In 2024, Jefferson celebrated 200 years of catalyzing innovations in clinical care, education, and research. Since 1904, the Department of Urology has been a cornerstone of our institution. It is the oldest Department in the United States and has always been at the forefront of the field.
THE POWER OF PHILANTHROPY
This Year in Review magazine highlights the tremendous regional, national, and international impact of our department. Many of our programs are only possible through philanthropic support of our mission. Numerous philanthropic opportunities exist to help us expand these programs—including naming a space in the Honickman Center, supporting research scholars, and endowing fellowships. Giving to our Urology Innovation Fund helps us ignite critical research ideas and professorships.
Thank you for your consideration of supporting Jefferson’s Department of Urology.
See the inside back cover for more information on our Urology Innovation Fund.
Yearin Review
2025
Department of Urology
For more information on how philanthropic gifts can help support our research, teaching and patient care missions, contact:
Leonard G. Gomella, MD, FACS
The Bernard W. Godwin Professor of Prostate Cancer Chair Emeritus
Senior Director Clinical Affairs, Sidney Kimmel
Comprehensive Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University 1025 Walnut Street, Suite 1100 | Philadelphia, PA 19107 215-955-1702; Leonard.Gomella@jefferson.edu
P. Kenneth Brownstein, MD, FACS
Department of Urology Director of Philanthropy
Harold A. Honickman Physician Director of Jefferson Signature Services
Office of Institutional Advancement
Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health 1101 Market Street, Floor 22 | Philadelphia, PA 19107 215-503-2111; Kenneth.Brownstein@jefferson.edu
Elena Boroski
Director of Development, Office of Institutional Advancement
Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health 1101 Market Street, Floor 22 | Philadelphia, PA 19107 267-225-8380; Elena.Boroski@jefferson.edu
“Jefferson Urology 2025 Year in Review”
Design and Production Editor: Tricia Shea
Editor-in-Chief: Leonard G. Gomella, MD
Associate Editor: Marlene Vallett
Contributors:
Alexandra Stokes
Elena Boroski
Moriah Cunningham, PhD
Tricia Gomella, MD
Jennifer Hagerty, DO
Janice Harper
Kyle Hardner
Louis Keeler III, MD
Adam Metwalli, MD
Patrick Shenot, MD
Photography:
Robert Neroni, Karen Kirchoff, Ellen Miller
Additional Department of Urology information can be found at: www.jefferson.edu/university/jmc/ departments/urology
For digital versions of “Jefferson Urology 2025 Year in Review” and other years 2019-2024, search “Jefferson Urology” on the issuu.com website.
Published by the Department of Urology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University 1025 Walnut Street, Suite 1100, Philadelphia, PA 19107
215-955-6961 (tel), 215-923-1884 (fax)
Correspondence: Dr. Leonard Gomella, Editor, leonard.gomella@jefferson.edu
FEATURES
4 Clinical Society of Genitourinary Surgeons
8 Reflections of a Groundbreaking 40-year Jefferson Career: Dr. Irvin Hirsch
DONOR PROFILE
12 Giving Back to Where It All Began: Dr. Judd and Ellen Moul
FACULTY NEWS
14 Welcome New Faculty
15 Faculty Updates
17 Notable & Newsworthy
FACULTY & STAFF PROFILES
22 Dolores Shupp Byrne, PhD
23 Mohamed T. Ismail, MD
24 Marlene Vallett
25 Dan Walmer
25 Alexandra Stokes
PATIENT PROFILE
26 John Malloy
RESEARCH UPDATES
28 Botox for the Bladder
29 Understanding the Role of SMAC Mimetics in Urologic Oncology
MEETING ROUNDUP
30 AUA 2025
32 83rd Annual MA-AUA
33 Jefferson Urology Enterprise Dinner
VISITING PROFESSORS & GUEST FACULTY
36 Paul Zimskind, MD, PhD, Visiting Professor 2025: Jaspreet Sandhu, MD
38 Nemours 2025 Pediatric Urology Visiting Professor: Thomas Kolon, MD
39 Grand Rounds Speaker: Amy Leader, DrPH, MPH
40 2025 David M. Davis Visiting Professor
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
42 Kobe University Leadership
43 Dr. Gomella Invited Speaker SIU, Edinburgh, Scotland
44 Dr. Dan Eun International Meetings
45 Dr. Shridhar C. Ghagane, Guest Researcher from KLE
46 Dr. Michael Metro Mongolia Mission
47 Rotating KLE Students Visitors from Rwanda
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
48 Community-based Prostate Cancer Screening Programs
52 Staff Spotlights
54 Alumni News
58 Residents
62 2025 Graduation & Awards
65 2025 Graduation Celebration
71 Outpatient Locations
72 Student News
74 Faculty Listing
76 CSGUS Photos
82 Year in Photos
85 Publications
Chair’s Letter
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
I am pleased to present our Department of Urology “2025 Year in Review.” As always, there is a lot to review over the past year from our busy department. I am also letting everyone know this will be my last official “Year in Review” as Chair of Urology. After nearly 24 years, on January 1, 2026, the time has come for a new chair to move the department ahead. In spite of the rumors after my brief leave, I am not retiring. I am returning to research, teaching and patient care as the Bernard Godwin Jr. Professor of Prostate Cancer and Emeritus Chair of the Department of Urology. I look forward to doing so, without the challenges of running the department on a day-to-day basis and dreading reading the next incoming text message. According to Google AI, the average tenure of a urology chair in the U.S. is 7-8 years. I am grateful that Jefferson leaders have let me have the reigns of the department for three times longer than average! More about my future below.
The year 2025 started out strong with the Philadelphia Eagles winning the Super Bowl with Jefferson Health as an official sponsor. This “Year in Review” features a series of profiles of faculty, staff, donors and patients who are integral to the successes of our department. We expanded faculty over the last year and had a strong showing on the international stage.
One of the greatest Departmental honors took place in October 2025, when Jefferson Urology hosted the 102nd annual meeting of the Clinical Society of Genitourinary Surgeons (CSGUS). The last time the CSGUS was at Jefferson was in 1932. Tricia and I are proud of the program we put together. It highlighted our Jefferson faculty and some of the things like the Philly Soft Pretzel, the Mummers, Rocky, and the Museum of the American Revolution that make Philadelphia unique. You can read more about this program on page 4 that included welcoming remarks by SKMC Dean Said Ibrahim and Jefferson University President Dr. Susan Aldridge. Please also check out our CSGUS photo gallery on page 76.
A nationwide search has begun for my replacement. In the transition, Dr. Paul Chung has been selected as interim chair to keep all of our key departmental activities functioning without interruption. Dr. Chung is an Associate Professor and Director of our Men’s Health Program and an expert in the field of Reconstructive Urology. He is involved in research, teaching and patient care and will keep the department on a steady course until a new chair is identified.
I am busy wrapping up the 4th edition of the 5-Minute Urology Consult published by Wolters Kluwer. The first edition was in 2000, and the last one was published over 10 years ago in 2015, so there is a lot of updating to do. I have asked Dr. Paul Chung to join me as Co-Editor-in-Chief for the 4th edition. I look forward to seeing the print and online book come out later this year.
I have a lot to look forward to in the coming year. Thomas Jefferson University has commissioned a portrait in my honor, and the American Urologic Association will be giving me a Lifetime Achievement Award at our annual meeting in Washington DC this May. I will continue as Editor in Chief of the Canadian Journal of Urology International and devote more effort working with our cancer center colleagues in developing our intellectual property and in developing expanded philanthropic opportunities. I have also been notified that I will be receiving an honorary PhD from KLE University based on my work with micrometastasis and liquid biopsy.
While the recent focus is on my last 24 years as Chair, the reality is that I have spent the majority of my adult life, 38 years, here at Jefferson. I was originally recruited to Jefferson from the NCI in Bethesda, Maryland, to help with Dr. Joseph Gonnella’s vision of establishing a National Cancer Institute designated cancer center, a mission I can proudly say we accomplished. Many individuals have been influential during my time at Jefferson including Drs. Joe Gonnella, Grant Mulholland, and an incredible group of supportive Departmental Chairs and Urology faculty and staff along with numerous Cancer Center Directors, Deans and Presidents I have served under. None have been more critical to any successes I may have had than the support of my amazing wife, Tricia, and our 4 boys. While I probably spent too much time at work, Tricia made sure the boys, two physicians, one MBA and one a dentist, were on their paths to successful careers. To my friends and colleagues, please stay in touch, and my email is not changing, it remains leonard.gomella@ jefferson.edu.
With Appreciation,
Leonard G. Gomella, MD FACS Chair Emeritus, Department of Urology
Clinical Society of Genitourinary Surgeons
DEPARTMENT OF UROLOGY, SIDNEY KIMMEL MEDICAL COLLEGE
THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY
OCTOBER 23, 24, 25, 2025
In October 2025, the Department of Urology of Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health was honored to have been selected to host the 102nd annual meeting of the Clinical Society of Genitourinary Surgeons (CSGUS). The last time the CSGUS was held at Jefferson was in 1932. The CSGUS is considered the top academic organization for urologic surgeons in the U.S. with membership by invitation only with active membership limited to 50 active members with an equal number of “senior” members.
The CSGUS is limited to Urologists who have made major contributions to the advancement of Urology, with members almost exclusively academic Department Chairs from across the US. There is a related larger organization known as the American Association of Genitourinary Surgeons (AAGUS) with faculty members elected from academic urology programs. This AAGUS group is not limited to chairs but essentially all members of CSGUS are also in AAGUS. Our meeting was held under the leadership of 2025 CSGUS President, Dr. Peter Carroll, from the University of California, San Francisco.
The three-day event is organized by the chosen Department of Urology Chair and their spouse/partner. The host institution is selected by the CSGUS site committee, and we were selected as the 2025 site by the committee back in 2021. The program involves both departmental and university academic presentations from the urology faculty and accompanying social activities highlighting important aspects of the host institution and their city. The program started on Thursday evening, October 23, and ended formally with a black-tie dinner event on Saturday October 25. In 2024, Stanford University was the host and next year’s event will be at the University of California, San Diego, with future programs at the University of Washington and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. You can visit the web site to learn more about the organization (www.csgus.org/).
Dr. Susan Aldridge, Thomas Jefferson University President, welcoming the CSGUS members and guests to the Saturday lecture series held in Alumni Hall.
The academic program on Friday was held at the Jefferson Center on Market Street with a beautiful panoramic view of the city of Philadelphia. We were honored that Dr. Said Ibrahim, Dean of Sidney Kimmel Medical College, welcomed the CSGUS members on Friday morning for the academic program and that Dr. Susan Aldridge, Thomas Jefferson University President welcomed the group of attendees and their accompanying guests on Saturday morning. A special academic presentation was given by Dr. David Nash, Founding Dean Emeritus and the Dr. Raymond C. & Doris N. Grandon Professor of Health Policy Jefferson College of Population Health. His talk was titled “How Covid Crashed the System” and he graciously donated copies of his book on the topic to the attendees. The Jefferson academic program faculty speakers and topics can be found on this page.
Dr. Tricia Gomella hosted a “Brandywine Valley” excursion for the accompanying guests on Friday, October 24. The program included a visit to the Wyeth family collection at the Brandywine Museum of Art and a luncheon reception at the Gomellas’ home in Chadds
Ford. Saturday’s daytime Philadelphia showcase program featured talks by Dan Dizio, the co-founder of the Philly Pretzel Factory. CoExecutive Directors of the Greater Philadelphia Film Office, Nicole Shiner and Erin Wagner discussed the dozens of well-known movies filmed in Philadelphia. Dr. Julita Mitchell, Director of the Integrative Weight Management Program and Lead Physician, Executive Health Program at the Marcus Institute of Integrative Health discussed alternative and complimentary approaches to managing menopause. With a show of hands, very few of the CSGUS attendees were aware of the history and tradition of the Mummers. Mr. Mark Montanaro, curator of the Mummers Museum in South Philly, gave a talk on the history of “mummery” and the tradition of the Philadelphia Mummers. At the end of his presentation, the audience was treated to a surprise live Mummers presentation by the Pennsport String Band.
