Jaime Altamirano-Villarroel, MD

2024 AUA/CAU Visiting Program Scholar (to US)

Dr. Jaime Altamirano-Villarroel is a consultant urologist at Fundación Arturo Lopez Perez in Santiago, Chile. He received his MD degree in 2009 from the Universidad de Chile, followed by a residency in urology at the same institution.

After a year as a general urologist in remote town of Chile, Dr. Altamirano-Villarroel pursued a two-year fellowship in Uro-Oncology and Minimally Invasive Surgery at Fundación Arturo López Perez, where he now holds a consulting position. There, he also obtained a Diploma in Clinical Research.

Dr. Altamirano-Villarroel has international experience, including an Observership in 2014 at the Urology Department of Hospital Clinic in Barcelona, Spain, under the mentorship of Dr. Antonio Alcaraz. In 2023, he undertook a Research Fellowship in Innovation and Minimally Invasive Surgery in Urology at the University of California, Irvine, under Dr. Jaime Landman's guidance. Dr. Altamirano-Villarroel has been accredited as a robotic surgeon since 2017 in both X and Xi Da Vinci Intuitive Robotic systems. His clinical interests include metastatic prostate cancer, localized prostate cancer, robotic and laparoscopic surgery, as well as the applications of imaging diagnosis such as PET PSMA and artificial intelligence in urology.

Dr. Altamirano-Villarroel has also been involved in developing local and national Prostate Cancer clinical pathways in Chile. Apart from clinical work, he contributes to the academic community, organizing and participating in courses by the Chilean Urology Society and serving as a speaker at local urological conferences.

As part of the AUA/CAU exchange scholar program, Dr. Jaime Altamirano-Villaroel will attend the 2024 Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas. Prior to the meeting, he will spend three weeks at the University of Miami where he will have the opportunity to observe urologic surgeries and procedures, as well as attend staff activities and clinics.

Gustavo Ruschi Bechara, MD, PhD

2024 AUA/SBU Academic Exchange Scholar Program (to US)

Dr. Bechara is a Brazilian urologist at the Cassiano Antônio Moraes University Hospital (HUCAM-UFES) in Vitoria, Brazil.

He earned his medical degree at Escola de Medicina Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Vitória - ES (2006), completed his medical residency in General Surgery at Fundação Centro Médico de Campinas - SP (2007-2008), and his medical residency in Urology at Hospital Federal da Lagoa - RJ (2009-2011). Dr. Bechara also completed his fellowship in Uro-Oncology at the National Cancer Institute - INCA - RJ (2012-2013), TISBU (Title of the Brazilian Society of Urology - 2012), Master in Urology from the State University of Rio de Janeiro and PhD in Urology from the State University of Rio de Janeiro.

Dr. Bechara’s areas of urologic interest include uro-oncology. He has published numerous articles and books as well as presented several lectures on these subjects.

As part of the AUA/SBU Exchange Scholar Program, Dr. Bechara will attend the 2024 AUA Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas. After the conference, Dr. Bechara will visit Moffit Cancer Center in Tampa, FL where he will have the opportunity to observe urologic surgeries and procedures, as well as attend staff activities and clinics.

Rui Chen, MD

2024 AUA/CUA Visiting Scholar Program (to US)

Dr. Rui Chen is an Attending Urologist in Shanghai Changhai Hospital, China. He also serves as Secretary of Chinese Prostate Cancer Consortium, and is a Council Member of the Société Internationale d'Urologie, uCARE, the Working Secretary of Shanghai Urological Association, the Vice Director of CUA Youth Committee of Translational Research, the Secretary of MIS committee, the Shanghai Urological Association, Member of the Editorial Board of International Journal of Urology and Nephrology (in Chinese), Member of Urologic Research Society, and Member of the Academic Secretary of Chinese Version of British Journal of Urology.

His research interests include prostate cancer diagnosis and robotics surgeries of prostate cancer. He has experience in organizing multi-center studies and collaborative investigations. He is the Principal Investigator of Funding for Young Investigators from National Natural Science Foundation of China and participated in several National Key Research Programs in China.

