Department of Urology Faculty
Urology Chair and Vice-Chairs
Eila Skinner, MD
Professor and Chair
Clinical Focus: All aspects of Bladder Cancer diagnosis and treatment, Continent Urinary Diversion and lower urinary tract reconstruction, major open surgical treatment of locally advanced Kidney and Testis Cancer.
Research Focus: Translational research in bladder cancer, long-term surgical and functional outcomes of continent urinary diversion.
James Brooks, MD
Professor and Vice-Chair
Chief of Urologic Oncology
Clinical Focus: Prostate Cancer detection, risk assessment, active surveillance and surgical management using traditional and robotic approaches.
Research Focus: Discovery of biomarkers of Prostate Cancer risk and progression, understanding of the genetic and epigenetic regulators of Prostate Cancer.
Joseph Liao, MD
Professor and Director of Research
Vice Chair of Academic Affairs
Chief of Urology
Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS)
Clinical Focus: General Urology, Urologic Neoplasms
Research Focus: Translational research to develop new in vitro and in vivo diagnostic tools for diseases of the urinary tract based on micro- and nanotechnology. Developing an integrated biosensor platform optimized for point-of-care urinary diagnostics, particularly for Urinary Tract Infections and Bladder Cancer.
Urologic Oncology
Benjamin Chung, MD
Associate Professor
Director, Section of Minimally Invasive Urologic Surgery
Clinical Focus: Surgery for Kidney and Prostate Cancers, especially using minimally invasive and robotic approaches, management of small renal masses.
Research Focus: Population-based studies of Kidney Cancer risk and prognosis, and improvement of technical approaches to robotic Kidney Cancer surgery.
Jay Shah, MD
Associate Professor
Clinical Focus: Surgery for bladder and other urologic cancers, using robotic surgery, emerging treatment options, and optimization of post-surgical recovery.
Harcharan Gill, MD
Professor
Clinical Focus: Prostate, Bladder and Kidney Cancer Treatment with both open and minimally invasive/robotic techniques.
Research Focus: Imaging of Prostate Cancer using MRI, focal and minimally invasive treatments of Benign Prostate Hypertrophy.
Geoffrey Sonn, MD
Assistant Professor
Assistant Professor by-courtesy, Radiology
Clinical Focus: Prostate Cancer management including image-targeted biopsy, active surveillance, and robotic prostatectomy. Open and robotic surgery for Kidney, Bladder and Testicular Cancer.
Research Focus: MRI and molecular imaging of Prostate and Kidney Cancer, MRI-Ultrasound fusion targeted prostate biopsy, fluorescent image-guided surgery, Prostate Cancer focal ablation therapy
John Leppert, MD, MS
Associate Professor
Director, of Urologic Oncology
Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS)
Clinical Focus: Care of patients with Urologic Cancers including Prostate, Bladder, and Kidney Cancer. Expertise in open, laparoscopic, and robotic surgical approaches.
Research Focus: The Leppert Lab is working to identify novel biomarkers of Urologic Cancers, as well as studying the comparative effectiveness and epidemiology of Kidney, Prostate, and Bladder Cancers.
Alan Thong, MD, MPH
Clinical Assistant Professor
Clinical Focus: Robotic, endoscopic, and open surgery for prostate, kidney, bladder, and testicular cancer, as well as general urologic conditions, MRI fusion targeted prostate biopsy.
Research Focus: Cost-effectiveness analysis, Healthcare informatics for quality improvement, Patient-reported outcomes.
Kris Prado, MD
Instructor
Clinical Focus: Open, endoscopic, and robotic surgery for urologic cancer
Research Focus: Basic, translational, and clinical research in bladder cancer, urothelial cell development and differentiation, direct conversion of fibroblasts to bladder urothelial progenitor cells for regeneration or replacement of the bladder urothelium for benign and malignant disorders of the urothelium
Female Pelvic Medicine & Reproductive Surgery
Craig Comiter, MD
Professor
Professor-by-courtesy Ob-Gyn
Clinical Focus: General Urology, Female Urology, Urinary Incontinence, Pelvic Prolapse.