Evening social events included a welcoming reception at the Union League, a visit to the Simeone Auto Museum and an evening event at the Museum of the American Revolution. In addition to highlighting the accomplishments
of our faculty members, the Saturday daytime program and all of the associated social events highlighted some of the activities and sights that make Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley unique. Please see the Photo Gallery on page 76 for more highlights our CSGUS threeday event.
Dr. Said Ibrahim, SKMC Dean, welcomed the CSGUS attendees to the academic program on Friday, October 24. Shown here with Dr. Leonard Gomella, Jefferson Urology meeting host, Dr. Chris Kane, Urology Chair at UC San Diego and CSGUS Secretary, and Dr. Peter Carroll, CSGUS President from UC San Francisco.
Dr. Jean Llenado arranged a special gift for Dr. Hirsch, a surgical hemostat, from his last operative case at Jefferson.
RETIREMENT CELEBRATION IN HONOR OF
DR. IRVIN HIRSCH
Reflections of a Groundbreaking -year Jefferson Career
When Irvin H. Hirsch, MD, first joined Jefferson in 1985, Men’s Health was a taboo topic for many patients. “The pejorative term ‘impotence’ was still in use, and men traditionally didn’t feel comfortable seeking treatment for conditions affecting their sexual health,” Dr. Hirsch says.
Retirement Celebration in Honor of Dr. Irvin H. Hirsch
A special Grand Rounds was dedicated to Dr. Hirsch with his fellowship mentor from Baylor, world famous Urologist and Men’s Health Expert Dr. Larry Lipshultz as our guest visiting professor.
Forty years later, many of those barriers have come down, and Dr. Hirsch, who retired in March, has had a front row seat, helping to lead the rapid acceptance and sophistication of Men’s Health as a specialty. At every step of his extraordinary four-decades-long career at Jefferson, Dr. Hirsch always put his patients first.
“I always understood the anxiety patients harbor in the medical setting,” he says. “Some call it ‘white coat syndrome,’ but in reality, they’re worried about their current problem. One of the more rewarding parts of urology is that we as doctors can put our patients at ease by delivering compassionate in-office counseling or by enhancing surgical outcomes.”
Driven by a desire to do good in the world, Dr. Hirsch earned his medical degree at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and completed his internship and residency at Beth Israel Medical Center. He earned a fellowship in Male Reproductive Medicine and Surgery, Urodynamics and Uroprosthetics at Baylor College of Medicine, where he worked under pioneers and innovators Drs. Larry I. Lipshultz and F. Brantley Scott.
During his fellowship, Dr. S. Grant Mulholland recruited Dr. Hirsch to Jefferson to establish a foothold in the emerging field of male fertility. “Jefferson had a storied history as one of the country’s oldest and largest medical schools,” Dr. Hirsch recalls. “The opportunity to come to a center renown for academic excellence was a rare privilege.”
Early on, Dr. Hirsch, with Dr. Demetrius Bagley, expanded Jefferson’s Sexual Function Center,
seen as a precursor to vascular disease, diabetes, hypertension and garnered clinical interest and collaboration with our counterparts in primary care, cardiology and endocrinology.”
Based on this knowledge, Jefferson’s center eventually evolved into a comprehensive Men’s Health Program, led by Drs. Perry Weiner and Paul Chung, that offers patients access to preventive cardiology, sleep medicine, endocrinology, prostate health and weight management services along with urologic care. Dr. Hirsch served as the program’s Co-Director.
As the program expanded, so too did Dr. Hirsch’s involvement in basic research, clinical trials and publications. Some of his most significant studies involved assessing fertility in men with spinal cord injuries. “These men were deemed hopelessly sterile until the mid-1980s, when the introduction of electro-stimulatory and vibratory stimulation techniques made sperm retrieval possible,” Dr. Hirsch says.
Dr. Hirsch led research comparing the sperm production of spinal cord injured men to that of able-bodied men. “We found, essentially, that the sperm production ‘factory’ in this population was working well, but the transport system was the prime reason for their infertility,” he says.
This finding laid the foundation for breakthroughs in in vitro fertilization, extending the possibility of biologic paternity to men with neurologic trauma. In fact, Dr. Hirsch oversaw the first reported case of a man with quadriplegia to achieve pregnancy through electro-stimulated sperm retrieval. “The births that resulted from these advances have had a lasting generational impact for their parents,” Dr. Hirsch says.
Jefferson urology faculty and dignitaries gathered to celebrate Dr. Hirsch’s 40 years at Jefferson. Dr. Hirsch is shown here with his men’s health mentor and our honored visiting professor for the event, Dr. Larry Lipshultz, from the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.
a unique program that combined urology, endocrinology, psychiatry and rehabilitative medicine to treat male sexual dysfunction. The center’s launch in the mid-1980s coincided with major advances in the study of erectile physiology, diagnostic instrumentation, surgical techniques and the launch of PDE-5 inhibitors like sildenafil and tadalafil.
Soon thereafter, the term “impotence” was replaced with “erectile dysfunction” (ED). “More than an isolated symptom, ED became recognized as a pervasive part of a constellation of factors underlying diabetes, cardiovascular and neurologic disease,” Dr. Hirsch says. “Importantly, it was
While Men’s Health has evolved significantly in the past 40 years, Dr. Hirsch sees more innovation ahead, sparked by groundbreaking medications like GLP-1 receptor agonists, tissue regeneration technology and ongoing pharmacological research. He’s also inspired by the next generation of medical students. “The residents and young faculty I’ve encountered at Jefferson are replete with all the attributes that will allow them to create their legacy,” he says.
In retirement, Dr. Hirsch’s primary responsibility will be to enjoy time with his family, including his “gaggle of grandchildren.” He’ll also make time to continue doing good things, such as mentorship, helping local organizations tackle food insecurity, and hospital visitation. For his colleagues at Jefferson, he leaves this final piece of advice:
“My colleagues, our residents and fellows are among the most accomplished anywhere, innovative, dedicated physicians, surgeons and individuals,” he says. “Continue along your pathways for success in your professional and personal lives.”
A grand rounds was dedicated to the retirement celebration in honor of Dr. Irvin H. Hirsch on Thursday March 20, 2025.
Dr. Jean llenado arranged a special commemorative gift in honor of Dr. Hirsch’s last case at Jefferson.
VIP guests who attended Dr. Hirsch’s retirement celebration included Dr. Ed Pribitkin, Chief Physician Executive, EVP, Jefferson Health; President, Jefferson Medical Group and Dr. Said Ibrahim, the Anthony F. and Gertrude M. DePalma Dean of Sidney Kimmel Medical College shown here with Visiting Professor Dr. Larry Lipshultz and Urology Chair Dr. Leonard Gomella.
My colleagues, our residents and fellows are among the most accomplished anywhere, innovative, dedicated physicians, surgeons and individuals.
DR. IRVIN HIRSCH
Dr. Lipshultz grand rounds presentation provided a state-of-theart review of male fertility assessment and the latest updates in assisted reproductive technologies.
In addition to our urology faculty, guests who attended Dr. Hirsch’s event include Dr. Paul Gittens, former Jeff resident and expert in men’s and women’s sexual health, and Dr. Allan Seftel, Men’s Health expert from Cooper.
Current urology residents along with program alumni Drs. Gittens and Brownstein, gathered to wish Dr. Hirsch well in his retirement.
Dr. Allen Seftel, former Chair of Urology at Cooper University Medical Center, with Dr. Hirsch and Dr. Paul Gittens.
Jefferson Urology Assistant Professor and Men's Health expert, Masaya Masaya Jimbo, MD, PhD, with Dr. Lipshultz.
JUDD & ELLEN MOUL
Giving Back to Where it All Began
Dr. Judd Moul and his wife, Ellen, share a lifelong connection to Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Jefferson. In gratitude, the couple has made an estate gift to support Jefferson’s Department of Urology and future generations of physicians.
Dr. Judd and Ellen Moul. Dr. Moul is a 1982 graduate of Sidney Kimmel Medical College.
For Judd Moul, MD, FACS, and his wife of 44 years, Ellen, the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Jefferson wasn’t just a school. It was a place where they made their earliest memories as a couple.
“Our first year of marriage was happily spent in Orlowitz [Residence Hall] on the 18th floor,” Judd says. “I was a Jefferson medical student when Ellen and I got married. She got her first job right down the street, at an office within walking distance. We both loved Jefferson and the campus, even though Ellen didn’t go to school there.”
I was always very proud to go to Jefferson because I came from a humble upbringing. It had been a dream of mine to study there, at a place where some of the greatest people in the history of medicine had studied.
Over the years, Judd and Ellen supported each other’s career ambitions. Judd became a renowned urologist and prostate cancer specialist. Ellen, now retired, devoted over 35 years of service to the federal government, most notably in the Administrative Resource Center of the National Cancer Institute.
Now, they’re giving back to the place they called home during their first year as a married couple with an estate gift to Jefferson that will establish the Judd and Ellen Moul Professorship in Urology.
“I was always very proud to go to Jefferson because I came from a humble upbringing,” Judd says. “It had been a dream of mine to study there, at a place where some of the greatest people in the history of medicine had studied. The clinical training I received was outstanding and gave me a strong foundation for medicine in general and for urology.”
Judd and Ellen were both first-generation college students who met during their undergraduate studies at Penn State. Judd was finishing his junior year; Ellen was a freshman. “We went our separate ways for a couple of years, then got engaged and married in October 1981,” Judd says.
It was at Jefferson that Judd found his professional calling in urology. “I remember the first day of rounds at Bryn Mawr, working with Dr. Tobias, who was an attending,” he says. “I just fell in love with the people in urology. I liked the surgeries. The patients. And I never looked back.”
After Jefferson, Judd started his career in the U.S. Army Medical Corps, completing his residencies in urology and surgery at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. In 1991, he was chosen to lead the Department of Defense Center for Prostate Disease Research (DOD-CPDR).
“One of our missions was creating a multidisciplinary prostate cancer clinic where men could have a onestop-shop and see different specialists—the surgeon, radiation oncologist, medical oncologist—at the same time,” he says. “It’s standard of care today, but in 1991, it was innovative.”
DR. JUDD MOUL
As he mapped out the vision for the clinic, Judd remembered his time at Jefferson and invited Leonard Gomella, MD, FACS, Chair of the Department of Urology, to help. “I had already known his reputation and had a lot of respect for him,” Judd says. “He shared our vision of multidisciplinary prostate cancer care and served for many years as the Chair of our External Scientific Advisory Board at CPDR/Walter Reed.” Thirty-five years later, the multidisciplinary clinic at Walter Reed remains a Prostate Center of Excellence.
Though his work with the DOD-CPDR, Judd contributed to groundbreaking research on prostatespecific (PSA) screening. He co-authored a seminal paper on PSA values at the time of diagnosis in AfricanAmerican men. He also contributed to a 1996 paper on screening guidelines for African-American men which set the standard for at least a decade.
In 2004, Judd retired from the military and joined Duke University Medical Center as the Division Chief of Urology. There, he co-founded the multidisciplinary Duke Prostate Cancer, embracing many of the concepts he learned at Jefferson. He also became the first urologist in Duke history to hold a named endowed chair as the James H. Seamans, MD, Professor of Urology.
Judd has received many accolades, including the American Urology Association’s Gold Cystoscope Award in 1997, the highest honor for a urologist 10 years outside of his residency and fellowship. More recently, he earned Jefferson’s David M. Davis Visiting Professor honor as a distinguished alumnus of the Department of Urology. He was also the 2024 recipient of the Martin L. Dresner, MD, Jefferson Urology Achievement Award, recognizing graduates who have made significant contributions to urology.