In total, he has published 23 papers in SCI/ESCI Journals as first/co-first author (Impact Factor = 67.7, Total SCI Citations = 221 times). He has won the Outstanding Youth award of Shanghai Urology Association, the Outstanding Dissertation of the People’s Liberation Army, the Best 100 Articles of Chinese Medical Association, and the Outstanding article of the Chinese Journal of Urology (Top 10).

As part of the AUA/CUA Visiting Scholar Program, Dr. Chen will attend the 2024 AUA Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas. After the conference, Dr. Chen will visit MSKCC where he will have opportunity to observe urologic surgeries and procedures, as well as attend staff activities and clinics.

Jae Hoon Chung, MD, PhD

AUA/KUA Visiting Scholar Program (to US)

Dr. Jae Hoon Chung is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Urology at Hallym Sacred Heart Hospital, at the Hallym University College of Medicine in Anyang, Korea. He earned his MD degree in 2009 at the Hanyang University School of Medicine and his PhD in 2020 at the same institution.

Dr. Chung has authored or coauthored over 77 publications and has won numerous awards and honors.

As part of the AUA/KUA Visiting Scholar Program, Dr. Chung will attend the 2024 AUA Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas. Prior to the conference, Dr. Chung will visit Penn State Health where he will have opportunity to observe urologic surgeries and procedures, as well as attend staff activities and clinics.

Timothy Clinton, MD, MPH

AUA/SBU Academic Exchange Program (to Brazil)

Dr. Tim Clinton is an Associate Surgeon at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Member of the Faculty at Harvard Medical School and Surgical Oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

He did his urology residency at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, TX and fellowship in urologic oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He completed his medical degree and Masters in Public Health at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio.

His research and clinical interests are focused on urothelial carcinoma and testicular cancer. He is interested in defining the genomic determinants of these diseases and identifying novel liquid-based biopsy techniques. Additionally, he is actively involved in the use of robotic surgery for bladder and testicular cancer in advanced settings and evaluating the safety and efficacy of such approaches.

As part of the Sociedade Brasileira de Urologia (SBU) Exchange Scholar Program, Dr. Clinton will attend the 2024 SBU National Congress in Brazil.

Mohit Gupta, MD

AUA/SBU Academic Exchange Program (to Brazil)

Dr. Mohit Gupta is a urologic oncologist in the Department of Urology at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. Dr. Gupta’s expertise stems from years of specialized surgical experience in both complex open and minimally-invasive surgery for patients with cancers of the kidney, bladder, prostate, adrenals, and testes. He is a central member of an interdisciplinary team of medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, and other cancer specialists who are commited to providing collaborative and personalized care to every patient.

With numerous professional and academic accolades to his name, Dr. Gupta has published over 40 peer-reviewed articles, including multiple publications that have helped shape official guidelines published by the American Urologic Association (AUA). His research has been published in prestigious journals, including the Journal of Urology and European Urology. He is an active member of the AUA, European Association of Urology, and Society of Urologic Oncology. He is also a frequent and highly-sought presenter at national conferences and academic meetings.

Dr. Gupta, who is certified by the American Board of Urology, earned his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College and completed both his internship and residency training in urology at the University of Florida. He further specialized his clinical skillset during a fellowship in urologic oncology at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. Following his training, he served as faculty in the Department of Urology at NYU Langone Hospital in New York, NY. He currently serves as Director of Urologic Oncology at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital.

As part of the AUA/Sociedade Brasileira de Urologia (SBU) Exchange Scholar Program, Dr. Gupta will attend the 2024 SBU Paulista Congress in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Erick Alejandro Hernández-Méndez, MD

2024 AUA/Mexico Visiting Scholar Program (to US)

Dr. Hernandez-Méndez is a urologist from Mexico with clinical and research interests in urological oncology, endourology and minimally invasive surgery. He serves as attending urologist and urologic oncologist at Hospital Ángeles Pedregal in Mexico City.

He received his medical degree from Universidad Panamericana School of Medicine where he graduated with honors. He also obtained the Research Merit Award and the Extraordinary Achievement Award of his class.

He started general surgery residency at Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México) and finished his urology training at Hospital General Dr. Manuel Gea González (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México). During his last year of residency, he participated organizing the 1st Residents Forum of the Mexican Society of Urology (SMU).
He completed a fellowship in Urological Oncology at Instituto Nacional de Cancerología (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México) and a fellowship in Endourology, Minimally Invasive and Robotic Surgery at Hospital Central Militar (Universidad del Ejército y Fuerza Aérea Mexicanos).

