The UCLA Department of Urology provides cutting edge diagnosis and treatments, and supports a staff of renowned physicians, surgeons and researchers. Demonstrating continued excellence in the field of Urology, the UCLA Department of Urology along with its varied Centers of Excellence, is often the subject of stories in newspapers, magazines, and journals. The Department also frequently issues news releases to keep the community informed on the latest developments in urology, the treatments available at UCLA, and various milestones within the Department. We include here a collection of recent stories, and an archive of older articles, for your further information.
Consistently Ranked as One of the Top Urology Programs in the Country
UCLA Urology consistently ranks as one of the top urology programs in the nation by U.S.News & World Report for over 20 years. To be included on the Best Hospitals Honor Roll, a medical center must be ranked very high in at least six of the 16 specialties.
Article on health.usnews.com > | Story on uclahealth.org >
July 19, 2021
Dr. Jesse Mills - Inverse interviewed Dr. Jesse Mills, Associate Clinical Professor of Urology, about the vasectomy procedure and the physical recovery process beyond pain as well as the mental health impacts. Read more >
July 2, 2021
Jeffrey Veale, MD -- Innovative Kidney Donor 'Voucher' System Is Saving Lives. It sounded like an unusual idea: Coupons for kidneys. However, Jeffrey Veale, MD, a kidney transplant specialist at UCLA Health, was intrigued. A 64-year-old man wanted to donate a kidney to his 4-year-old grandson, who had chronic kidney disease but wouldn’t need an organ transplant for many years. The grandfather wondered if he could donate now, while he was healthy, and give his grandson a kind of “credit” to receive a kidney in the future. Thus the kidney voucher program was born. UCLA Health Connect Blog >
June 21, 2021
Matthew Rettig, MD -- An NBC Today feature on James Michael Tyler, the actor who played sarcastic coffee shop employee Gunther on “Friends,” includes an interview with Matthew Rettig, MD, medical director of the UCLA prostate cancer program. Read the story >
June 17, 2021
Jeffrey Veale, MD -- Dr. Jeffrey Veale, Professor of UCLA Urology and Director of the UCLA Kidney Exchange Transplantation Program, recently performed the 5,000th paired exchange transplant at UCLA. The UCLA recipient was a standard voucher holder whose donor facilitated an earlier chain of three transplants. The kidney came from a family voucher donor at Mayo Clinic Rochester. Read the National Kidney Registry press release >
June 2, 2021
Mark S. Litwin, MD - ‘Everything just stopped': Olympian Nathan Adrian on his life-changing battle with testicular cancer'. NBC 6 interviewed Dr. Mark S. Litwin, chair of urology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, on common symptoms of testicular cancer in men.
June 2, 2021
Dr. Mark Litwin - Over the last year, the COVID-19 pandemic posed new challenges to patients seeking access to health care. For transgender and nonbinary people, such challenges separated them from quality, affirming care and in many instances, paused or prevented life-changing procedures. A new study out of UCLA’s Gender Health Program, for which Dr. Mark S. Litwin is the co-director, aims to understand the ways the pandemic has specifically affected the health care experiences of transgender and nonbinary patients. Read more >
April 15, 2021
The American Urological Association’s (AUA) Teaching Award, sponsored by the AUA Residents and Fellows Committee, is presented annually to recognize an outstanding urology educator who has dedicated a portion of their career to teaching residents and advancing urologic education. This year, 25 urologists from across the country were nominated in recognition of their commitment to urologic training, including Christopher Saigal, MD, MPH, Professor and Vice Chair of UCLA Urology.
April 9, 2021
Sriram Eleswarapu, MD, PhD, a reproductive urologist and assistant clinical professor of UCLA Urology, was featured on Insider about debunking 19 myths about getting pregnant and fertility.
April 1, 2021
Los Angeles Magazine has published its annual list of “Top Doctors” in Los Angeles and 12 UCLA Urology physicians have been recognized in the 2021 guide as among the city’s best doctors. Congratulations to Drs. Chad Z. Baxter, Karim Chamie, Alexandra Drakaki, Steven Lerman, Mark Litwin, Leonard Marks, Jesse Mills, Robert Reiter, Christopher Saigal, Jennifer Singer, Jeffrey Veale and David Yao.