To current and future medical students, Judd offers this advice: “Find something in medicine that you’re passionate about. Sometimes, the hours will be long, and you can’t do the things you want to do with your family. It takes sacrifice and commitment, but if you find an area of medicine you fall in love with, it will never seem like work.”
WELCOME
Daniel Eun, MD
Dr. Daniel Eun, a global innovator in robotic urological surgery, will bring nearly two decades of experience in complex robotic oncology and reconstruction. With more than 5,000 robotic procedures performed and 150+ publications, Dr. Eun is widely regarded as a thought leader in advanced robotic reconstructive urology. He joins Jefferson Health as Robotics Fellowship Director and Director of the Urology International Program at Jefferson Einstein Philadelphia Hospital. The Robotic Fellowship will be in conjunction with the current Endourology Society Fellowship at TJUH.
Dr. Eun is Clinical Professor of Urology at Sidney Kimmel Medical College.
As a member of Jefferson Community Physicians, his primary office is located at 925 Chestnut, and he will also see patients at Einstein. He will be operating at Einstein, and in Center City in the Honickman Center.
Paul Irons, MD
Dr. Paul Irons grew up near Virginia Beach, VA, and attended Virginia Tech, where he received his Bachelor’s of Science. He initially worked in ecology and water quality research, but eventually chose to pursue medical training. He obtained his medical degree from Quinnipiac University in North Haven, CT. He completed his residency training in Urology at the University of Health Science Center in Memphis, TN.
Andre F. Miranda, MD NEW FACULTY
Michael J. Metro, MD, FACS
Dr. Michael Metro, a nationally recognized expert in reconstructive urology, specializes in urethral stricture disease, trauma, erectile dysfunction, and cancer survivorship.
Dr. Irons then decided to move back to the east coast to be closer to family and friends and enjoy all the restaurants and sporting events Philadelphia has to offer.
In his spare time, he enjoys cycling, water sports, and playing soccer. Dr. Irons has joined as a Jefferson University Physician and will split his time between our Pennsylvania and New Jersey practice locations.
As an Instructor in the SKMC Department of Urology, he will be involved in our teaching programs working with our students, residents and advanced practice providers in training.
A committed educator and mission-driven surgeon, Dr. Metro has led global surgical outreach and has been consistently named a "Top Doctor" in Philadelphia for nearly 20 years. Dr. Metro will lead a new Fellowship in Reconstructive Urology together with Dr. Paul Chung at TJUH and will serve as Vice Chair of Academic Affairs at the Jefferson Einstein Philadelphia Hospital Urology Department and Urology Residency.
As a member of Jefferson Community Physicians his primary office is located at 925 Chestnut and will also see patients at Einstein. He will be operating at Einstein and in center city in the Honickman Center.
Dr. Metro has been appointed Clinical Professor of Urology at Sidney Kimmel Medical College.
Dr. Andre Filipe Miranda graduated from University of Sao Paulo in Brazil, where he received his medical degree. Given his academic achievements, he was selected to come to the United States for medical student internships at American institutions (Harvard University, Brown University and University of Kansas). After such exposure, he decided to pursue Urology training in the United States. He completed his internship in general surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. He then underwent urologic residency training at the University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas, Texas. Most recently, he worked as a urologist attending at Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center, in the underserved community of LaGrange, Georgia, as part of his visa requirements.
Dr. Miranda was born and raised in Sao Paulo, Brazil. He has a lifelong passion for martial arts and has a black belt in Kung Fu and practices Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He is also passionate about animals, nature, literature and cinema. He lives in Philadelphia with his fiancé , Abbi, who is a pediatric oncology fellow a CHOP, as well as their dog, Finley, and their cat, Luna.. Dr. Miranda has joined our Department as a Jefferson Community Physician and Instructor in the Department of Urology and will support our Department of Urology practice locations throughout Jefferson New Jersey and participate in our educational programs.
DR. METWALLI ON LINE PROSTATE CANCER VIDEO
Dr. Adam Metwalli, Professor of Urology, and Co-Director of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center Focal Therapy Program, provided this brief online video to address common questions about prostate cancer.
Dr. Peter Orio from Dana Farber Brigham Cancer Center in Boston, and Dr. John Davis from MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston were meeting co-chairs in
2025. Dr. Gomella gave the Alan Partin Memorial Lecture titled: “The Evolution of Genetic Testing In the Management of Prostate Cancer.”
DR. EUN AT NARUS SYMPOSIUM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO
Dr. Dan Eun participated in the North American Robotics Urology Symposium (NARUS) 2nd annual Integrating Functional and Reconstructive Urology and Endourology hosted by the University of Colorado from 8/14/258/17/2025. He gave a series of lectures including “Looking back at 10 years of NARUS meetings.” Dr. Eun is Clinical Professor of Urology, Robotics Fellowship Director and Director of the Urology International Program at Jefferson Einstein Philadelphia Hospital.
DR. GLASSMAN ELECTED TO TJUH EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Congratulations to Dr. Deb Glassman on her election by the TJUH Medical Staff as an at-large member of the TJUH Medical Executive Committee for the term July 2025 through June 2027.
DR. HALPERN PROFESSORSHIP
Dr. Ethan Halpern, Professor of Radiology & Urology and Vice Chair for Research, Department of Radiology was recently honored with an endowed chair. He was appointed as the inaugural Sandeep P. Deshmukh, MD Professor of Radiology.
This investiture celebrates Dr. Halpern’s outstanding achievements and honors the lasting legacy and generosity of Dr. Sandeep Deshmukh, former Professor in the Department of Radiology.
DR. JEANNE LLENADO 2025 FACULTY TEACHING AWARD
Congratulations to Jeanne llenado, DO, Clinical Assistant Professor, of Urology, who was awarded the 2025 Jefferson Urology Faculty Teaching Award. The recipient is selected by a vote of the urology residents. The award was presented by Chief Residents Drs. Maria D’Amico, Courtney Capella and JY Leong during our Jefferson Health Urology Enterprise Dinner held at the Urban Outfitters banquet facility at the Navy Yard.
Congratulations to Drs. Whitney Smith and Patrick Gomella on achieving FACS
Certification
Congratulations to Whitney and Patrick on becoming Fellows in the American College of Surgeons (FACS). Earning the FACS designation involves a rigorous application process, verification of credentials, review of a surgical case log, recommendations by colleagues, and interviews conducted by a panel of experts.
These steps ensure that surgeons meet and uphold the highest standards of surgical care and ethics. The American College of Surgeons (ACS) currently has more than 93,000 members worldwide.
Fellows provide care in settings ranging from small rural clinics to large academic medical centers. Fellows of the ACS are also represented throughout all of the surgical specialties.
Dr. Glassman Feature article in Urology Practice
Dr. Glassman’s publication was featured on the AUA splash page “The Impact of Telehealth on Treatment Decision-Making in Prostate Cancer”. The article concluded “Telehealth provides an opportunity to expand access to multidisciplinary CaP care. We demonstrate that appointment type did not significantly affect decision-making for initial treatment of low and low-intermediate risk CaP.”
Glassman DT, Grindley C, Wahlstedt JC, Galen E, Meeks W, Wang K, Gomella LG. The Impact of Telehealth on Treatment DecisionMaking in Prostate Cancer. Urol Pract. 2025 Sep;12(5):578-585
WHITNEY SMITH, MD TOP PHYSICIAN RECOGNITION
Congratulations to Dr. Whitney Smith who was recognized as a top physician for women in South Jersey Magazine. The selection is based on feedback from patients and the medical community.
The Outpatient Prostate Care Excellence Award form Healthgrades specifically evaluates clinical outcomes in outpatient benign prostatic hyperplasia treatment.
In Pennsylvania, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital (Jefferson Urology) was one of only two other hospitals in the state to achieve this recognition.
US News 2024-2025
Jefferson Urology achieved a top 29 rating in the US News and World Report ranking system for the 20242025 voting year.
Dr. Leonard Gomella participated in a Society of Urologic Nurses and Associates (SUNA) program in Louisville, Kentucky designed for nurse providers in the VA Hospital system. He presented on “Emerging Therapies in Prostate cancer” with co-presenter Grace Cullen, DNP, from the John Dingle VA Medical Center in Detroit, Michigan
Dr. Chung Joins Distinguished Urologic Trauma and Reconstructive Care Group
Dr. Paul Chung has joined the Trauma and Urologic Reconstructive Network of Surgeons (TURNS), a distinguished multi-institutional group committed to advancing urologic trauma and reconstructive care. TURNS brings together fellowship-trained urologists from top institutions across the U.S., focusing on collaborative research, cutting-edge patient care, and establishing evidence-based standards in reconstructive urology.
WHAT IS TURNS?
TURNS (Trauma and Urologic Reconstructive Network of Surgeons) is a national consortium of specialized urologists who pool expertise and data to improve outcomes for patients facing complex urologic trauma, strictures, reconstructive needs, and complications from urologic cancer or neurogenic bladder. By working across institutions, TURNS accelerates innovation and enhances educational opportunities, benefiting both clinicians and patients.
DR. CHUNG’S ROLE IN TURNS
Dr. Chung’s membership in TURNS signifies recognition of his leadership in trauma and reconstructive urology, as well as his ability to contribute to a nationwide network dedicated to advancing the field. Within TURNS, he will participate in and help lead multi-institutional research and dissemination of best practices for
managing conditions such as urethral and ureteral strictures, male urinary incontinence, genitourinary trauma, and more.
IMPACT FOR JEFFERSON UROLOGY
For Jefferson Urology, Dr. Chung’s participation in TURNS means direct involvement in collaborative studies and improvement projects that shape national practice in trauma and reconstructive urology. Jefferson patients will benefit from access to stateof-the-art care informed by the latest research and national benchmarks, while faculty and trainees will have opportunities to contribute to and learn from TURNS-led advances in the field. Dr. Chung’s addition to the TURNS group marks an exciting step forward, underscoring Jefferson Urology’s commitment to leading-edge medicine and collaborative excellence in urologic trauma care.
1 At the AUA 2025 Annual Meeting, Patrick Gomella, MD, MPH, FACS, Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals, and David Ambinder, MD, New York Medical College/West Chester Medical Center, provided a comprehensive overview of the growing and changing treatment landscape for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.
2 Dr. Masaya Jimbo was featured in South Jersey Magazine was discussing vasectomy reversal available at Cherry Hill Hospital.
3 Dr. Leonard Gomella was selected by SurvivorNet to present an on line talk for men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer. SurvivorNet is a digital media and health information platform dedicated to providing resources for cancer patients, survivors, and their families. It serves as a comprehensive hub for vetted medical information, patient stories, and innovative support tools.
4 Dr. Paul Chung was featured on an ABC World News Tonight announcement promoting Men’s Health and Prostate Cancer Awareness.
Inspiring Future Medical Professionals Through Mentorship
On the second floor of Alumni Hall, the office of Dolores Shupp Byrne, PhD, is always abuzz. Students move in and out, stopping by to seek Dr. Byrne’s advice on their careers and their lives. Her door is always open, and she’s happy to provide guidance.
“This is what I do,” Dr. Byrne says. “I know my students. And I enjoy teaching.”
At age 72, Dr. Byrne has enjoyed a remarkable career in research and education, mentoring students from the unique perspective as a triple doctorate holder and a contributor to more than 20 scientific publications.
A lifelong learner, Dr. Byrne began her educational journey in 1975 at the University of Pittsburgh Medical School, where she earned her first PhD in Gross Anatomy and Cell Biology. There, she performed connective tissue studies and mapped collagen to chromosomes using somatic cell genetics. After graduating from Pittsburgh, Dr. Byrne began her post-doctorate studies at Jefferson, investigating T-cell receptors as an immune defense and earning additional doctorates in Immunology/Biology and Urology.