Academically he has been active in urology education as the SMU Residents Coordinator from 2021 to 2023 and was one of the founders of the SMU Young Urologists Group. Currently, he is member of the Residents and Young Urologist Office of the Confederación Americana de Urología (CAU), coordinator of the CAU PRYUS (Program for Young Urologists) and has been appointed SMU Education Assistant Secretary from 2023 to 2025.

As part of the AUA/Mexico Visiting Scholar Program, Dr. Hernández-Méndez will attend the 2024 AUA Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas. Following the Annual Meeting, Dr. Hernandez Mendez will visit Cleveland Clinic where he will have the opportunity to to observe urologic surgeries and procedures, as well as attend staff activities and clinics.

Christopher Jaeger, MD, MMSc

2024 AUA/USI Academic Exchange Scholar (to India)

Dr. Jaeger is a pediatric urologist at Corewell Health Children’s Hospital in Royal Oak, MI where he specializes in complex reconstruction and robotic surgery. He completed his fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital and has graduate level training in medical education. He is actively involved in medical student and resident education at Corewell Health and studies novel approaches to medical education.

As part of the AUA/ Urological Society of India (USI) Exchange Scholar Program, Dr. Jaeger attended the 2024 USICON in Patna, India. After the conference, Dr. Jaeger visited the Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences in Lucknow where he had the opportunity to observe pediatric urologic surgeries and participate in academic conferences within the department.

Jung Ki Jo, MD, PhD

AUA/KUA Visiting Scholar Program (to US)

Dr. Jung Ki Jo is an Associate Professor at the Department of Urology at Hanyang University Hospital in Seoul, South Korea. Dr. Jo earned his MD degree from the Hanyang University College of Medicine in 2005 and his PhD degree from the same institution in 2016.

Dr. Jo has authored or co-authored over 55 publications and is a member of numerous academic societies. He is also working on developing novel medical devices.

As part of the AUA/KUA Visiting Scholar Program, Dr. Jo will attend the 2024 AUA Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas. Prior to the conference, Dr. Jo will visit the University of Washington where he will have opportunity to observe urologic surgeries and procedures, as well as attend staff activities and clinics.

Clément Klein, MD

2024 AUA/AFU Visiting Scholar Program (to US)

Dr. Clément Klein is a clinical urologist fellow at Bordeaux University Hospital and is pursuing his PhD in the ImmunoConcept Laboratory under the guidance of Pr. Robert and Dr. Domblides. His research is focused on immune microenvironment of bladder cancer. He began his residency in 2017 at Bordeaux University Hospital and was particularly interested in benign prostatic hyperplasia and urological cancers, especially bladder cancer.

Dr. Clément Klein received his medical degree in 2021 from the University of Bordeaux working on Holmium LASER Enucleation of the Prostate (HoLEP).

Between 2021 and 2022, he spent a year at the ImmunoConcept Laboratory (CNRS-UMR 5164, Bordeaux, France), where he worked on the immune microenvironment of bladder tumors. Dr. Klein is also involved in BPH research and is a member of the French LUTS Commitee since 2023.

As part of the AUA/AFU Visiting Scholar Program, Dr. Klein will attend the 2024 AUA Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas. After the conference, Dr. Klein will visit Vanderbilt University where he will have the opportunity to observe urologic surgeries and procedures, as well as attend staff activities and clinics.

Kevin Koo, MD, MPH, MPhil

2024 AUA/JUA Exchange Scholar Program (to Japan)

Dr. Kevin Koo is an Associate Professor of Urology in the Department of Urology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

Dr. Koo specializes in the medical and surgical management of urinary stone disease. He is co-director of the Multidisciplinary Stone Clinic and maintains an active research program supported by the National Institutes of Health studying the pathophysiology of kidney stones. He leads clinical trials evaluating new technologies that can enhance surgical outcomes and patient safety during endoscopic surgery. He also directs an education science lab to strengthen trainee performance through surgical simulation.

