Restoration: Development of electrical stimulation approaches to restore bladder function following spinal cord injury and other neurological disorders, including high-frequency sacral nerve stimulation designed to facilitate bladder emptying and reduce reliance on catheterization.
- Genital Nerve Stimulation for Urinary Incontinence: Investigation of noninvasive genital nerve stimulation as a therapy for neurogenic bladder dysfunction. Clinical studies have demonstrated improvements in bladder control, urinary continence, and quality of life in individuals with SCI.
- Neurogenic Bowel and Electrical Rectal Stimulation: Development of patterned electrical rectal stimulation to activate neural pathways involved in the recto-colonic reflex and improve bowel emptying. Early clinical findings have demonstrated the potential of this approach to substantially reduce the time required for bowel care.
- Implantable Sensors and Closed-Loop Neuromodulation: Development of implantable bladder and bowel sensors capable of continuously monitoring organ activity, together with algorithms and stimulation systems designed to enable closed-loop control of bladder and bowel function.
- Pelvic Autonomic Function and Neural Control: Investigation of the neural mechanisms underlying bladder, bowel, and other pelvic autonomic functions, with an emphasis on using preserved sensory and spinal reflex pathways as therapeutic targets.
MAJOR PROJECTS & FUNDING
- High-Frequency Sacral Nerve Stimulation for Bladder Emptying: Preclinical and clinical investigation of high-frequency sacral nerve stimulation as a potential approach to enable catheter-free bladder emptying following SCI. A provisional patent has been filed by the Department of Veterans Affairs for this technology, and early human testing has demonstrated promising results.
- Genital Nerve Stimulation for Neurogenic Bladder: Dr. Bourbeau received a Department of Veterans Affairs Career Development Award Level 1 (CDA1) in 2013 to conduct clinical research focused on genital nerve stimulation for restoration of bladder function following SCI.
- Neurogenic Bowel and Pelvic Function Research: In 2015, Dr. Bourbeau received a Department of Veterans Affairs Career Development Award Level 2 (CDA2) to expand his research into bowel function and neurostimulation approaches for pelvic dysfunction.
- Electrical Rectal Stimulation for Neurogenic Bowel: Development and early clinical testing of patterned electrical rectal stimulation to improve bowel emptying. Dr. Bourbeau is the lead inventor on a patent related to this technology and continues to evaluate the approach in an early feasibility clinical trial.
- Bladder and Bowel Sensor Development: Collaborative development of implantable sensors for continuous monitoring of bladder and bowel activity. Dr. Bourbeau is a co-inventor on related patents, including technology that has been licensed, and contributes expertise in neuroscience, engineering, and clinical translation.
- Selected Recent Research: Recent work includes studies of high-frequency sacral nerve stimulation, automated closed-loop stimulation for neurogenic bladder overactivity, and electrical approaches to bladder and bowel dysfunction.
HONORS & RECOGNITION
- Inventor Award, Case Western Reserve University, 2023
- Best Basic Science Abstract, Society of Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine & Urogenital Reconstruction, 2022
- Best Paper, IEEE, 2022
- Member to Mention, Association of Spinal Cord Injury Professionals, 2017
- Best Paper, IEEE, 2016