Her expertise in cell biology, including her work using monoclonal antibodies to identify protein on the surface of the bladder, caught the attention of Grant Mulholland, MD, then Jefferson’s Chair of Urology. He recruited Dr. Byrne to join the department’s expanding research group. “At the time, it was just me, Dr. Mulholland, and Dr. Hugh Callahan,” she says.
Dr. Byrne’s urology research on bladder
Dolores Shupp Byrne, PhD
defense—especially her investigations of mucin glycoprotein GP51, which helps protect against urinary tract infections—gained national recognition. But research was just one part of her role. She also helped initiate Jefferson’s first prostate cancer screening program, wrote grants, and oversaw multiple studies as an Institutional Review Board lead.
As a basic science researcher, Dr. Byrne also mentored residents as they fulfilled their required six months of lab work, which was a program requirement at the time. “I oversaw residents, took in first-year medical students, taught summer interns, and opened my lab to college and high school students across Philadelphia,” she says.
She mentored lab technicians, too. “I felt they should advance their education and not have just a bachelor’s degree,” she says. “I helped at least five master’s students, and two went on to get their PhDs.”
Mentorship opened a whole new career path for Dr. Byrne. She eventually became the Assistant Director of Urological Education, helping prospective residents with their applications,
performing residency interviews, and advising residents throughout the program.
She soon became a trusted resource for hundreds of medical and graduate school students across generations. “I’ve had the opportunity to mentor a lot of the children of our faculty members over my 33 years here, helping them find a career that’s dear to their hearts,” she says.
In 2013, Dr. Byrne’s unique ability to bring out the best in her students earned her the Sidney Kimmel Medical College Dean’s Award for Excellence in Education. Two years later, when Gerald Grunwald, PhD, Dean of the College of Life Sciences, sought a director for the new PostBaccalaureate Pre-Professional (P4) program, he chose Dr. Byrne. “I was hired at 30%, but I enjoyed it so much I soon gave it 100% of my time.”
Designed for individuals with non-science undergraduate degrees, the P4 program helps students complete their basic science requirements in preparation for medical school. “It isn’t limited to just medicine,” Dr. Byrne says. “We have graduates who attend dental schools, podiatry schools, veterinary schools, and students who pursue careers in nursing, occupational therapy and other clinical fields.” More than 400 students have completed the program thus far, with nearly 300 of them moving on to medical school.
The ability to reach out not to a few but to many and help them get set up on their pathway to medicine is very rewarding to me.
Last year, Dr. Byrne’s lifetime of dedication to her students earned her the Advisor of the Year award from the Health Professional Student Association (HPSA). In her nomination essay, one of Dr. Byrne’s advisees said, “As I move into positions of leadership as an incoming medical student, my one goal now is to be the type of mentor that Dr. Byrne has been for us throughout my time at TJU.”
While Dr. Byrne is grateful for the recognition, her focus always remains squarely on her students. “It took a couple of years, but I finally found what I wanted to do in my career,” she says. “The ability to reach out not to a few but to many and help them get set up on their pathway to medicine is very rewarding to me.”
DOLORES SHUPP BYRNE, PhD
Reflections on a Career Guided by Purpose
Mohamed (Mo) T. Ismail, MD
When seeking his motivation to become a doctor, Mohamed “Mo” Ismail didn’t have to look far. He grew up in Egypt during a time when an endemic, parasitic disease called schistosomiasis caused a sharp rise in bladder cancer among young adults.
“You look around and see so much illness,” he says. “Becoming a urologist was one way of helping.”
Little did he know at the time that his journey would eventually bring him to the United States and the Delaware Valley, where he has built a career dedicated to service, purpose and mentorship.
CROSSING OCEANS
Dr. Ismail graduated from Cairo University Medical School with high honors in 1990, completed his urology residency, and then served as an Assistant Lecturer at the university. In 1996, he came to the U.S. and Jefferson to begin his urologic oncology fellowship under the tutelage of Leonard Gomella, MD. Although he planned only to compete his studies, “after a couple of years, I chose to stay and become an American citizen,” he says.
When Dr. Ismail first arrived at Jefferson, the Department of Urology was relatively small, with six attendings and a modest office in the Gibbon Building. His fellowship included research on Doppler ultrasounds in prostate cancer diagnoses and work helping build the prostate cancer registry.
He was also a founding member of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center Genitourinary Multidisciplinary Clinic, experiencing a collaborative care model that is now standard nationwide.
“I had practiced for a few years in Egypt, which is quite advanced in urology, but this was the first time I practiced in a multidisciplinary fashion,” Dr. Ismail says. “Being able to see different specialties, discuss each patient case and reach a consensus—that was the way I wanted to practice medicine.”
Dr. Ismail collaborated with Jefferson’s leading researchers as well, co-authoring published works on radiation therapy for prostate cancer and transurethral prostate biopsy with Dr. Gomella and male fertility with Irvin Hirsch, MD.
FINDING HIS CALLING
After finishing his fellowship, Dr. Ismail completed his surgery residency at Jefferson, followed by a urology residency. During his fourth-year rotations at the VA Medical Center in Wilmington, Delaware, Dr. Ismail found the patient population he wanted to serve.
The VA hospital had just one practicing urologist who was nearing retirement. “I enjoyed caring for veterans and being able to take care of all patients, regardless of insurance,” Dr. Ismail said. “Joining the VA was a way to serve a population in need and pay forward my gratitude for becoming an American citizen.”
along with general urologic conditions such as kidney stones and BPH.
RE-ESTABLISHING TIES WITH JEFFERSON
Over the past two decades, the VA Medical Center’s urology residency program has fluctuated based on government funding. Dr. Ismail helped restart the program four years ago and has expanded resident rotations from three to six months. He continues to supervise residents at both the VA and Jefferson, where he serves as Volunteer Faculty.
A past Pfizer Scholars in Urology award recipient, Dr. Ismail understands how residency programs shape young physicians. “Learning how to communicate with patients is key,” he says. “Sometimes patients don’t want another medicine. They just want a simple explanation of what’s happening so they can make the best decision.”
Those communication skills help residents build strong bonds with patients. “At the VA, veterans grow fond of their resident physicians and often ask where they’ve gone once their rotations end,” Dr. Ismail says.
EXPANDING PERSPECTIVES AND EXPRESSING GRATITUDE
Today, Dr. Ismail is the medical center’s Chief of Urology, caring for patients with prostate, bladder and kidney cancer
Given his international background, it’s no surprise that Dr. Ismail is an avid traveler, having visited multiple countries across six continents. “Urology can be a scripted life, and I enjoy the routine,” he says. “But travel lets me see different people and have a completely different life for a few days once every three months.”
As he reflects on his career, Dr. Ismail remains deeply grateful for all his mentors, especially Dr. Gomella. “I literally owe him my entire career,” Dr. Ismail says. “If he hadn’t believed in me and let me shadow him for two years, I would have never gotten a residency at Jefferson and wouldn’t have been able to become an American citizen.
“A lot of people can work hard, but not a lot are given a chance. Dr. Gomella gave me that opportunity, and I’m eternally grateful.”
Building a Second Family at Jefferson for 50 Years
Marlene Vallett
Marlene Vallett has two great loves of her life. One is Richard, her husband of 39 years, and the other is Jefferson. “I joke with people that I’ve been married to Jefferson longer than my husband—and it’s true,” she says.
Marlene’s Jefferson story began 50 years ago at age 14, when she walked through the doors of what is now Jefferson Methodist Hospital. “My mom was an administrator there,” she says. “I worked as a part-time billing clerk and full time during the summers throughout high school and college.”
While a career in healthcare was her ultimate destiny, Marlene’s path took a surprising turn
in college. She studied pre-med at St. Joseph’s University and was one of the top females in her class. “Then I went off the beaten path and pursued a Master’s Degree in Information Systems, combining my science background with technology,” she says.
Post-graduation, Marlene spent a few years at IBM, installing physician billing systems. She then returned to Jefferson in 1985 and never left. In her first role, she served as an IS analyst in the Information Center, the only female on a technical team of seven. “Our goal was to promote computer literacy across campus and install a PC on every desk,” she says.
Three years later, she became Senior Project Manager for Voice and Data Systems, providing technical support for various departments. And that’s when a random phone call changed the trajectory of her career.
“A guy named Lenny said he was having problems with his modem and needed some help,” Marlene recalls. When she walked into his office, she was shocked to discover that “Lenny” was Dr. Leonard Gomella, the future Chair of Urology, who had just moved to Jefferson from the National Cancer Institute. Little did Marlene know then that Dr. Gomella would eventually play a meaningful role in her professional and personal life.
Five years later, Marlene’s husband, Richard, was diagnosed with bladder cancer. “If it wasn’t for Dr. Gomella, my husband wouldn’t be alive today,” Marlene says. It was an emotional and stressful time for Marlene, who was balancing raising a young family (her son, RJ, and daughter, Sara Lynne, were ages 3 and 1 at the time) with caring for her parents (her dad had prostate cancer and her mom had pancreatic cancer).
“Dr. Gomella was already caring for my dad and knew about my mom,” Marlene says. “He was the kind of doctor who said to me, ‘Let me know if you need anything.’”
Marlene always remembered Dr. Gomella’s kindness and compassion. So, when he asked her to join the Department of Urology in 2015, she quickly agreed, transitioning from three decades in IT to the role of Manager of Practice Operations.
It didn’t take long for Marlene to make an impact. She helped lead Urology’s transition to a hospital-based department, writing a detailed manual that became a model for other service lines in just five weeks.
Keeping things positive helps individuals stick together as a team and become like family.
MARLENE VALLETT
Marlene and Rick Vallett
Marlene and her first grandchild, Avi.
Marlene’s boundless enthusiasm turned staff meetings into must-see events. She engaged colleagues in games of “Jefferson Jeopardy” and encouraged creative problem solving at a “Use Your Noodle” event, handing out pool noodles and ramen as prizes. Her catchphrase at the end of staff meetings, “We can’t spell Urology without yoU!!!!” built collegiality.
“My goal was to put unity back into the urology community,” she says, “and keeping things positive helps individuals stick together as a team and become like family.”
In 2020, Marlene moved to her current role as Enterprise Ambulatory Operations Manager. She’s responsible for supporting the growth of Jefferson’s outpatient urology locations and providing strategic guidance to leaders
across departments, including Infection Prevention, Operations and Strategic Sourcing. “The most rewarding part of my enterprise role is being able to help more Jefferson employees beyond Center City,” she says.
Along with being a trusted colleague and an inspiring leader, Marlene enjoys cooking, gardening, and baking. She’s a classical pianist who performed recitals at the Academy of Music. And she’s a proud mom and grandmother.
Her son, RJ, holds a PhD in mechanical engineering and robotics. Her daughter, Sara Lynne, graduated Summa Cum Laude from Jefferson College of Nursing and worked at Jefferson before moving out of state. She remains a cardiac and kidney dialysis nurse to this day. Marlene’s months-old grandson, Avi, “is the love of everybody’s life,” she says, and the whole family loves playing tennis.
Marlene turns 65 next year and is contemplating retirement, but Jefferson will always remain close to her heart. “I can honestly say I never had the same day twice,” she says. “Jefferson gave me the opportunity to face challenges and find creative solutions without judgment. The camaraderie has been amazing. It’s been an honor and a pleasure to work here.”
Welcome Alexandra Stokes
Alex has joined us as an Administrative Assistant who thrives on keeping busy teams organized and running smoothly. Working within the Urology department over the last few years at the Navy Yard, she is known for her attention to detail, problem-solving skills, and creativity. Additionally, she brings the same energy to her role as a Retail Supervisor for the Philadelphia Phillies, where she enjoys the excitement of game days.
Outside of working, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, taking yoga classes, and traveling the world. Alex has been an essential editorial coordinator for the fourth edition of the “5 Minute Urology Consult”, edited by Drs. Leonard Gomella and Paul Chung, and due out in late 2026.