A frequent contributor to the medical press, Dr. Koo is an editor of The Journal of Urology and Urology Practice and serves on numerous committees and advisory councils of the American Urological Association, Endourological Society, and American College of Surgeons. Dr. Koo is also a national leader in health policy and advocacy. He completed the AUA H. Logan Holtgrewe Legislative Fellowship and was a fellow at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Dr. Koo is a graduate of Yale School of Medicine and holds master’s degrees from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the University of Cambridge. He completed residency at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and an Endourological Society fellowship at Johns Hopkins University.

As part of the AUA/ Japanese Urological Association (JUA) Academic Exchange Program, Dr. Koo will attend the 2024 JUA Congress in Yokohama, Japan. Prior to the Congress, Dr. Koo will visit Chiba University in Japan, where he will have the opportunity to observe urologic surgeries and procedures, as well as attend staff activities and clinics.

Takashi Nagai, MD, PhD

2024 AUA/JUA Exchange Scholar Program (to US)

Dr. Takashi Nagai is a Clinical Assistant Professor at Nagoya City University in Nagoya, Japan. He earned his MD in 2013 and his PhD in Urology in 2023. Dr. Nagai specializes in endoscopic surgery including robot-assisted surgery and MRI-TRUS fusion biopsies. He also works on cancer thermotherapy alongside his general urology practice.

As a graduate student, Dr. Nagai developed a novel nanoparticle for hyperthermia for prostate cancer and explored mechanisms of heat tolerance. While continuing his basic research, he also pursued my interest in translational research based on the results using animal models.

Dr. Nagai has been awarded numerous grants as a principal investigator and authored or co-authored over 51 publications.

As part of the AUA/JUA Academic Exchange Scholar Program, Dr. Nagai will attend the 2024 AUA Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas. After the conference, Dr. Nagai will visit the University of Pennsylvania where he will have opportunity to observe urologic surgeries and procedures, as well as attend staff activities and clinics.

Tushar Aditya Narain, MBBS, MS, MCh

2024 AUA/IAUA Chakrobortty Fellowship Program Scholar (to US)

Dr. Tushar Aditya Narain is a Senior Consultant Urooncologist and Robotic Surgeon and heads the Uro-oncology and Robotic Surgery unit at Max Smart Super Speciality Hospital in Delhi. He is a fellowship trained robotic surgeon, having been trained in prostate and bladder cancer surgeries from University College London Hospital, UK.

Dr. Narain received his MBBS degree in 2011 and Board Certification in Urology in 2018, from the prestigious Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research in Chandigarh, India, following which he was appointed as an Assistant Professor in Urology at All India Institute of Medical Sciences. He then moved to University College London Hospital in London in 2020 for a fellowship in robotic pelvic uro-oncology where he spent two years exclusively treating prostate and bladder cancers. Having been trained by world leaders in robotic prostate and bladder surgeries, Dr. Narain’s practice now only includes management of urological malignancies and robotic surgery, and he is one of the few acclaimed young robotic surgeons of India.

Dr. Narain also has a keen interest in research and has more than 50 papers published in different indexed journals and five book chapters. He is also a reviewer for Indian Journal of Urology, besides 5 other urological journals.

As part of the AUA/IAUA Visiting Scholar Program, Dr. Narain will attend the 2024 AUA Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas. After the conference, Dr. Narain will visit the Cleveland Clinic where he will have opportunity to learn single port robotic urological surgeries and procedures, as well as attend staff activities and clinics.

Diego Estevam Gomes Oliveira, MD

2024 AUA/SBU Academic Exchange Scholar Program (to US)

Dr. Diego Estevam Gomes Oliveira is a consultant urologist at Mater Dei Hospital and Felicio Rocho Hospital in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. He obtained his medical degree from the Federal University of Minas Gerais in 2007. In 2011, he completed his residency in General Surgery and in 2014 he completed his residency in Urology and earned his board certification from the Brazilian Society of Urology.

Dr. Oliveira has also completed a fellowship in Pediatric Urology at NUPEP under the mentorship of Dr. Antonio Macedo Jr. During the fellowship, he initiated a training in Reconstructive Urology through an observership at Sao Paulo Hospital/Unifesp. Additionally, Dr. Oliveira has been volunteering at public hospitals (Ciencias Medicas University Hospital) since 2015.

Dr. Oliveira’s areas of urologic interest include urethral reconstruction, complex reconstructive surgery in adults and children, robotic reconstructive and pediatric surgery, prosthetic surgery and correction of genital dissatisfaction.