Research Focus: Using various animal models of Bladder Outlet Obstruction as a representation of Human Prostatic Disease, investigating how intervening with pharmacotherapy, neuromodulation, and other novel therapies may help to reverse the adverse changes in the bladder due to the obstruction.
Clinical Focus: Pelvic Reconstruction, Neurourology, Voiding Dysfunction
Research Focus: Basic science, clinical and translational research in overactive / underactive bladder and radiation cystitis. Urine biomarkers of compensated and decompensated detrusor dysfunction. Animal models of voiding and pelvic floor dysfunction. Pharmacologic modulation of lower urinary tract function and fibrosis.
Ekene Enemchukwu, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor
Assistant Professor-by-courtesy Ob-Gyn
Director, Urology at Stanford Pelvic Health Center
Clinical Focus: Medical and minimally invasive surgical management of male and female conditions, including Pelvic Organ Prolapse (cystocele, rectocele, vault prolapse repairs, including concurrent vaginal hysterectomy), Female Genitourinary Fistula, Urinary Tract Infection, Overactive Bladder, Urinary Incontinence, Hematuria, Urinary Retention, Mesh Complications, Refractory Fecal Incontinence and Urethral Stricture Disease. She performs open, robotic, endoscopic and laser surgery.
Research Focus: Refractory overactive bladder in elderly and frail patient populations, detrusor underactivity, quality of life, patient outcomes, quality improvement, patient satisfaction, and shared decision making.
Philip Hanno, MD
Clinical Professor
Clinical Focus: General urology, Bladder pain syndrome, Chronic pelvic pain syndrome and Urinary infection.
Urologic Specialties
Clinical Focus: Adult general urologic care, with a particular focus on kidney stone treatment.
Research Focus: Development of technological medical advancements.
Clinical Focus: Pelvic Reconstruction, Neurourology, Voiding Dysfunction
Research Focus: Basic science, clinical and translational research in overactive / underactive bladder and radiation cystitis. Urine biomarkers of compensated and decompensated detrusor dysfunction. Animal models of voiding and pelvic floor dysfunction. Pharmacologic modulation of lower urinary tract function and fibrosis.
Philip Hanno, MD
Clinical Professor
Clinical Focus: General urology, Bladder pain syndrome, Chronic pelvic pain syndrome and Urinary infection.
Clinical Focus: Male Erectile and Sexual Dysfunction, Low Testosterone, Peyronie’s Disease, Male Infertility, Microsurgery (including vasectomy reversal, microscopic testicular sperm extraction (mTESE), varicocele)
Research Focus: Surgical simulation, biodesign, and medical device development. Novel therapies for erectile dysfunction treatment.
Michael Eisenberg, MD
Associate Professor
Director, Male Reproductive Medicine and Surgery
Clinical Focus: All aspects of Male Infertility, Urologic Microsurgery (including vasectomy reversal, microscopic testicular sperm extraction (mTESE), varicocele), Erectile and Sexual Dysfunction, Low Testosterone, Peyronie's Disease
Research Focus: Research efforts include surgical innovation, epidemiologic studies, and basic science discoveries to improve the treatments, outcomes, and lives of infertile men.
Rustin Massoudi, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor
Clinical Focus: Endoscopic, robotic, laparoscopic, and open surgery for prostate and kidney cancer as well as general urologic conditions.
Craig Comiter, MD
Professor
Professor-by-courtesy Ob-Gyn
Clinical Focus: General Urology, Female Urology, Urinary Incontinence, Pelvic Prolapse.
Research Focus: Using various animal models of Bladder Outlet Obstruction as a representation of Human Prostatic Disease, investigating how intervening with pharmacotherapy, neuromodulation, and other novel therapies may help to reverse the adverse changes in the bladder due to the obstruction.