Welcome New Urology Administrator
Mr. Dan Walmer
Dan Walmer was born and raised in Pennsylvania and was very excited in 2025 to return to his home state, near his retired parents, after living in Texas the last 27 years. His first 15 years in the workforce were spent in social work, primarily with at-risk youth and family services, before he transitioned to healthcare in 2013. He brings valuable experience in outpatient operations of multiple specialties with HCA and Davita to this role, and nearly a decade of Urology administrative leadership at two leading academic institutions in Houston University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, and most recently Baylor College of Medicine. He is a board-certified healthcare executive (FACHE) with an MBA, an MHA, and a certification in Project Management (PMP). He is driven by process improvement, innovative solutions to difficult problems, and delivering world class patient experience to the population his organization serves. He is happily married to his wife, Amanda, and they have brought their 3-yearold and 8-year-old sons with them to Wilmington, DE, where they have settled near his retired parents and youngest sister’s family. He is an avid runner, having completed 46 marathons, and an avid Houston Astros fan something he knows he may need to go undercover with deep in Phillies territory.
How Routine Screening and Focal Therapy saved
John's life
JOHN MALLOY PRIORITIZES HIS HEALTH through routine screenings. Here, he shares how his diligence became lifesaving. A routine PSA test led to an early prostate cancer diagnosis, and focal therapy helped him beat the disease. Now he urges others to stay proactive with screenings.
John Malloy has always prioritized his health. Throughout his 60s, he has received regular care from the urology team at Lehigh Valley Health Network, now a part of Jefferson Health. After undergoing a procedure for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or an enlarged prostate, a common condition that affects some men as they get older, John continued with routine PSA (prostate-specific antigen) screenings.
When one of those screenings revealed a slight elevation in John's PSA levels, Lehigh Valley Health Network urologist, Dr. James Johannes, recommended an MRI. The results showed a low to intermediate risk of prostate cancer. While the results weren’t alarming, they were enough to warrant a biopsy. Having
Your health is your most important asset. Good health is one of the most important blessings, and it doesn’t take a lot of effort to take care of it.
JOHN MALLOY, CANCER PATIENT ADVOCATE
heard about Jefferson Health’s use of perineal biopsies –a method known for greater comfort and lower infection risk – he reached out to Jefferson Health urologist Dr. Leonard Gomella.
“The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center Department of Urology has been promoting and using transperineal biopsy extensively for the last three years,” explains Dr. Gomella. “There is growing data to suggest that using the transperineal prostate biopsy approach significantly reduces the risk of complications that may be seen with the traditional transrectal prostate biopsy and allows targeting of cancer lesions seen on prostate MRI.”
John’s biopsy confirmed the presence of localized prostate cancer, and he began exploring treatment options with his care team.
Among the innovative therapies offered at Jefferson, one stood out: HIFU (high-intensity focused ultrasound). “HIFU is most effective for certain types of prostate cancer, and my Gleason score and the location of the tumor made me a good candidate,” explains John.
Dr. Gomella affirmed John’s instincts. “He told me, ‘John, with your particular type of localized prostate cancer, I’d give this a shot.’ That gave me confidence. And if it didn’t work, I still had other options like radiation or surgery.”
HIFU is a treatment that is becoming more widely available across the extended Jefferson Health and LVHN enterprise.
John appreciated that Jefferson’s team considered every possibility – including active surveillance. “They weren’t rushing into any treatment option. They looked at the whole picture and gave me options.”
Dr. Gomella referred John to Dr. Adam Metwalli, codirector of Jefferson’s SKCCC Focal Therapy Program, who performed the procedure. “Focal therapy is growing as an option for low-risk prostate cancer,” says Dr. Gomella. “There are three types of focal therapy currently offered at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center. High-intensity focal ultrasound, electroporation and cryotherapy. Each has benefits and limitations based on patient characteristics with HIFU currently the most commonly used technique. The goal of all focal therapy is to minimize side effects such as erectile dysfunction that may accompany prostate cancer treatments.”
The HIFU procedure itself was straightforward. “It was a one-day treatment,” John says. “The only inconvenience was wearing a catheter for five days. But compared to the recovery from a prostatectomy, it was minimal. I was back to normal quickly, and I avoided the risks of incontinence and erectile dysfunction that often come with more invasive treatments.”
Throughout the process, John felt supported by his care team. “Crystal Sypherd, my clinical care coordinator on the genitourinary oncology multidisciplinary team, was there for me whenever I had a question or needed help with scheduling,” he says. “I’d send a message and get a response within an hour.”
John also recalls the kindness of his anesthesiologist, Dr. Tara Kennedy, on the day of the procedure. “There were unexpected emergencies that delayed the OR schedule, but she came up personally to check on me. That kind of dedication really stood out.”
Now in recovery, John continues with regular monitoring. “There’s a timeline for follow-up PSA tests, and the expectation is that the levels will decrease. After that, it’s annual checkups.”
For anyone else who finds themselves in John’s position, his advice is to take your time finding a treatment option that you feel confident in. “If appropriate, consider the options that are much less invasive,” he suggests. “They could lower your risk of potential negative consequences, and they don't rule out any options you'd have in the future for the more aggressive types of treatment.”
LATEST RESEARCH NEWS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF UROLOGY
Botox for the Bladder: How a Viral-Vector Could Deliver Relief for Patients with Overactive Bladders After Spinal Cord Injuries.
By Patrick Shenot, MD, FACS, and Moriah Cunningham, PhD
Determined to improve patient care, Dr. Shenot has been working to increase the therapeutic longevity of Botox™ to treat bladder incontinence.
In a new Phase I/II clinical trial sponsored by EG427, Patrick Shenot, MD, FACS, and his team are testing a viral-vector based gene therapy called EG110A that delivers a Botox-like effect. They hope that EG110A may provide longer lasting relief for patients with neurological related bladder issues (NCT06596291). Although pre-clinical studies with EG110A have shown promise, this is the first in-human trial using EG110A. Patients enrolled in this trial have hyperreflexic bladders as a result of spinal cord injuries, giving them strong, uncontrollable urges to
urinate. The doctors think that EG110A could help control the involuntary contractions by giving the body the instructions it needs to create a Botox-like protein to reduce overactive nerves.
Dr. Shenot’s work builds on more than a decade of experience using Botox™ to treat neurologic bladder disorders. In 2011, he was involved on a clinical trial that led to the FDA approval of Botox™ to treat patients who developed involuntary bladder contractions as a result of spinal cord injuries (NCT00311376). Although
impactful, the effects of Botox™ injections wear off within 3-9 months, causing frequent inpatient visits for relief.
Our hope with this viral vector therapy is that the treatment will last patients for years instead of months at a time.
PATRICK SHENOT, MD, FACS
Botox™ works by preventing the release of a molecule that triggers bladder contractions called acetylcholine. When acetylcholine release is blocked, the bladder reflexes and urination improves. Left untreated, involuntary bladder contractions can lead to more serious issues including urinary leakage, urinary tract infections, and even kidney failure.
The FDA approved administration of Botox™ for bladder incontinence involves 20-30 cystoscope injections into the bladder. Similar to Botox™, EG110A is given through cystoscope injections. However, instead of delivering Botox™ itself, the viral-vector carries genetic instructions to teach the body to make a Botoxlike protein. This method indirectly prevents acetylcholine release, calming over-active bladder for more extended periods of time.
“Our hope with this viral vector therapy is that the treatment will last patients for years instead of months at a time,” says Dr. Shenot.
Repeated exposure to Botox™ can cause muscle weakness over time, which may result in patients needing a catheter later in life. The viral vector therapy may also alleviate this muscle weakness since it does not interfere with the bladders ability to contract — but simply reduces the overactive nerves that trigger the contractions.
If preliminary results from this trial are positive, there are prospects to expand the use of EG110A to treat bladder incontinence triggered by other neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis.
Dr. Patrick Shenot
Understanding the Role of SMAC Mimetics in Urologic Oncology
By Adam Metwalli, MD
Our translational research program has begun and is focused on investigating mechanisms of resistance to apoptosis in genitourinary cancers. Our Urologic Oncology team is collaborating with Marja Nevalainen, MD, PhD, and Claudia Capparelli, PhD. Dr. Nevalainen is a Professor in the Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Cancer Biology and Urology whose research focuses on mechanisms of resistance to hormonal radiation therapy in prostate cancer with particular emphasis on the role of Jak-Stat5 signaling. Dr. Capparelli who works primarily in melanoma investigating resistance to immunotherapy through inhibitors of apoptosis.
Our first project entails looking into combination treatments for prostate cancer (CaP) and renal cell carcinoma (RCC) to increase the efficacy of traditionally used oncologic therapies. The relevance of our work stems from emerging evidence of resistance to current oncology treatment regimens both within and beyond the field of urology. One of the various proposed methods of resistance is inhibition of apoptosis, programmed cell death, via inhibitors of apoptosis proteins (IAPS) leading to evasion of therapy and growth and spread of disease. Second mitochondrial-derived activator of caspases (SMAC) mimetics, like novel oral agent Tolinapant, work by opposing IAPs, theoretically sensitizing cancer cells to treatment resulting in increased drug efficacy and thus greater rates of cancer cell death. [Figure 1]
Thus far, we have generated a panel of 6 cell lines - LNCaP, PC3, and DU-145 for CaP, and 786-O, Caki-1, and A-498 for RCC. [Figure 2] Our current agents of interest are docetaxel (chemotherapeutic) and enzalutamide (androgen receptor antagonist) for CaP; IL-2, axitinib and cabozantinib (tyrosine kinase inhibitors) for RCC, alone and in combination with Tolinapant (SMAC mimetic). Thus far, we have generated dosing curves for each applicable cell line. The dosing curves allow us to understand how increasing concentrations of a drug affect cell viability. Using these curves, we can pick concentrations where minimal cell death occurs and add an additional agent, tolinapant, to hopefully supplement the toxic effect of the drug leading to increased cell death.
Our preliminary results show that Tolinapant sensitizes prostate cancer cells to the cytotoxic effects of docetaxel [Figure 3] . These very early results suggest that the addition of a SMAC mimetic to standard therapy may improve cytotoxicty and efficacy in prostate cancer. Similar research and project planning is in progress to find effective dose and drug combinations for the treatment of RCC. Our research is ongoing, and we are inspired and motivated by our preliminary findings to continue investigating ways to help patients along their cancer journeys and advance the field of urologic oncology.
Figure 1. Diagram demonstrating the inhibitory effect of IAPs on caspase activation and apoptosis. SMAC mimetic compounds like tolinapant are SMAC analogues that prevent IAP inhibition of caspase cleavage.
Figure 2. Cell culture images of prostate cancer cell lines on the top row, renal cell carcinoma cell lines on the bottom row.
Figure 3. Combination of Docetaxel and Tolinapant results in significantly more cell death than treatment with either compound alone.
Our translational research program has begun.
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Dr. Adam Metwalli
Meeting Roundup
JEFFERSON UROLOGY PRESENTATIONS
FRIDAY, APRIL 25
Cookson,M, Jarrard D, Boorjian S, Gomella LG, Morgans A, Moses K, Scarpato K, Stratton K: Evolving Landscape of Advanced Prostate Cancer: A Guidelines and Case-Based Discussion Presented by the AUA in partnership with the Society of Urologic Oncology (SUO). American Urological Association, LV NV April 2025
SATURDAY, APRIL 26
Gomella LG, Yu E, George D: DATA & PERSPECTIVES: Clinical Investigators Discuss the Emerging Role of AKT Inhibitors in the Care of Patients with Prostate Cancer.
Barham D, Chung P, Karpman, E: Debate: Irrisept is a Good Irrigant/ Dip for Primary IPP Placement.