He has published numerous articles and book chapters on Reconstructive Urology and Pediatric Urology, as well as presented several lectures on these subjects.

As part of the AUA/SBU Exchange Scholar Program, Dr. Diego Oliveira will attend the 2024 AUA Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas. After the conference, Dr. Oliveira will visit Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, VA, where he will have the opportunity to observe urologic surgeries and procedures, as well as attend staff activities and clinics.

Frederic Panthier, MD

2024 AUA/AFU Visiting Scholar Program (to US)

Dr. Frederic Panthier is a current Endourology Fellow under the mentorship of Dr. Daron Smith at the University College London Hospitals, in London, UK. He was previously an Assistant Professor of Urology at Tenon Hospital Sorbonne Université (Chairman: Pr. Traxer) in Paris, France. He earned his MD degree in 2020 from the Université Paris Descartes and is currently pursuing his PhD at the Laboratoire Procédés Et Ingénierie En Mécanique Et Matériaux (PIMM), under the mentorship of Pr. Traxer and Dr. Berthe.

Dr. Panthier’s clinical interests include Endourology and Urolithiasis. He is a full member of the Urolithiasis commitee of the Association Française d’Urologie. Dr. Panthier serves on the editorial board of Progrès en Urologie, European Urology, Journal of Endourology, World Journal of Urology, and the Journal of Clinical Medicine.

As part of the AUA/AFU Visiting Scholar Program, Dr. Panthier will attend the 2024 AUA Annual Meeting in San Antonio, TX. After the conference, Dr. Panthier will visit Loyola University where he will have the opportunity to observe urologic surgeries and procedures, as well as attend staff activities and clinics.

Kristen R. Scarpato, MD, MPH, FACS

2024 AUA/EAU Academic Exchange Scholar (to Europe)

Dr. Kristen Scarpato is an Associate Professor in the Department of Urology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC). She received her Doctor of Medicine from Tufts University School of Medicine and Master of Public Health from Boston University School of Public Health. She completed her Urology Residency at the University of Connecticut and her Fellowship in Urologic Oncology at Vanderbilt University. She proudly serves as the Urology Residency Program Director and Vice Chair of Education within the Department.

Dr. Scarpato’s clinical practice focuses on the diagnosis and management of bladder and prostate cancer. She has particular interests in focal therapy and salvage prostate ablation as well as advanced prostate cancer.

Dr. Scarpato remains committed to advancing the field of urology through education and she maintains a strong interest in both patient and resident education. She enjoys collaborating on educational endeavors with many local and national organizations. Dr. Scarpato has been the course co-director for the Americal Urological Association’s Annual Board Review Course since 2020. She is the AUA Representative for the Commission on Cancer at the American College of Surgeons. She serves on the Society of Urologic Oncology Fellowship Committee, Young Urologic Oncologist Executive Committee, AUA Core Curriculum Online Content Team (Prostate), Urology Practice Editorial Committee, Urology Care Foundation Public Education Council and is the chair of the Urology Care Foundation Bladder Health Committee.

As part of the EAU Exchange Scholar Program, Dr. Scarpato will attend the 2024 EAU Congress in Paris, France. After the congress, Dr. Scarpato will visit the Henri-Mondor University Hospital in Creteil, France, the Uniklinik Freiburg in Breisgau, Germany, and the Institut Paoli-Calmettes in Marseille, France where she will have the opportunity to observe urologic surgeries and procedures, as well as attend staff activities and clinics. 

Aditya Prakash Sharma, MBBS, MS, M.Ch.

2024 AUA/IAUA Chakrobortty Fellowship Program Scholar (to US)

Dr. Aditya Prakash Sharma is Associate Professor of Urology at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh, India. His academic journey began with the attainment of MBBS and Masters degree in Surgery, both awarded with Gold Medals, from the prestigious All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. In 2017, he obtained his board certification in Urology from PGIMER, Chandigarh, subsequently joining the institute as a faculty member.

