Laboratories and Research Centers
Philip Beachy, PhD
The Ernest and Amelia Gallo Professor
The Beachy laboratory studies the function of Hedgehog proteins and other extracellular signals in morphogenesis (pattern formation) and in injury repair and regeneration (pattern maintenance). We study how the distribution of such signals is regulated in tissues, how cells perceive and respond to distinct concentrations of signals, and how such signaling pathways arose in evolution.
James Brooks, MD
Keith and Jan Hurlbut Professor
The Brooks laboratory focuses on benign and malignant diseases of the kidney and prostate with the goal of making discoveries that can aid in patient care. We use discovery-based platforms including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and glycoproteomics to identify disease-specific biomarkers that can be used in diagnosis, prognostication, therapy selection, and monitoring treatment efficacy.
The O'Brien Urology Research Center seeks to understand the network of cells that cause benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), the most common cause of urinary bother in men.
Benjamin Chung, MD, MS
Professor
The Chung laboratory is a multidisciplinary research team studying the epidemiology of urologic cancers, especially kidney cancer. The program was borne out of a need to better understand the underlying factors that predispose to urologic cancers, with a focus on kidney cancer, as these malignancies are potentially preventable once the underpinnings to pathogenesis are better understood.
Amy Dobberfuhl, MD, MS
Assistant Professor
The Dobberfuhl laboratory investigates the different molecular pathways involved in oxidative stress, circadian rhythms and their role in bladder function. Our major focus is on two health conditions which affects bladder function: Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome (IC/BPS) and Nocturia.
Michael Eisenberg, MD
Professor
A major focus of the Eisenberg laboratory is to develop novel methods to improve a man’s reproductive and sexual function. Ongoing research includes intratesticular platelet rich plasma injections and male genital device trials to improve sexual function. Over half of all men over the age of 40 have some form of sexual dysfunction.
Kathleen Kan, MD
Assistant Professor
The Kan laboratory seeks to understand why elementary school children experience a high rate of bothersome lower urinary tract symptoms in order to improve treatment and prevention strategies.
Guolan Lu, PhD
Assistant Professor
The Guolan Lu laboratory develops and integrates cutting-edge technologies in biomedical imaging, artificial intelligence, and spatial omics to decipher and predict how cells and tissues are spatially organized and orchestrated in their native tissue microenvironment and how this organization regulates biological function, disease progression, and response to therapy.
John Leppert, MD, MS
Professor
The Leppert laboratory aims to improve the global quality of care for patients with Urologic conditions, with a particular focus on kidney cancer. We are evaluating the effects of kidney function loss after kidney cancer surgery, and strategies to predict incident chronic kidney disease after high-risk surgeries.
Joseph Liao, MD
Kathryn Simmons Stamey Professor
Chair
The overarching theme of the Liao laboratory research is development of optical imaging technologies for cancer surgery and molecular diagnostics for urological cancer and infections. Our research is highly translational in nature and interfaces molecular biology, genomics, imaging science, bioengineering, artificial intelligence, and clinical medicine.
Geoffrey Sonn, MD
Professor
Cortlandt T. Hill Memorial Scholar
The Urologic Cancer Innovation Lab's (UCIL) mission is to develop cutting-edge technologies and rapidly translate them into clinical use to improve diagnosis and treatment of urologic cancers. To accomplish our mission, we leverage the interdisciplinary excellence at Stanford in medicine, engineering, and computer science.