Averbeck MA, Chughtai B, Lloyd G, Aguirre F: MP11-19: Men with diagnosed hair loss on five-alpha reductase inhibitors do not have decreased incidence of benign prostatic hyperplasia or prostate cancer over a 20-year period.
Karpman E, Aguirre F, Chung P: Con: Antibiotics are Superior.
MONDAY, APRIL 28
Dunn M, Lallas C, Trabulsi E - Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy for the Urologist and Advanced Practice Provider.
Modlin C, Shah M, Bresler L: PD27: Expanding the Urology Workforce.
Patel H, Shakir N, Vanni A, Prebay Z: PD25-09: Surgical Success Following Robotic Urinary Tract Reconstruction, Results from a Global Network of Healthcare Organizations.
1 Attendees at the 2025 Jefferson Urology alumni reception included Drs. Pat Shenot, Leonard Gomella, Ravi Rajan, Lou Moy, Matt Soroush and Steve Strup.
2 Jefferson Urology research Scholar (20242025) Francisco “Frank” Aguirre presenting a poster on behalf of his Co-Scholar Rasheed Thompson and other Jefferson Faculty. It was a long-term study of men on 5 alpha reductase inhibitors for hair loss and the impact on BPH over 20 years.
3 Dr. Leonard Gomella, Editor-inChief of the Canadian Journal of Urology International (CJUI), with Dr. Gabriel Haas, Past Editor of the CJUI and Professor of Urology at Loyola in Chicago, and Mr. John Chen from Tech Science Press at AUA2025. In January 2025, Tech Science Press took over publication of the CJUI and this was the first opportunity for a direct meeting with the new publisher based in China.
4 Chief residents (2025-2026) Drs. Zack Prebay and Mauro Dispagna attended the meeting in Las Vegas and grabbed a photo with the iconic “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign. (A replica conveniently located in the convention center)
5 Dr. Pat Shenot on a panel with presentations addressing Urodynamics, Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction and Female Pelvic Medicine.
6 Dr. Leonard Gomella with Dr. Evan Yu, University of Washington, Seattle, and Dr. Dan George, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, at a program discussing newer agents for advanced prostate cancer.
7 Jefferson Urology hosted an alumni reception during the AUA annual meeting in Las Vegas. Over 100 current and past residents and faculty attended from across our Jefferson Health system locations, TJUH and Einstein, participated.
8 Dr. Patrick Gomella participated in a session titles “Kidney Cancer: Epidemiology & Evaluation/Staging/ Surveillance” during the 2025 AUA in Las Vegas.
9 Dr. Leonard Gomella was a faculty member at the 9th annual SUO/AUA program titled the “Evolving Landscape of Advanced Prostate Cancer Treatment.”
Mid-Atlantic AUA 83rd Annual Meeting
STUDENT PRESENTATIONS
MEHR NASIR-MOIN, BA 1
The Impact Of 5-alpha Reductase Inhibitors on Weight Gain in the Setting of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Treatment: A TriNetX Analysis; Comparison of Cognitive vs. Software Guided MRI Prostate Biopsy in Estimating Surgical Grading and Staging of Prostate Cancer
ANASTASIA “STACEY” MAVRIDIS, MS 2
Comparing Outcomes of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vs Gemcitabine/Docetaxel as First-Line Therapy for High-Risk Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer; Penile Cancer in Hispanic/Latino and NonHispanic/Latino Men: A Risk Comparison of Social Determinants of Health and Outcomes
SEAN HORAN, BS 3
Sipuleucel-T: Understanding the Differences in Outcomes Amongst African American and Caucasian Prostate Cancer Patients. A TriNetX Study
SOHAN SHAH, MS4 4
GLP-1 Agonists Associated with Reduced Metastatic Spread and Mortality in Diabetic Patients with Renal Cell Carcinoma
The 83rd annual MA-AUA meeting was held in Niagara Falls, NY September 11-13, 2025. Urologists from around the region gathered to discuss ongoing advancements and trends in Urology. Jefferson made a large impact on the conference, hosting and moderating panels and poster sessions about the future of Urology. Various events were held to facilitate conversation and collaboration between institutions and with our Urology industry colleagues. Additionally, the conference served as a prime networking opportunity for young Urologists currently in the field and those hoping to enter the field.
Jefferson Urology was well represented by Drs. Costas Lallas, Mihir Shah, Patrick Gomella, Paul Chung, Whitney Smith, Masaya Jimbo, student doctor Sohan Shah, along with this year’s research scholars Mehr Nasir-Moin, Sean Horan, and Anastasia “Stacey” Mavridis. Faculty presentations included:
COSTAS LALLAS, MD: What I’ve Learned Over My Years Teaching Residents and Adapting to New Styles in 2025
MIHIR SHAH, MD: Biomarkers in Bladder Cancer, Where We Are and Where Are We Going? And a presentation on Single Port Robotic SPP
PATRICK GOMELLA, MD, MPH: Focal Therapies in Prostate Cancer
PAUL CHUNG, MD: Anionic Surfactant Solutions Are Incompatible with Both Hydrophilic and Antibiotic Impregnated Penile Prosthesis Surfaces; The Buried Penis: Uncovering the Truth
WHITNEY SMITH, MD: Expert Panel on Incontinence & Sexual Function
MASAYA JIMBO, MD, PhD: Strategies for Restoring Fertility in Men Who are on Testosterone Replacement Therapy
Mihir Shah, MD, FACS
Patrick Gomella, MD, MPH, FACS
Jefferson Urology Enterprise Dinner Celebration
Guests for our urology enterprise dinner at the Navy Yard were greeted by Janelle Browning, Alexandra Stokes and Janice Harper.
A special Jefferson Urology enterprise dinner was held on Friday, May 30, 2025, at the Urban Outfitters Headquarters event space at the Navy Yard in South Philadelphia. This unique venue is located in the historic facilities that have served the US Navy ship building activities over the last century.
All urology providers, physicians and APPs, in the Jefferson Health system were invited to attend the dinner event, including our newest partners from the Lehigh Valley Health Network. This provided a unique opportunity to meet and interact with our team of urology providers, one of the largest aligned health system urology groups in the U.S. that at the time included 32 hospitals in our system. Attendees also included TJUH Jefferson Urology residents. The event included the presentation for the Jefferson Urology Faculty Teaching Award to Dr. Jeanne Llenado (see page 16) and a raffle including Urban Outfitters gift cards and Benjamin Franklin Jefferson Urology statues.
Group photo of some of the attendees at our Jefferson Urology Enterprise Dinner. Our DM Davis Visiting professor, Dr. Indy Gill, and our 2025 Alumni Award recipient, Dr. Frank Keeley, and his wife, Indrani, were also in attendance.
Drs. Alex Uhr, Costas Lallas and Whitney Smith.
2024-2025 Jefferson Urology Research Scholars, Rasheed Thompson, BS, and Francisco (Frank) Agurie, BS.
PHOTOS FROM OUR UROLOGY ENTERPRISE DINNER
Meeting Roundup
Continued from previous page
Our center city urology CRNP Suzanne Barron, and her husband,
Dr. Kenny Brownstein, Director of TJUH Signature Services, and our Department of Urology Development Director with Dr. Frank and Indrani Keeley. The Keeley’s joined us from their home in Bristol, England, for the year-end celebration events.
Dan Walmer, proud new owner of a Jefferson Urology mascot.
Dr. David Fu winner of the Jefferson Urology tart donated by Dr. Tricia Gomella for the raffle.
Dr. and Mrs. Paul Bloch with Dr. Deb Glassman and resident Dr. Danny Inouye.
Caroline Richards and Dr. Tricia Gomella.
Michael.
Our new faculty member, Dr. Andre Miranda with fiancé Abbi, an oncology fellow at CHOP.
Dr. Tricia Gomella presenting raffle winner Dr. Scott Hubosky with his own personal Jefferson Urology mascot.
Dr. Angelo Baccala, Deputy Physician in Chief, Innovation and Program Development, Institute for Surgical Excellence, Chief, Division of Urology, from our new Lehigh Valley Health network partner and guest, Dr. Diana Farrell, Associate Chief of Internal Medicine at LVHN.
Dr. Mihir Shah with his USC mentor Dr. Indy Gill. Dr. Shah completed a robotic surgery fellowship with Dr. Gill in Los Angeles.
Everyone at the Urology Enterprise Navy Yard event received a "Urine for a treat" yellow M&M's.
We are appreciative of the Urban Outfitters team for allowing the use of their meeting facility in the historic Navy Yard.
Our 2025 DM
Pediatric Urologist Dr. Puneeta Ramachandra with graduating chief resident Dr. Courtney Capella and her husband, ER Physician, Dr. Joe Godovchik.
Davis Visiting Professor, Dr. Indy Gill with Drs. Costas Lallas and Anne Lizzardi.
Visiting Professors & Guest Faculty
PAUL ZIMSKIND MD, PhD VISITING PROFESSOR 2025
Jaspreet Sandhu, MD, FACS
IN HONOR OF DR. PAUL ZIMSKIND
The Zimskind Visiting Professorship is in memory of Dr. Paul Zimskind, 1957 graduate of Jefferson Medical College/Sidney Kimmel Medical College who was Chair of the Department of Urology from 1967 until his untimely passing in 1976. Dr. Zimskind was a pioneer in the development of the field of urodynamics and led studies on the dynamics of normal and abnormal urinary function using pressure readings and fluoroscopic motion pictures of urinary tract activity.
As a charter member of the Urodynamics Society, he was honored by the Society through the creation of the Zimskind Award. The award is given to an individual who, within ten years of completing residency or fellowship has made significant contributions to the field of neurourology through basic science or clinical research. The Urodynamics Society is now known as the Society of Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine and Urogenital Reconstruction (SUFU) with more than 700 members.
Dr. Jaspreet Sandhu is an attending urologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC). He is a graduate of Duke University and Wake Forest University with a urology residency from Weill Cornell Medical College. He completed a fellowship in Voiding Dysfunction and Pelvic Reconstruction at Weill Cornell and Columbia Presbyterian Medical Centers and has subsequently been on the staff of the Urology Service within the Department of Surgery at MSKCC.
Dr. Sandhu directs Functional and Reconstructive Urology at MSKCC. His primary interest is to understand, predict, treat, and prevent voiding dysfunction or urinary incontinence caused by cancer or its treatments, with a focus on the treatment of male and female incontinence, and urinary tract/pelvic reconstruction. He also has a strong interest in the surgical treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia, pelvic prolapse, and voiding dysfunction caused by advanced cancers. Dr. Sandhu is board-certified in Urology and Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery (URPS) and has authored more than 100 peerreviewed manuscripts, review articles, and book chapters.
This biennial program is made possible through the dedication of Drs. Max Koppel (SKMC 57) and Michael Lewitt (SKMC 74), who led the efforts to establish the endowment that supports this Visiting Professorship.
Dr. Sandhu has extensive experience within organized urology at the local, national and international level, currently serving as the Associate Secretary of the American Urological Association (AUA) responsible for the Asia and Australia region. He has also served on multiple national committees, most recently serving as chair of the AUA Practice Guidelines Committee. Dr. Sandhu has also been on the Exam Committee of the American Board of Urology and is on the executive board of the AUA-New York Section currently serving as its Treasurer. He continues to remain an active member of SUFU, GURS, and SIU having taken part in each of their respective scientific programs over the last many years, through abstract reviews and as part of the scientific faculty.
On Wednesday evening, Dr. Sandhu presented real life, “Case Based Discussions” with the residents. For Thursday morning grand rounds, he gave a lecture titled, “Update on Management of Male Urinary Incontinence.”
Our Paul Zimskind visiting professor with Chief residents Drs. Capella, D’Amico and Leong after his grand rounds lecture.
