Renea Michelle Sturm, MD

Assistant Professor of Urology. Dr. Sturm's practice as a pediatric urologist focuses on the care of children with a range of congenital defects and illnesses that involve the kidneys, bladder, and genitalia. As a surgeon, she has a particular interest in minimally invasive robotic-assisted and endoscopic surgery, complex hypospadias repair, and urinary tract reconstruction. She works closely with colleagues in the maternal-fetal healthcare program, providing pre- and post-delivery care for a range of urologic conditions including antenatal hydronephrosis, lower urinary tract obstruction, and differences in genital development.

In addition to her clinical practice, Dr. Sturm is a federally-funded physician-scientist leading bench to bedside research in surgical innovation. The primary aim of her research is to improve equity, quality, and consistency in urologic surgery regardless of surgeon experience or care setting. Dr. Sturm was recently recognized as a 2022 Outstanding Graduate Scholar by the American Urological Association/Urology Care Foundation (AUA/UCF) for her multi-disciplinary work developing highly elastic biomaterials for urinary tract applications. Her research is supported by grants from the National Science Foundation, the Technology Development Group at UCLA, the UCLA Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute, and the AUA/UCF.

Dr. Sturm earned her undergraduate degree from Rice University and her medical doctorate from Baylor College of Medicine. She completed her urology residency training at the University of California, Davis, and her fellowship in pediatric urology at Lurie Children's Hospital of Northwestern University. At UCLA she subsequently completed a fellowship in Biodesign, with focused education in medtech entrepreneurship and healthcare innovation.