Ekene Enemchukwu, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor
Assistant Professor-by-courtesy Ob-Gyn
Director, Urology at Stanford Pelvic Health Center
Clinical Focus: Medical and minimally invasive surgical management of male and female conditions, including Pelvic Organ Prolapse (cystocele, rectocele, vault prolapse repairs, including concurrent vaginal hysterectomy), Female Genitourinary Fistula, Urinary Tract Infection, Overactive Bladder, Urinary Incontinence, Hematuria, Urinary Retention, Mesh Complications, Refractory Fecal Incontinence and Urethral Stricture Disease. She performs open, robotic, endoscopic and laser surgery.
Research Focus: Refractory overactive bladder in elderly and frail patient populations, detrusor underactivity, quality of life, patient outcomes, quality improvement, patient satisfaction, and shared decision making.
Simon Conti, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor
Director, Kidney Stone Program
Program Director, Residency Program
Clinical Focus: Urinary stone disease - surgical and medical treatment geared towards long term prevention of stone recurrence, endourology and minimally invasive options for general urologic disease as well as cancers such as upper tract urothelial cancer.
Research Focus: Population health sciences research in Urinary Stone Disease. Medical and surgical education research.
Clinical Focus: General urology
Urologic Oncology
Philip Beachy, PhD
Professor of Urology, and Developmental Biology
Research Focus: The role of Hedgehog and other signaling pathways in normal and pathologic function of stem cells in adult organs, including bladder and prostate. Molecular mechanisms of Hedgehog signal transduction.
Harcharan Gill, MD
Professor
Clinical Focus: Prostate, Bladder and Kidney Cancer Treatment with both open and minimally invasive/robotic techniques.
Research Focus: Imaging of Prostate Cancer using MRI, focal and minimally invasive treatments of Benign Prostate Hypertrophy.
Kris Prado, MD
Instructor
Clinical Focus: Open, endoscopic, and robotic surgery for urologic cancer
Research Focus: Basic, translational, and clinical research in bladder cancer, urothelial cell development and differentiation, direct conversion of fibroblasts to bladder urothelial progenitor cells for regeneration or replacement of the bladder urothelium for benign and malignant disorders of the urothelium
Benjamin Chung, MD
Associate Professor
Director, Section of Minimally Invasive Urologic Surgery
Clinical Focus: Surgery for Kidney and Prostate Cancers, especially using minimally invasive and robotic approaches, management of small renal masses.
Research Focus: Population-based studies of Kidney Cancer risk and prognosis, and improvement of technical approaches to robotic Kidney Cancer surgery.
John Leppert, MD, MS
Associate Professor
Director, of Urologic Oncology
Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS)
Clinical Focus: Care of patients with Urologic Cancers including Prostate, Bladder, and Kidney Cancer. Expertise in open, laparoscopic, and robotic surgical approaches.
Research Focus: The Leppert Lab is working to identify novel biomarkers of Urologic Cancers, as well as studying the comparative effectiveness and epidemiology of Kidney, Prostate, and Bladder Cancers.
Jay Shah, MD
Associate Professor
Clinical Focus: Surgery for bladder and other urologic cancers, using robotic surgery, emerging treatment options, and optimization of post-surgical recovery.
Richard Fan, PhD
Clinical Assistant Professor
Research Focus: Translational application of emerging technologies in the medical and surgical spaces, as well as the development of platforms to explore clinical and pre-clinical evaluation. His primary work is currently focused on image guided detection and treatment of prostate cancer, including MR-US fusion, focal therapies, embedded systems and robotics.
Joseph Liao, MD
Professor and Director of Research
Vice Chair of Academic Affairs
Chief of Urology
Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS)
Clinical Focus: General Urology, Urologic Neoplasms
Research Focus: Translational research to develop new in vitro and in vivo diagnostic tools for diseases of the urinary tract based on micro- and nanotechnology. Developing an integrated biosensor platform optimized for point-of-care urinary diagnostics, particularly for Urinary Tract Infections and Bladder Cancer.
