Spring 2020 Newsletter
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DEPARTMENT OF UROLOGYNEWS Volume 4 | SPRING 2020 CHAIR Benjamin R Lee, MD (interim) FACULTY Juan Chipollini, MD Joel Funk, MD Matthew Gretzer, MD David Tzou, MD Roger Nellans, MD Christian Twiss, MD Deb Jur, FNP Rosa Garcia, FNP Alison Grabowski, FNP Carmen Panizo, FNP Cara Whittingham, FNP RESEARCH Ken Batai, PhD Ava Wong, Coordinator AFFILIATED FACULTY Michael Siroky, MD Maximiliano Sorbellini, MD Mark Cogburn, MD Alex Jule, MD Rajesh Prasad, MD Jonathan Walker, MD Philip Gleason, MD Barry Chang, MD Hiep Nguyen, MD , Ariella Friedman, MD ADAPTABILITY Tamis Thrasher, PNP SOCIAL DISTANCING AND Department of Urology is published annually yearly by the University of Arizona College of Medicine Department of Urology. CRISIS MANAGEMENT CONTACT: Dr. Benjamin R. Lee, MD Chair (Interim) & Professor [email protected] Department of Urology The George W. Drach, MD Endowed Chair Department of Urology College of Medicine, Room 5325 The University of Arizona 1501 N. Campbell Ave. P.O. Box 245077 Tucson, AZ 85724-5077 520-694-4032 Fax: 520-694-5509 urology.arizona.edu All contents © 2020 Arizona Board of Regents. All rights reserved. The UA is an EEO/AA – M/W/D/V Employer. Design: UAHS BioCommunications To read this and past issues of Department of Urology Newsletter online, visit urology.arizona.edu/news-0 Deb Jur, NP Our Newest Nurse Practitioner Banner – University Medical Center Tucson welcomes Deb Jur, FNP to the Urology clinic at 3838 N Campbell Ave. Deb has been enthusiastically providing nursing care for her entire career, and has been an NP Dr. George W. Drach, Dr. Benjamin R Lee, Dean Michael Abecassis at the Investiture Ceremony specializing in urology for for the 1st Endowed Chair of Urology over 10 years. In addition to her extensive experience, MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR Benjamin R. Lee, MD she is also Nationally In March 2020, our lives were change. At the University of Certified in Urology through transformed by the COVID 19 Arizona College of Medicine, contributed to the endowment. the Society of Urological pandemic. Social distancing there have been several notable One of the first areas to support Nurses (SUNA). became the new norm, Grand responses to the pandemic – will be research championed Deb has a broad general Rounds went on-line with Personal protective equipment by Ken Batai, PhD, who has urology experience in Zoom, with a video education drives led by faculty & nurses been a beacon of research for male and female urologic format for our lectures: GU for N95 masks, personal mask the Department Dr. Batai is Tumor Board, AUA University construction and procurement working on racial disparities in conditions and also has a Conferences, Journal clubs and of PPE. There have been groups renal cell carcinoma in Native special interest in female Indications conferences. There creating COVID 19 specimen Americans as well as Hispanic pelvic medicine including has been an unprecedented collection kits, Researchers Americans, to better understand urinary incontinence, pelvic synthesis of rapid reactions, focusing on development of why kidney cancer has a higher organ prolapse, pelvic / decision making, reallocation COVID 19 antibody testing, incidence at a younger age in bladder pain and urinary of resources, punctuated by creation of safety and these populations, as well as tract infections. Previously, moments of re-evaluation and prevention training videos for understand why the mortality she has also served as an ultimately assessments for the COVID 19 first responders, as rate is higher. greater good. investigator in overactive well as Virtual Telemedicine It has been an amazing year bladder research. Our outpatient clinics training for rural healthcare of growth and stability for the An important aspect of integrated TeleMedicine visits providers. Department of Urology. Thank her practice philosophy to keep in touch with our On February 19, 2020, the you again to all who have is taking the time to patients at home, maintaining inaugural “George Drach supported us. social distancing to keep ensure her patients have Endowed Chair of Urology” everyone safe. a thorough understanding Investiture Ceremony was held, with Dr. Drach serving of their urologic conditions Ultimately, COVID 19 has touched both our personal and as extoller, and hosted by and treatment plan. She professional lives to respond Dean Michael Abecassis. It stays very active in her to one of the most challenging is humbling to be named as Benjamin R. Lee, MD spare time which includes global health challenges in recipient, and be associated The George Drach Endowed travel, handball, hiking, our lifetime. I would like to with its namesake. The George Chair of Urology and yoga. It is a pleasure thank our