Dr. Sharma is the recipient of the 2019 Young Urologist Fellowship from the Urological Association of Asia and the ISSM scholarship, which awarded him the opportunity to attend the ESSM School of Sexual Medicine. At his center, he runs a specialized Men’s Health clinic alongside the general urological outpatient clinic, which is dedicated to treating patients grappling with sexual dysfunction and male infertility. Dr. Sharma's professional expertise extends to Men’s Health, Uro-Oncology, and minimally invasive surgery. A proficient robotic surgeon, he also exhibits a keen interest in microsurgical reconstruction for male infertility. Notably, he has been instrumental in the initiation of laser enucleation of the prostate using thulium: YAG energy at the institute.

Beyond clinical practice, Dr. Sharma serves as a council member of the Youth wing of the Urological Society of India (YOU-USI). He has been spearheading various academic activities and conferences within this capacity. He has been a member of core group of YOU-USI meant for research and has been active in shaping the scientific programs for various scientific meetings, planning and executing its various research works. With a prolific publication record, boasting over 100 articles in indexed journals and 10 book chapters, he has also lent his expertise as a reviewer for 9 journals.

As part of the AUA/IAUA Chakroborty Fellowship Program, Dr. Sharma will attend the 2024 Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas. After the conference, Dr. Sharma will visit Massachusetts General Hospital where he will have the opportunity to observe urologic surgeries and procedures, as well as attend staff activities and clinics. 

Nirmish Singla, MD, MSc

2024 AUA/JUA Exchange Scholar Program (to Japan)

Dr. Nirmish Singla is an Associate Professor of Urology and Oncology in the Brady Urological Institute at Johns Hopkins University, where he serves as the Director of Translational Research in Genitourinary Oncology. He is also the Director of the Kidney Cancer Program and co-directs the Upper Tract Urothelial Cancer (UTUC) Program as a founding member of the first-ever UTUC Multidisciplinary Clinic. He represents the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center (SKCCC) on the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Testicular Cancer Guidelines Panel and helps lead the Testicular Cancer Program. He serves the Brady in a leadership capacity as Vice Chair and Physician Advisor for Quality, Safety, & Service.

Dr. Singla received his undergraduate degree (B.S.E.) in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Michigan and his medical degree (M.D.) from the University of Michigan Medical School, where he was supported by a full-tuition Dean’s Merit Scholarship. He went on to complete his residency training in Urologic Surgery at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW). Following his residency, he received an NIH/NCI Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award T32 grant and spent an additional year at UTSW as a postdoctoral research fellow in Urologic Oncology with a specialized translational focus in kidney cancer through the Physician Scientist Training Program. During this time, he earned a Master of Science in Clinical Science (M.S.C.S.) degree through the Center for Translational Medicine at UTSW and helped develop and pioneer a Physician Administrative Fellowship program. He then completed an advanced surgical fellowship in urologic oncology at Memorial Sloan Ketering Cancer Center (MSKCC) in New York through the Society of Urologic Oncology (SUO) before joining the faculty at Johns Hopkins.

As part of the AUA/Japanese Urological Association (JUA) Academic Exchange Program, Dr. Singla will attend the 2024 JUA Congress in Yokohama, Japan. Prior to the Congress, Dr. Singla will visit Dokkyo University in Japan, where he will have the opportunity to observe urologic surgeries and procedures, as well as attend staff activities and clinics.

Riel Smith-Harrison, MD

2024 AUA/USI Exchange Program Scholar (to India)

Dr. Riel Smith-Harrison is an Assistant Professor of Urology at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia. In addition to general urology, he is an expert in male infertility and sexual medicine.

Dr. Smith-Harrison received his Bachelor of Art’s from Washington and Lee University and his Medical Degree from the University of Virginia. Dr Smith-Harrison then went on to complete his Urology residency at the University of Virginia as well. Following completion of residency, Dr. Smith-Harrison completed a fellowship in Male Infertility and Andrology with Dr. Amy Guise and Dr. Jay Sandlow.

Dr. Smith-Harrison’s current clinic expertise and interests include male infertility, male contraception, and sexual dysfunction. He is an active member of several organizations including the AUA (national and regional), SMSNA, SMRU, and SSMR.

Fumihiko Urabe, MD, PhD

2024 AUA/JUA Exchange Scholar Program (to US)

Dr. Fumihiko Urabe is currently the Clinical Associate at the Department of Urology at The Jikei University School of Medicine in Tokyo, Japan. Dr. Urabe graduated from The Jikei University School of Medicine in 2012 and completed his urological residency at the same institution. In 2016, he joined Professor Takahiro Ochiya's laboratory at the National Cancer Center Research Institution (NCC) in Tokyo, Japan and earned his Ph.D. in 2020. Additionally, he continues to pursue basic research alongside Dr. Yusuke Yamamoto, Ph.D., at NCC.