March 22, 2021
Dr. Mark Litwin - UCLA Urology is recognized for its contribution to NIH funding at UCLA. The David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA received $590 million in NIH funding in 2020, putting it second in the nation among all academic medical centers in NIH support. In the UCLA Department of Urology, NIH grants fund a range of research, from very basic bench science to translational research to clinical trials to population health and implementation science. Read more >
February 26, 2021
Amar Kishan, MD -- Shorter, stronger radiation course effective for high-risk prostate cancer. Healio highlighted a new UCLA study published in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics finding that shortening the length of radiation treatment to five days in larger doses is safer and more effective for men with prostate cancer. Research was led by Amar Kishan, MD, assistant professor of radiation oncology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, vice-chair of clinical and translation research, and chief of the Genitourinary Oncology Service at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.
February 24, 2021
Amar Kishan, MD -- Model helps predict which patients will benefit most from PSMA PET Scan. ScienMag, UroToday and Medical Xpress highlighted a new UCLA study that helps identify which patients with prostate cancer will benefit most from the use of prostate-specific membrane antigen PET imaging, or PSMA PET. Research was led by Amar Kishan, MD, assistant professor of radiation oncology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and researcher at the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. UCLA Health Newsroom >
February 23, 2021
According to an examination of posts on Reddit, the findings show that people with kidney stones have been less likely to seek treatment during pandemic. The paper’s lead authors are Tommy Jiang, a second-year medical student at the David Geffen School of Medicine, and UCLA urology residents Dr. Vadim Osadchiy and Dr. James Weinberger. The senior authors are UCLA urology assistant clinical professor Dr. Sriram Eleswarapu and associate clinical professor Dr. Jesse Mills. UCLA Newsroom > This study was also highlighted on Medical Xpress and Science Blog.
February 12, 2021
Vidit Sharma, MD -- ASCO Post and WSAZ-TV highlighted a UCLA study presented at the 2021 ASCO Genitourinary Cancers Symposium finding a correlation between reduced levels of screening for prostate cancer and an increase in diagnosis of metastatic disease. Research was led by Vidit Sharma, MD, health services fellow in urologic oncology at UCLA Health and the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. This story was also featured on MDedge, Medscape, Healio and MDalert.
February 5, 2021
Amar Kishan, MD -- MedicalXpress and ASCO Post highlighted a new UCLA study published in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics finding shortening the length of radiation treatment to five days in larger doses is safer and more effective for men with prostate cancer. Research was led by Amar Kishan, MD, assistant professor of radiation oncology and urology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, vice-chair of clinical and translation research, and chief of the Genitourinary Oncology Service at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. Labroots and Press From syndicated the ASCO Post story.
February 5, 2021
Robert Reiter, MD -- Renal & Urology News and Healio highlighted a new UCLA study published in the Journal of Urology that finds MRI frequently underestimates tumor size in prostate cancer. Research was led by Robert Reiter, MD, co-director, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center Genitourinary Oncology Program and professor of urology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
January 19, 2021
Drs. Litwin & Frencher -- As institutions across the country grapple with ways to address disparities among low-income and vulnerable communities, UCLA Health looks to its recent history in helping to found health care system Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital (MLKCH). Dr. Mark S. Litwin, UCLA Urology Chair, and Dr. Stan Frencher, Associate Professor of UCLA Urology and Director of Urology and Chair of Perioperative Services Department at MLKCH, play pivotal roles in UCLA Health's partnership with Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital and the commitment to address health care inequities to improve the health of the whole community. Learn more at UCLA Health Connect >
January 14, 2021
Robert Reiter, MD -- Cancer researchers awarded grant to study genomic alterations in prostate cancer. Robert Reiter, MD, Professor of UCLA Urology and director of UCLA’s prostate cancer program, Paul Boutros, PhD, UCLA Urology researcher and , director of cancer data science at the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Huihui Ye, MD, MS, of the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, have received the 2020 Prostate Cancer Foundation Special Challenge Award to help improve the understanding of prostate cancer biology and identify new ways to help prevent, diagnose, prognose and treat lethal prostate cancer. UCLA Health News Release >
January 8, 2021
Jeffrey Veale, MD -- CNN en Español aired a story about Diego Quiroz, a toddler who is UCLA’s youngest patient to receive a kidney transplant during the COVID-19 pandemic. Jeffrey Veale, MD, director of the UCLA Kidney Exchange Transplantation Program, performed the transplant and was interviewed.