physicians, nurses, Drach Endowed Chair will go to welcome her to the residents, APPs, medical a long way towards achieving Professor, Department of Urology at assistants and administrators stability and growth in the Department of Urology Banner – University Medical for their willingness to be Department of Urology. University of Arizona College Center Tucson. adaptable in this time of Thank you to all who have of Medicine 2 Department of Urology News, Spring 2020 GREEN VALLEY UROLOGY CLINIC Urology Research The University of Arizona Department of Urology is committed to serving the patients of Southern Arizona and has expanded with a satellite clinic in Green Valley. On September 5, 2018, prostates, Benign Prostatic 2020 Ken Batai, PhD and Benjamin Lee, MD, the Banner – University Hyperplasia, prostate cancer are investigating genetic and biologic Medicine Green Valley Clinic screening, kidney and risk factors of early-onset kidney cancer. expanded from Primary bladder stones, bothersome Renal Cell Carcinoma incidence rates have Care and Cardiology services urinary symptoms and Dr. David T. Tzou increased over the past several decades, to include seeing patients recurrent urinary tract together with early-onset incidence rates with Urologic disease. infections. Dedicated to rising more rapidly than other cancer Since then the Green Valley providing comprehensive, types. Further investigation into whether Urology Clinic has seen compassionate Urologic genes involved in carbohydrate or lipid steady growth and provided care, the clinic is staffed by metabolisms, are expressed differently in Urologic care for local both Dr. David T. Tzou and tumors from early-onset cases compared residents in the region. Alison Grabowski, NP. to late-onset cases. Drs. Batai and Lee also Patients are seen for a variety For appointments, please have started a study to better understand of Urologic conditions call (520) 694-4032. Alison Grabowski, NP kidney cancer surgical disparities, including enlarged as Native Americans and Hispanic Americans have higher kidney cancer mortality rates compared to non-Hispanic Whites. Their study will identify BANNER – differences in treatment patterns that may UNIVERSITY MEDICINE explain disparities in mortality rates. GREEN VALLEY CLINIC Juan Chipollini, MD, studies urinary microbiome characteristics in bladder 1141 S. La Cañada Drive cancer patients. He published his work Green Valley, AZ 85614 in Urologic Oncology demonstrating Appointments: (520) 694-4032 enrichment of different taxa of the microbiome based on case-control status, Fax: (520) 694-5509 risk groups, and stage. Dr. Chipollini After Hours: (520) 694-6000 plans to expand this research by including more patients undergoing cystectomy to understand how urinary microbes can play a role in bladder carcinogenesis and therapeutic response. Joel Funk, MD, published work in Urology® demonstrating same day outpatient surgery for holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) is safe and outcomes are solid. Even with shorter Continued on page 5 We would like to congratulate and extend a warm welcome to our WELCOME: incoming PGY-1 residents for the 2020-2021 academic year. Dr. Jonathan Seaman comes from Dr. Namita (“Natalie”) Lopes obtained the University of Nebraska College her MD from the Central Michigan of Medicine and is a graduate of University College of Medicine and Colorado State University where he obtained her undergraduate degree double majored in microbiology and in Biochemistry from the University chemistry. He already has several of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Natalie is a peer-reviewed publications in the field Michigan native and also has several of urology. He is a native of Colorado peer-reviewed publications. In her and in his spare time enjoys rock spare time, she enjoys hiking, reading Dr. Jonathan Seaman climbing, singing and playing the violin. Dr. Namita Lopes and soccer. urology.arizona.edu 3 RETROPERITONEAL LYMPH NODE DISSECTION SURGERY We have seen a substantial the Department as a beacon of University Of Arizona, we growth in the urologic oncology academic urology serving the work together together with section of the Department in state of Arizona. a multidisciplinary team to both clinical and academic We continue to manage a mitigate barriers to healthcare arenas. Our robotic cystectomy high volume of complex cases that are unique to our state, program continues to grow such as the one highlighted which may pose difficult and our clinical trial team below demonstrating an challenges to those needing is very active in screening tertiary-level care. Dr. Juan Chipollini and enrolling patients into advanced germ cell tumor many of our clinical studies involving the vena cava and Access to surgical care is a at our NCI-designated cancer aorta. The patient