Geoffrey Sonn, MD
Assistant Professor
Assistant Professor by-courtesy, Radiology
Clinical Focus: Prostate Cancer management including image-targeted biopsy, active surveillance, and robotic prostatectomy. Open and robotic surgery for Kidney, Bladder and Testicular Cancer.
Research Focus: MRI and molecular imaging of Prostate and Kidney Cancer, MRI-Ultrasound fusion targeted prostate biopsy, fluorescent image-guided surgery, Prostate Cancer focal ablation therapy
Wendy Fantl, PhD
Assistant Professor (Research)
Research Focus: Signal transduction and its application to understanding disease mechanism. The primary focus of her work is to apply the mass cytometry platform to enhance the understanding of high grade serous ovarian cancer at the single cell level.
Seung-Min Park, PhD
Instructor
Research Focus: Smart Toilet, Precision Health, Continuous Health Monitoring (voiding and gut health) and BioMEMS, microfluidics and point-of-care engineering.
Alan Thong, MD, MPH
Clinical Assistant Professor
Clinical Focus: Robotic, endoscopic, and open surgery for prostate, kidney, bladder, and testicular cancer, as well as general urologic conditions, MRI fusion targeted prostate biopsy.
Research Focus: Cost-effectiveness analysis, Healthcare informatics for quality improvement, Patient-reported outcomes.
Urologic Oncology
Philip Beachy, PhD
Professor of Urology, and Developmental Biology
Research Focus: The role of Hedgehog and other signaling pathways in normal and pathologic function of stem cells in adult organs, including bladder and prostate. Molecular mechanisms of Hedgehog signal transduction.
Harcharan Gill, MD
Professor
Clinical Focus: Prostate, Bladder and Kidney Cancer Treatment with both open and minimally invasive/robotic techniques.
Research Focus: Imaging of Prostate Cancer using MRI, focal and minimally invasive treatments of Benign Prostate Hypertrophy.
Kris Prado, MD
Instructor
Clinical Focus: Open, endoscopic, and robotic surgery for urologic cancer
Research Focus: Basic, translational, and clinical research in bladder cancer, urothelial cell development and differentiation, direct conversion of fibroblasts to bladder urothelial progenitor cells for regeneration or replacement of the bladder urothelium for benign and malignant disorders of the urothelium
Benjamin Chung, MD
Associate Professor
Director, Section of Minimally Invasive Urologic Surgery
Clinical Focus: Surgery for Kidney and Prostate Cancers, especially using minimally invasive and robotic approaches, management of small renal masses.
Research Focus: Population-based studies of Kidney Cancer risk and prognosis, and improvement of technical approaches to robotic Kidney Cancer surgery.
John Leppert, MD, MS
Associate Professor
Director, of Urologic Oncology
Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS)
Clinical Focus: Care of patients with Urologic Cancers including Prostate, Bladder, and Kidney Cancer. Expertise in open, laparoscopic, and robotic surgical approaches.
Research Focus: The Leppert Lab is working to identify novel biomarkers of Urologic Cancers, as well as studying the comparative effectiveness and epidemiology of Kidney, Prostate, and Bladder Cancers.
Jay Shah, MD
Associate Professor
Clinical Focus: Surgery for bladder and other urologic cancers, using robotic surgery, emerging treatment options, and optimization of post-surgical recovery.
Richard Fan, PhD
Clinical Assistant Professor
Research Focus: Translational application of emerging technologies in the medical and surgical spaces, as well as the development of platforms to explore clinical and pre-clinical evaluation. His primary work is currently focused on image guided detection and treatment of prostate cancer, including MR-US fusion, focal therapies, embedded systems and robotics.
Joseph Liao, MD
Professor and Director of Research
Vice Chair of Academic Affairs
Chief of Urology
Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS)
Clinical Focus: General Urology, Urologic Neoplasms
Research Focus: Translational research to develop new in vitro and in vivo diagnostic tools for diseases of the urinary tract based on micro- and nanotechnology. Developing an integrated biosensor platform optimized for point-of-care urinary diagnostics, particularly for Urinary Tract Infections and Bladder Cancer.