His areas of clinical interest include uro-oncology, complex reconstructive surgery, robotic and 3D laparoscopic surgery, image-guided surgery using ICG, and MRI-US fusion prostate biopsy. Additionally, his basic research interests are primarily focused on microRNA, liquid biopsy, extracellular vesicles, and single-cell analysis in urological cancers. To date he has received numerous prestigious awards and recognitions for his research from the American Urological Association (AUA), the Japanese Cancer Association (JCA), and the Japanese Urological Association (JUA), among others. He has published over 80 scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals and has presented his research at national and international conferences.

As part of AUA/JUA Academic Exchange Program, he will attend the 2024 AUA Annual Meeting in San Antonio. After the conference, Dr. Urabe will visit the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN where he will have opportunity to observe urological procedures and techniques, as well as attend staff activities and clinics.

Boyd R. Viers, MD

2024 AUA/EAU Academic Exchange Scholar (to Europe)

Dr. Boyd Viers is an Associate Professor of Urology specializing in genitourinary reconstruction in the Department of Urology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. He is urology Vice Chair of Education, Residency Program Director, and Fellowship Program Director for Trauma and Genitourinary Reconstruction.

Dr. Viers received his undergraduate education at Iowa State University in Ames, IA. He underwent his medical training at University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, NE and completed residency training in urology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. He continued subspecialty fellowship training in trauma and genitourinary reconstruction at UT Southwestern in Dallas, TX.

Dr. Viers’ research and clinical expertise include open and advanced robotic reconstruction of male urethral stricture disease, ureteral stricture, ureteropelvic junction obstruction, and urinary fistula. He also has clinical and research interest in the treatment of radiation, traumatic, and iatrogenic urinary injury. Dr. Viers is an active member of American Urological Association, North Central Section, and the Society of Genitourinary Reconstructive Surgeons. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed original articles and speaks nationally on topics of genitourinary reconstruction.

As part of the EAU Exchange Scholar Program, Dr. Viers will attend the 2024 EAU Congress in Paris, France. After the congress, Dr. Viers will visit the Henri-Mondor University Hospital in Creteil, France, the Uniklinik Freiburg in Breisgau, Germany, and the Institut Paoli-Calmettes in Marseille, France where he will have the opportunity to observe urologic surgeries and procedures, as well as attend staff activities and clinics.

Priyank Yadav, MBBS, MS, MCh

2023 AUA/IAUA Chakrobortty Fellowship Program Scholar (to US)

Dr. Priyank Yadav currently serves as an Assistant Professor at Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) in Lucknow, India. His academic journey includes earning a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) from Maulana Azad Medical College and Lok Nayak Hospital in Delhi, India, followed by a Master of Surgery (MS) in General Surgery at Lady Hardinge Medical College and Smt. Sucheta Kriplani Hospital. Dr. Yadav furthered his specialization with a Magister Chirurgiae (MCh) in Urology from SGPGIMS in 2017.

Dr. Yadav completed his Fellowship in Pediatric Urology at the University of Toronto, Canada in 2022. He was a Prakash Fellow at the University of Toronto from 2020 to 2022 and a recipient of the prestigious AUA Research Scholar award in 2022. Notably, Dr. Yadav has actively contributed to the development of clinical practice guidelines, playing a vital role in the Canadian Urological Association Clinical Practice Guideline on Pediatric Patients with Neurogenic Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction.

Dr. Yadav has published nearly 50 original articles and 10 book chapters, and serves as a peer reviewer for over 20 journals. Dr. Yadav has been invited to share his expertise at various prestigious platforms, such as the International Children's Continence Society Annual Conference, the Philippine Urological Association Postgraduate Series, as well as national and zonal chapters of the Urological Society of India.

As a participant in the AUA/IAUA Academic Exchange Program, Dr. Yadav will participate in the 2024 AUA Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas. Following the conference, he will visit Cincinnati Children's Hospital, providing him with the opportunity to observe various urologic surgeries, procedures and clinics.