January 7, 2021
Robert Reiter, MD -- A study led by researchers at the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center has found that magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, frequently underestimates the size of prostate tumors, potentially leading to undertreatment. The senior author is Dr. Robert Reiter, Professor of UCLA Urology and director of UCLA’s prostate cancer program. Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center Newsroom >
January 7, 2021
UCLA gains approval for prostate cancer imaging technique. HealthDay, My News LA, Medscape, Becker’s Hospital Review and six other outlets reported on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s approval of a new imaging technique for prostate cancer that locates lesions in the pelvic area and other parts of the body to which the tumors have migrated. The prostate-specific membrane antigen PET imaging, or PSMA PET, was a collaboration between the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. The UCLA research team, led by nuclear medicine faculty, includes UCLA Urology’s Robert Reiter, MD, Professor and Director of the Prostate Cancer Program, and Matthew Rettig, MD, Professor and Medical Director of the Prostate Cancer Program. Both were lead investigators for the clinical trials that led to the FDA approval.
November 20, 2020
Dr. Mark Litwin - UCLA Urology has been awarded renewed funding to extend our state-funded IMPACT program providing access and high-quality medical care to low-income, uninsured men with prostate cancer in California. Since the program’s inception in 2001, IMPACT has served thousands of men across all 58 counties of our state and created a model for similar efforts in other states. In addition to providing cancer care for these men and support for their families, numerous academic projects in population science and health services research have been completed, from which medical students, residents, fellows, and faculty members have published and presented scholarly work. The current award extends funding through 2023, allowing for consistent funding for the program’s 22-year existence to date. Dr. Mark S. Litwin, Chair of UCLA Urology, directs the IMPACT program. Learn more >
November 20, 2020
Dr. Leonard S. Marks - Everyday Health covered a UCLA-led study finding the use of hemi-gland cryoablation, or cryotherapy, is an effective primary treatment for men with clinically significant, or grade 2, prostate cancer. Research was led by Leonard Marks, MD, DeKernion Chair in urology, clinical professor and member of the UCLA IUO and Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.
November 13, 2020
UCLA Urology donors Cam and Peter Starrett will be honored as Outstanding Philanthropists in Los Angeles on the 35th anniversary of National Philanthropy Day. The award is given annually by the Association of Fund Raising Professionals and will be presented virtually this year on November 13, 2020. Mark S. Litwin, MD, MPH, Professor and Chair of UCLA Urology says “Peter and Cam Starrett represent everything that is good and inspiring about humanity. They are generous yet humble in their philanthropy, passionate in supporting education, cancer research, and health care. Peter and Cam are paragons of the cultural north star, to which we adhere at the David Geffen School of Medicine: do what’s right, make things better, and be kind. They are our angels.” View full story >
October 2, 2020
Dr. Mark Litwin - Renal & Urology News interviewed Mark Litwin, MD, professor and chair of urology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and UCLA Fielding School of Public Health professor of health policy and management, about human factors in the use of different techniques to treat prostate cancer across the United States. Dr. Litwin also is a member of the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.
October 01, 2020
Dr. Efe Chantal Ghanney Simons, urology fourth year resident, is the inaugural winner of the Diversity Equity & Inclusion Award, a new honor bestowed jointly by the Association of Women Surgeons (AWS) and The Society of Black Academic Surgeons (SBAS). This award is to be given annually for the pursuit of a career in surgery that is in alignment with the missions of AWS and SBAS. Dr. Simons is focusing her residency research year on issues of social justice and health disparities in urology. Congratulations! UCLA Health Newsroom >
September 25, 2020
Dr. Renea Sturm, Assistant Professor of Urology, has been awarded a development grant from the National Science Foundation for her work with Dr. Ali Khademhosseini (CEO, Terasaki Institute) in developing a biodegradable surgical closure device for lower urinary tract reconstruction. This award supports her team’s participation in the national I-Corps program focused on commercialization of innovative technologies from the academic environment. Dr. Sturm’s team includes Dr. George Aninwene II, urology project scientist, Peyton Tebon, a UCLA bioengineering PhD student, and Katerina Lembrikova, a SUNY Downstate medical student. Read more about the NSF I-Corps program >
September 25, 2020
Isla Garraway, MD, PhD -- KABC7 interviewed Isla Garraway, MD, PhD, associate professor of urology and member of the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, about who is most at risk of prostate cancer and what can be done to help lower that risk.