Geoffrey Sonn, MD
Assistant Professor
Assistant Professor by-courtesy, Radiology
Clinical Focus: Prostate Cancer management including image-targeted biopsy, active surveillance, and robotic prostatectomy. Open and robotic surgery for Kidney, Bladder and Testicular Cancer.
Research Focus: MRI and molecular imaging of Prostate and Kidney Cancer, MRI-Ultrasound fusion targeted prostate biopsy, fluorescent image-guided surgery, Prostate Cancer focal ablation therapy
Wendy Fantl, PhD
Assistant Professor (Research)
Research Focus: Signal transduction and its application to understanding disease mechanism. The primary focus of her work is to apply the mass cytometry platform to enhance the understanding of high grade serous ovarian cancer at the single cell level.
Seung-Min Park, PhD
Instructor
Research Focus: Smart Toilet, Precision Health, Continuous Health Monitoring (voiding and gut health) and BioMEMS, microfluidics and point-of-care engineering.
Alan Thong, MD, MPH
Clinical Assistant Professor
Clinical Focus: Robotic, endoscopic, and open surgery for prostate, kidney, bladder, and testicular cancer, as well as general urologic conditions, MRI fusion targeted prostate biopsy.
Research Focus: Cost-effectiveness analysis, Healthcare informatics for quality improvement, Patient-reported outcomes.
Pediatric Urology
Daniel Han, MD
Assistant Professor
Clinical Focus: Pediatric Urology
Research Focus: Basic science, clinical, and translational research in congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract. Animal models of congenital urinary obstruction. Stem cell therapies and biomaterials for the treatment of congenital renal anomalies.
Linda Shortliffe, MD
Professor Emerita
Research Focus: Our group has been interested in trying to define risk factors that may be involved in Urinary Tract Obstruction, Vesicoureteral Reflux, and Infectious Uropathies. We have examined the effects of sex hormones on urinary tract function to better understand their involvement in renal and urinary tract function.
Kathleen Kan, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor
Associate Program Director, Residency Program
Clinical Focus: Pediatric Urology
William Kennedy, MD
Professor
Chief of Pediatric Urology
Clinical Focus: Pediatric Urology
Kunj Sheth, MD
Assistant Professor
Clinical Focus: Pediatric Urology
Research Focus: Bio-innovation pediatric device development to address common urologic problems, including but not limited to, surgical stone management and neurogenic incontinence.
By Courtesy Faculty
Bertha Chen, MD
Professor of Ob-Gyn
Professor-by-courtesy of Urology
Clinical Focus: Gynecology, Urogynecology & Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology
Research Focus: Molecular causes of urinary incontinence and pelvic floor dysfunction. Recognizing that urinary incontinence linked to demise of smooth muscle sphincter function, she is investigating the potential use of stem cell regeneration to restore muscle capacity.
Eric Sokol, MD
Associate Professor of Ob-Gyn
Associate Professor-by-courtesy of Urology
Co-Chief, Urogynecology and Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery
Clinical Focus: Urogynecology & Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery, Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures, Robotics, Uterine Prolapse, Urinary Incontinence
Research Focus: Development and testing of novel minimally invasive treatment modalities for complex pelvic floor disorders.