DR. ANGELO BACCALA GRAND ROUNDS SPEAKER
Dr. Angelo Baccala, Deputy Physician in Chief, Innovation and Program Development, Institute for Surgical Excellence, Chief, Division of Urology, at Lehigh Valley was a guest grand rounds speaker. He is also Clinical Assistant Professor of Urology at SKMC. His presentation focused on strategies to make urology practice operations more efficient. Chief residents JY Leong and Maria D’Amico are shown with Dr. Baccala and Dr. Gomella.
LARRY LIPSCHULTZ, MD
VISITING PROFESSOR IN HONOR OF DR. IRV HIRSCH
Dr. Larry Lipschultz, Professor and Chief, Division of Male Reproductive Medicine and Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, was a special speaker for a grand rounds held in honor of the retirement of Dr. Irv Hirsch. For more details, see page 8.
DR. BEN CHUNG, SKMC GRADUATE AND GRAND ROUNDS SPEAKER
Dr. Ben Chung is a 1999 Jefferson Medical College/ Sidney Kimmel Medical College graduate. He is currently Professor of Urology at Stanford University School of Medicine and is also Director of Robotic Surgery, with his specialty in Urologic Oncology. His grand rounds presentation addressed the epidemiology of renal cell carcinoma. Chief residents Dr. Maria D’Amico and JY Leong welcomed Dr. Chung for his grand round’s presentation.
Visiting Professors & Guest Faculty
NEMOURS 2025 PEDIATRIC UROLOGY VISITING PROFESSOR
Dr. Thomas Kolon
The 2025 Pediatric Urology Visiting Professorship Conference, sponsored by the Hohn Family, featured Dr. Thomas Kolon, Chief of Pediatric Urology at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Dr. Kolon delivered the L. William Ferris, MD Memorial Lecture, “Evaluation and Treatment of Cryptorchidism: AUA Guideline,” and a second lecture on adolescent varicocele management.
The 2025 Pediatric Urology Visiting Professorship conference at Nemours Children’s Health sponsored by the Hohn Family was held on October 8. This year we were honored to host Dr. Thomas Kolon, Chief, Division of Pediatric Urology at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and Professor of Urology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. HE is a recognized leader and internationally renowned pediatric urologist in the areas of cryptorchidism, varicocele, germ cell preservation, congenital adrenal hyperplasia and differences of sex development, and pediatric urologic oncology and organ sparing surgical management of patients with renal malignancies.
Dr. Kolon gave the 2025 L. William Ferris MD Memorial Lecture in Pediatric Urology entitled “Evaluation and Treatment of Cryptorchidism: AUA Guideline”. This was a highly informative lecture given by Dr. Kolon who served as Chair of the AUA Cryptorchidism Guidelines Panel. A second lecture given by Dr. Kolon, entitled “The Adolescent Varicocele: What a Long Strange Trip It’s Been”, provided the audience with a very insightful overview of the past and current management of the adolescent varicocele. The conference also included complex and challenging case presentations by the urology residents from Jefferson and Cooper, and an excellent presentation by this year’s “resident in charge of the VP”, Dr. Carlos Perez, on “Medical Consequences of Vaping”. Dr. Perez worked tirelessly in the organization and oversight of this conference, and his efforts produced a flawless and memorable conference.
On Thursday October 9, Dr. Kolon presented Urology Grand Rounds at Jefferson in center city to the faculty, urology residents, medical students and guests. His presentation was “Renal preservation surgery in pediatric urologic oncology”. This lecture was well received and produced a very engaging dialogue with the audience.
Dr. Kolon with Dupont Pediatric Urology Faculty Drs. Sonny Figueroa, Jennifer Hagerty, Puneeta Ramachandra and Keara DeCotiis.
Dr. Thomas Kolon with Jefferson residents at AI Dupont Children’s Hospital in Wilmington.
Dr. Amy Leader Grand Rounds Speaker Addresses Prostate Cancer Disparities
Amy Leader, DrPH, MPH is shown here with Chief resident, Dr. Zack Prebay, and Alex Kolesnikov, MPH, Clinical Research Project Manager for the Department of Urology after her grand rounds presentation that addressed our SKCC approach to reducing prostate cancer disparities in our community.
Dr. Leader is Professor, Jefferson College of Population Health and Medical Oncology. She also serves an Associate Director, Community Outreach & Engagement, Sidney Kimmel Medical College. Dr. Leader’s team coordinates with our Department in our community prostate cancer outreach screening and awareness activities (see page 49).
Visiting Professors & Guest Faculty
2025 DAVID M. DAVIS VISITING PROFESSOR
Dr. Inderbir Gill
DAVID M. DAVIS, MD VISITING PROFESSORS IN UROLOGY
2024 Oliver Traxer, MD
2023 Stephen A. Boorjian, MD, FACS
2022 Gopal H. Badlani, MD, FACS
2021 Colin P. Dinney, MD
2019 David F. Penson, MD
2018 Stephen Y. Nakada, MD
2017 Michael L. Blute, Sr, MD
2016 Victor W. Nitti, MD
2015 Robert C. Flanigan, MD
2014 John M. Barry, MD
2013 Alan Wein, MD, PhD(hon)
2012 F. David Crawford, MD
2011 William D. Steers, MD
2010 Eric A. Klein, MD
2009 Arthur L. Burnett, MD
2008 Sandip Vasavada, MD
2007 Margaret S. Pearle, MD, PhD
2006 Gerald L. Andriole, Jr, MD
2005 H. Barton Grossman, MD
2004 Gerald H. Jordan, MD
2003 Judd Moul, MD
2002 J. Curtis Nickel, MD
2001 Shlomo Raz, MD
2000 Larry I. Lipshultz, MD
1999 Ralph V. Clayman, MD
1998 William R. Fair, MD
1997 John M. Fitzpatrick, MD
1996 Howard M. Pollack, MD
1995 Robert M. Weiss, MD
1994 John P. Donohue, MD
1993 Paul C. Peters, MD
1992 Michael Marberger, MD
1991 Edward J. McGuire, MD
1990 Karlheinz Kurth, MD
1989 E. Darracott Vaughan, MD
1988 Richard D Williams, MD
1987 Mr. Robert Whitaker
1986 David C. Utz, MD
1985 Ralph A. Straffon, MD
1984 Bernard Lytton, MD
1983 Willet F. Whitmore, MD
1982 Frank Hinman, Jr., MD
1981 John D. Young, MD
Dr. Gill is chairman and distinguished professor of the Catherine and Joseph Aresty Department of Urology, founding executive director of the USC Institute of Urology and Associate Dean for Clinical Innovation. Dr. Gill is an internationally recognized leader in the field of robotic and laparoscopic surgery for urologic cancers. An acclaimed innovator, he and his team are the world leaders in robotic urologic cancer surgery for prostate, kidney, and bladder cancer, having performed over 15,000 aggregate cases.
For his outstanding work, Dr. Gill has received numerous prestigious awards, including the Dr. B.C. Roy National Award, presented by the President of India for Eminent Medical Person in India. It marked the first time a physician living outside of India was selected for this national award. Dr. Gill also was awarded the St. Paul’s Medal by the British Association of Urological Surgeons, which is the highest honor bestowed by an organization. In 2024, the AAGUS awarded him the Spence Medal for outstanding contributions to urology. He has been listed among the Best Doctors in American for many years. In May 2025, he achieved worldwide recognition when he and surgeons at UCLA performed the first human bladder transplant.
He has published more than 750 peerreviewed scientific papers, 50 book chapters and eight textbooks. He was elected to the prestigious American Association of GenitoUrinary Surgeons (CSGUS) in 2003 and was selected as European Urology’s first North American editor. Dr. Gill is a distinguished researcher and prolific scholar.
To date, Dr. Gill has had the privilege to train more than 120 urology residents and more than 140 post-graduate fellows in robotic and minimally invasive urologic oncologic surgery. His fellows and faculty members are also making innovative contributions to the field and notably, at this writing, 14 of them are current Chairs of highly prestigious urology departments nationally and internationally.
As part of his Visiting Professorship, in addition to reviewing diagnosis and management of urology cases presented by the residents, Dr. Gill gave the following talks:
• “Advancing Robotic Surgery: What’s Next?”
• “Robotic versus Open Radical Cystectomy: Message at Maturity of 8 RCTs”
Drs. Shenot and Gomella presenting Dr. Gill with his DMDavis commemorative plaque.
DAVID
DAVID M. DAVIS, MD VISITING PROFESSORSHIP
Dr. David Melvin Davis was Chairman of the Department of Urology at Jefferson Medical College from 1935 to 1951. As an investigator, teacher, clinician, and authority in urologic surgery, Dr. Davis became known throughout the world. Shortly after his arrival, the Department of GenitoUrinary Diseases (founded in 1904) changed its name to the Department of Urology. The teaching system was modified by a gradual reduction of didactic lectures and emphasis on small groups with student participation. Dr. Davis was a severe quizmaster with an uncomfortable mixture of invective and cajolery until his point was strongly driven home.
Under Dr. Davis’s leadership, advanced training in Urology was established. The first
residencies at Jefferson started in 1937 in Obstetrics, and the Department of Urology established one in 1939. World War II caused a delay in increasing the number of residents, but a second residency position was created in 1946 and a third in 1947. In 1948, an arrangement with Professor John H. Gibbon, Jr. provided a year of training in General Surgery before beginning three years in the Urologic Residency.
Dr. Davis greatly improved the standard of care in the Urology Ward and Curtis Clinic. In addition to more than 130 journal articles, after academic retirement Dr. Davis wrote a textbook “Mechanisms of Urologic Disease” (1953). He designed a cystoscopic-roentgenographic
fluoroscopic table constructed in Philadelphia by the Franklin X-ray corporation.
His interests were in hypospadias, hydronephrosis, and early diagnosis and radical operations for carcinoma of the prostate and the famous "Davis Intubated Ureterotomy." In 1946, a Professorship in Urology was established under the bequest of Henry Reed Hatfield as a memorial to his father, Nathan Lewis Hatfield. Dr. Davis was its first recipient and he was also the first recipient of the AUA Hugh Hampton Young Award in 1969. It has become a tradition since 1981 that the DM Davis Visiting Professorship is held at the end of the academic year in association with our resident graduation.
Attendees at the 2025 DMD Visiting professorship with Dr. Indy Gill.
Kobe University Leadership Visits Jefferson
Visitors from Kobe University toured one of our robotic suites located in the Honickman Center.
Leadership from Kobe University visited Jefferson and were hosted by Drs. Takami Sato, Charles Pohl and the Jefferson Japan Center. Part of their visit was to learn about our robotic surgery program. Their visit included a tour of one of our robotic surgery suites in the Honickman Center. Visitors included Mr. Nariaki Serizawa, Section Head, Global Engagement Division, Professor Masato Fujisawa
Kobe University President, Professor Keiko Gion – Project Professor, Graduate School of Medicine and Professor Takamichi Murakami – Dean, Graduate School of Medicine. Jefferson staff included Vincent Gleizer, Japan Center coordinator and Drs. Leonard Gomella, Costas Lallas and Matthew Buck from the Department of Urology.
Dr. Gomella presenting Dr. Popoola with a memento of his time at Jefferson.
Jefferson Urology International Visitor: Dr. Ademola Alabi Popoola
Dr. Ademola Alabi Popoola is a distinguished Professor of Urological Surgery in the Department of Surgery at the Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria. Dr. Popoola has 24 years of experience in university teaching, research, and administration. Professor Popoola recently served as the Head of the Department and has held the role of Sub-Dean of the Faculty of Clinical Sciences. He is also an active member of various university committees, including the University Merit Award Committee. The department welcomed Dr. Popoola as an observer in the spring of 2025.
Dr. Gomella Invited Speaker for the SIU in Edinburgh, Scotland
The 2025 Société Internationale d'Urologie (SIU) was held in Scotland in October. Dr. Gomella addressed the topic of AI and prostate cancer precision medicine as part of the Joint SIU / International British Urology Society (IBUS) Symposium. Dr. Gomella took the opportunity to highlight our 2025 Jefferson Urology Alumni Award winner and notable British urologist “Mr.” Francis Keeley during his talk. Dr. Gomella also participated in a panel discussing urologic oncologic surgery taking place simultaneously at several remote international locations.