September 25, 2020
SP Robot for Prolapse: 1st in LA. Ja-Hong Kim, MD, Associate Professor in the Division of Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, along with her surgical team at the Center for Women’s Pelvic Health at UCLA, completed the first single-port robotic sacrocolpopexy surgery in September of 2020 for the treatment of pelvic organ prolapse, an uncomfortable condition that occurs in women when the tissue of the pelvic floor no longer support the pelvic organs (such as the uterus or bladder). These organs drop (prolapse) downward from their normal position and cause several issues. This new surgical approach requires only one incision, offering patients rapid recovery and improved cosmetic benefits. UCLA Urology is the first in Southern California to utilize this innovative technology for female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery. FDA approval for this use is pending.
August 28, 2020
Matthew Rettig, MD -- WebMD interviewed Matthew Rettig, MD, professor of urology and medicine and member of the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, on how male hormones may make men more susceptible to COVID-19.
August 28, 2020
Dr. Jesse Mills - Jesse Mills, MD, professor of urology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and director of the Men’s Clinic, was quoted in Men’s Health Spain on common penis injuries.
July 17, 2020
Robert Reiter, MD -- The UCLA Specialized Program of Research Excellence, known as SPORE, has awarded $525,000 to 11 researchers whose projects are at the forefront of developing new therapies for men battling prostate cancer. UCLA Newsroom >
June 12, 2020
Alexandra Drakaki, MD -- OncLive interviewed IUO member Alexandra Drakaki, MD, PhD, assistant professor of medicine and member of the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, about research advances being made in urothelial cancer, as well as unmet needs and challenges.
June 12, 2020
Matthew Rettig, MD -- The UCLA Health Zone Show with Dr. Phil Cohen featured IUO member Matthew Rettig, MD, professor of medicine and urology and member of the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Rettig talked about his clinical trial to determine if hormone therapy used for men with prostate cancer can help men with COVID-19.
June 12, 2020
Dr. Jesse Mills - The UCLA Health Zone Show with Dr. Phil Cohen featured Jesse Mills, MD, associate clinical professor of urology and director of The Men's Clinic at UCLA, to talk about the most vital health issues for men during June’s “Men’s Health Month.”
May 22, 2020
Matthew Rettig, MD -- CBS News Los Angeles, Telemundo 52, Yahoo News!, The Cancer Letter, NBC Los Angeles, HealthDay, The Santa Monica Daily Press and 12 other outlets reported on a new clinical trial led by Matthew Rettig, MD, professor of medicine and urology and member of the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, that uses a hormone suppressor commonly used to treat men with prostate cancer to help improve clinical outcomes for men infected with COVID-19. Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center news release >
April 10, 2020
Brian Shuch, MD -- The Kidney Cancer Association interviewed Brian Shuch, MD, associate professor of UCLA Urology, as part of an expert panel to answer patients’ questions about how kidney cancer and the novel coronavirus COVID-19 impact each other.
Dr. Hans Gritsch Named Inaugural Chair in Kidney Transplantation. Hans A. Gritsch, MD -- Last November, members of the UCLA Department of Urology, philanthropists, friends and family gathered to celebrate Dr. Hans A. Gritsch and the gift from the John Jergens Estate to establish the Jergens Administrative Chair in Kidney Transplantation. U Magazine >
Feb 6, 2020
Dr. Christopher Saigal, professor and vice chair of urology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, was quoted in Men’s Health Latin America on men’s cancer prevention.
Jan 31, 2020
Kidney Cancer: $100,000 Gift. Brian Shuch, MD -- The UCLA Kidney Cancer Program received a generous gift from Driven to Cure, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advocacy and providing funding for research on rare genetic forms of kidney cancer. The gift will support the work of physician-scientist Brian Shuch, MD, an associate professor of urology and director of the UCLA Institute of Urologic Oncology Kidney Cancer Program. UCLA Newsroom > | UCLA Health Video >