Alice Fan, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine (Oncology)
Assistant Professor-by-courtesy of Urology
Clinical Focus: Urologic oncology, medical oncology, urologic neoplasms, kidney cancer, translational medical research, molecular targeted therapy, nano-proteomics
Research Focus: How turning off oncogenes (cancer genes) can cause tumor regression in preclinical and clinical studies
Sandy Srinivas, MD
Professor of Medicine (Oncology)
Professor-by-courtesy of Urology
Clinical Focus: Urologic oncology, prostate cancer, bladder cancer, kidney cancer, testes cancer, penile cancer and adrenal cancers, germ cell tumors
Research Focus: Urologic oncology clinical studies
Brooke Gurland, MD, FACS
Clinical Professor of Surgery (General)
Clinical Professor-by-courtesy of Urology
Clinical Focus: General surgery, pelvic floor and functional bowel disorders
Leslee Subak, MD
Katharine Dexter McCormick and Stanley McCormick Memorial Professor of Ob-Gyn
Professor-by-courtesy of Urology
Clinical Focus: Obstetrics & Gynecology, Urogynecology
Research Focus: Lower urinary tract function and genitourinary health in women
Lisa Rogo-Gupta, MD
Clinical Associate Professor of Ob-Gyn
Clinical Associate Professor-by-courtesy of Urology
Clinical Focus: Obstetrics & Gynecology, Urogynecology, Pelvic Organ Prolapse, Urinary Incontinence, Fecal Incontinence, Uterine Prolapse, Cystocele, Rectocele
Affiliated Faculty
Helena Chang, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor (Affiliate)
Kaiser Santa Clara Medical Center
Clinical Focus: Endoscopic and percutaneous surgeries for complex kidney stones, kidney cancer, urothelial carcinoma, ureteral strictures, ureteral pelvic junction obstruction, and enlarged prostates.
Research Focus: Kidney stone prevention, long term outcomes for kidney stone patients, ionizing radiation reduction, using ultrasound for diagnosing and treating kidney stones, and advancing surgical options for kidney stone treatment.
Catherine R. Harris, MD, MPH
Clinical Assistant Professor (Affiliate)
Director, Genitourinary Trauma and Reconstruction
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center
Clinical Focus: Genitourinary trauma and reconstruction, urethral stricture disease, male urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction, urologic oncology and general urology.
Research Focus: Cost-effectiveness analysis, cost containment, healthcare quality and access, underserved populations, clinical outcomes.
William Thieu, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor (Affiliate)
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center
Clinical Focus: Endourology, urinary stone disease, erectile dysfunction, penile prosthesis, and general urology.
Research Focus: Medical device development and novel applications of technology in cost-effective manners for the underserved population.
Christopher Elliott, MD
Clinical Instructor (Affiliate)
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center
Clinical Focus: Male and Female Incontinence, Female Pelvic Organ Prolapse, Neurogenic Bladder, Urologic Reconstructive Surgery
Research Focus: Outcomes research of Incontinence, Pelvic Organ Prolapse and Neurogenic Bladder using national and state databases
Thomas Hsu, MD
Clinical Professor (Affiliate)
Director of Laparoscopic Surgery
Kaiser Santa Clara Medical Center
Clinical Focus: Laparoscopic, Robotic, and Minimally Invasive Urologic Surgery; Urologic Oncology.
Research Focus: Novel technology and devices in laparoscopic, robotic, and minimally invasive surgery.
Peter Elliott, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor (Affiliate)
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center
Clinical Focus: Urologic oncology. Robotic/minimally invasive approaches for both malignant and benign urologic diseases.
Research Focus: Outcomes research for robotic approaches to urologic malignancies. Cost-effective robotic surgery.
John Lavelle, MD
Clinical Associate Professor (Affiliate)
Director, Urodynamics, Voiding Dysfunction and Neurourology
Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS)
Clinical Focus: General Urology, Urodynamics
Research Focus: Clinically Voiding Dysfunction (BPH, Incontinence, Urinary Retention, & Neurogenic Bladder), and outcomes research. Currently developing a project to review the management of Neurogenic Bladder within the VA.
David Guo, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor (Affiliate)
Kaiser Santa Clara Medical Center
Clinical Focus: Male infertility, Peyronie’s Disease, Erectile Dysfunction
Research Focus: Male infertility, Peyronie’s Disease, Erectile Dysfunction
Esequiel Rodriguez, MD
Pediatric Urologist
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center
Clinical Focus: All aspects of pediatric urology surgery – open, endoscopic, and laparoscopic