Top: Dr. Gomella highlighting our Jefferson resident graduate Dr. Frank Keeley, formerly known in England as “Mr.,” during the International British Urology Society (IBUS) Symposium during the SIU.
Inset: Dr. Francis Keeley
Bottom: Dr. Gomella was a commentator during a live international remote urologic oncology surgery session during the SIU meeting in Scotland.
Dr. Dan Eun International Meetings
Dr. Dan Eun attended Urofair 2025, the annual meeting of the Singapore Urologic Association. The lectures included the robotic management of anastomotic leaks and bladder neck contractures and the technique of buccal mucosa ureteroplasty.
Dr. Eun participated in Grand Rounds at Yonsei University Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea. His lecture was on “10 years of Buccal Mucosa Ureteroplasty Outcomes.”
During the 32nd annual meeting of the Korean Society of Endourology and Robotics (KSER), Dr. Eun was engaged in multiple parts of the program. These included session moderator for several sessions including a Urologic Oncology segment, a talk on transvesical approach to urethrovesical anastomotic leak and a live partial nephrectomy surgery moderator
Dr. Eun was a faculty member of Vipul Patel’s Society of Robotic Surgery (SRS) 2025 meeting held this year in Strasbourg, France.
In November 2025, Dr. Eun was an invited speaker for the 68th Annual Philippines Urologic Association meeting in Manila that included a live robotic simple prostatectomy that
Dr. Eun at Urofair 2025 in Singapore.
was live streamed from the Medical City Medical Center to the plenary session at the Hyatt conference center. He also participated in a robotics workshop lecture on simple prostatectomy with a 360 degree anastomosis and a series of educational talks on robotic surgery.
Dr. Dan Eun and faculty members at the Korean Society of Endourology and robotics meeting in July 2025.
Dr. Shridhar C. Ghagane, Guest Researcher from KLE
Dr. Ghagane visited our Department and worked in the laboratory of Dr. Mat Thakur helping to refine our VPAC urinary cancer detection assays. Back in Belagavi, India, he works in the Dr. Prabhakar Kore Basic Science Research Center and the Urinary Biomarkers Research Centre, in the KLE Academy of Higher Education and Research. Dr. Ghagane holds multiple degrees including a PhD, a Master of Science in Zoology and an MBA in Biomedical technology. Dr. Ghagane is a Senior Scientist at KLE University with over a decade of research and teaching experience, specializing in urologic oncology, particularly prostate and bladder cancer. He has made significant contributions to the field, authoring more than 200 articles in peer-reviewed, indexed journals. Dr. Ghagane is also a dedicated academic mentor, having successfully guided over 15 postgraduate students in their research endeavors. KLE University, Belagavi, India, spanning a history of more than 100 years and ranked among the top of India's universities is home to our Jefferson India Center collaboration.
Certificate presentation documenting Dr. Ghagane’s time at Jefferson by Drs. Leonard Gomella and Mat Thakur.
DR. GOMELLA AND MALAYSIAN UROLOGICAL CONFERENCE
Dr. Leonard Gomella was invited as a visiting professor to the 2025 Malaysian Urological Conference. The invitation was facilitated by Dr. Leong Wing Seng, Dr. JY Leong’s father, who is a prominent urologist in Penang, Malaysia.
Pictured is Dr. Gomella with Dr. Aaron Goh Yue Keng, MBBS (IMU), FRCS (Urol) Glasgow, program Chair and Head, Department of Urology Sarawak General Hospital in Sarawak, Malaysia.
Dr. Michael Metro Mongolia Mission
Dr. Mike Metro led a Reconstructive Urology Team of six surgeons on a surgical mission trip to Ulan Bataar Mongolia from July 2 to July 13, 2025. The trip was sponsored and supported by IVU, International Volunteers in Urology. While there, his team performed 21 urethral reconstructions over a five-day period.
Dr. Metro spoke at the 100th year anniversary of the First Central Hospital in Ulan Bataar and addressed the 20-year relationship between this hospital and IVU. Dr. Metro was a guest at the gala that was attended by the President of Mongolia.
Dr. Metro is Clinical Professor of Urology, Vice Chair of Academic Affairs, Jefferson Einstein Medical Center and Fellowship Director, Traumatic and Reconstructive Urology.
Drs. Michael Metro, Laura Horodyski (University of Miami), Haider Abed (Western Ontario) and Anh Nguyen (UC San Diego) members of the IVU reconstructive team that traveled to Mongolia.
and
Dr. Metro
IVU resident scholarship winner Haider Abed, MD, (University of Western Ontario , Canada) and Sarnai Erdene MD, director of the English Speaking Medical School of Ulaanbaatar.
Dr. Metro operating with IVU resident scholarship winner Dr. Haider Abed (University of Western Ontario, Canada).
The Urology Department from the First Central Hospital Ulanbaatar, Mongolia.
Rotating KLE Students
University and is located in the Karnataka state and the location of the Jefferson India center. Each year, a select group of JNMC students are selected to spend time at Jefferson in specialty rotations.
Drs. Lallas, Gomella and Shenot with our rotating medical students Ananya Jindal and Abeer Sanduja from Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College (JNMC), Belgaum, India. This is the medical school of KLE
Community Outreach
Community College of Philadelphia screening event on September 17, 2025.
Staff included
Dr.
and
Kenya Mitchell (SKCCC), CRNP Fatuma Doka (Urology),
Leonard Gomella (Urology), John Buehler (Patient Advocate),
Kristine Pham (SKCCC).
Community-based Prostate Cancer Screening Programs
A collaboration between the Department of Urology, the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center Mobile Cancer Screening Unit, and the Prostate Conditions Education Council (PCEC) provides free prostate cancer screening in community settings across the Greater Philadelphia region. The program is additionally supported by funding from Janssen and a wider variety of philanthropic donors. Our SKCC Community based screening program also includes breast cancer mobile mammography and head and neck cancer screenings.
According to Dr. Leonard Gomella, Department of Urology Chair and Senior Director for Clinical Affairs for the SKCCC, “Our community teams offer educational information about prostate cancer and shared decision making about prostate cancer screening, in line with current screening guidelines.” The screening program is IRB compliant with participants providing informed consent agreeing to participate. PSA blood draws are provided by a mobile phlebotomist who joins the team on site at events. Men complete brief questionnaires about their personal and health history, providing additional insight into screening impact.
Since launching the collaboration in 2022, over 1300 men have been provided free prostate cancer screening. The majority of men are African American (60%), and roughly 15% of those screened each year have an abnormal PSA result. To date, we know of three
men who have had prostate cancer detected because of this effort.
Although commonly practiced, PSA based screening for prostate cancer is considered controversial by some. However, there are long term studies that PSA based screening confirms a sustained reduction in deaths from prostate cancer with PSA testing. In addition, there is an improved harm–benefit ratio by a recent long term study from the New England Journal of Medicine. (European Study of Prostate Cancer Screening — 23-Year Followup New England Journal of Medicine 2025;393:1669-1680)
The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center would like to thank the Department of Urology Nurse Practitioners, Fatuma Doka and Suzanne Barron, the protocol coordinators, Alex Kolesnikov and Jordan DeHoratius, for their continued commitment to these community screening programs.
While our community outreach focuses on screening, a major component is also providing general awareness about prostate cancer and other cancers that can benefit patients through early detection.
AMY LEADER, DrPH, MPH DIRECTOR, SKCCC COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT
Community Outreach
PARTIAL COMMUNITY
SITES LISTINGS OF 2025 SKCCC PROSTATE CANCER SCREENINGS
Penn Asian Senior Services (PASSi), Philadelphia, PA
S.K.I.L.L.Z Group, Philadelphia, PA
Mi Salud Wellness Center, Philadelphia, PA
AFAHO, Philadelphia, PA
Byrd Foundation, Philadelphia, PA
Community College of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
Urban Outfitters, Philadelphia, PA
Harcum College, Bryn Mawr, PA
Five Ponds Golf Club, Warminster, PA
Haverford School, Haverford, PA
Phila. Dept of Health Resource Hub North, Philadelphia, PA
Gemma Services, Plymouth Meeting, PA
SEPTA, Philadelphia, PA
Black Doctors Consortium, Philadelphia, PA
Hunting Park Mental Health and Wellness, Philadelphia, PA
CityTeam, Chester, PA
Bethany Baptist Church, Philadelphia, PA
Farrell Elementary School, Philadelphia, PA
ACLAMO, Norristown & Pottstown, PA
Jefferson Health Plans, Philadelphia, PA
Grow-A-Pair Foundation, Lansdale, PA
Stith & Associates, Glenside, PA
Delaware County Health Department, Yeadon, PA
Willingboro Senior Center, Willingboro, NJ
Mt. Airy Church of God, Philadelphia, PA
Sharon Baptist Church, Philadelphia, PA
Parx Casino, Bensalem, PA
1
1 Farrell Elementary School event August 22, 2025, with SKCCC staff Yawei Song, a Community Partner, Hanyu Yang, Kristine Pham, and Kenya Mitchell.
A smaller “baby van” was kindly donated by Dietz and Watson to supplement the larger SKCCC screening van. The larger screening van houses mobile mammography equipment.
2a Farrell School Career Day, March 2025.
2b Hunting Park Mental Health & Wellness Block Party, June 2025 (HPV selfsampling and PSA screenings).
3
3 Jefferson Urology Patient Advocate
John Buehler with CBS News
Correspondent Stephanie Stahl and Dr. Leonard Gomella at our Philadelphia Community College Prostate Cancer Screening event.
4 John Buehler with Stephanie Stahl interview discussing prostate cancer screening and awareness from the patient perspective.
5 Dr. Gomella being interviewed by Stephanie Stahl as part of the Philadelphia Community College SKCCC prostate cancer screening event. Her interview also addressed the free information services offered to patients through SurvivorNet. com (see also page 21).
HatTrick for Health
Jefferson Urology Research Scholars Mehr NasirMoin and Anastasia “Stacey” Mavridis with Dr. Mihir Shah and Alex Kolesnikov at a “HatTrick for Health” event. This community program uses ice hockey themes to promote physical activity, healthy eating, and social connection.
Staff Spotlights
My Jefferson Journey
A Story of Growth, Laughs, and Adaptability
her retirement luncheon.
My story begins as a young adult when I had the great fortune of joining my husband, Dan, on his Army tour in Bavaria, Germany. This gave us the perfect excuse to travel around Europe while pretending we understood foreign road signs. After returning home to South Philadelphia, we started a family with two beautiful daughters, Lisa and Michele. When the girls started school, I worked as a lunchroom aide and a part-time catering assistant before taking the ultimate plunge—starting my own catering business. But after five years of living in a world where everything smelled like roast pork and chicken, I decided it was time for a career change. Thus began my journey into the wild world of medical offices at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. Little did I know that my future would be filled with challenges and learning opportunities. And, of course, an unlimited supply of office coffee to keep me going.
My first job at Jeff, in the late 80s, was with a colorectal group, where I mastered the fine arts of filing, answering phones with a professional yet slightly exasperated tone, and an introduction to insurance claims (which felt more like playing a never-ending game of whack-a-mole). This early experience introduced me to the quirks of medical
office life and set the foundation for my long, adventure-filled career in healthcare. In 1993, I transitioned to Jefferson Urology Associates as a Patient Account Representative, dedicating 32 years to deciphering cryptic insurance policies, keeping track of patient accounts, and developing an almost supernatural ability to find missing paperwork like a detective on a high-stakes case. I officially retired as a Senior Patient Account Representative on January 24, 2025.
One of the greatest challenges of my career was navigating the ever-changing world of medical billing and insurance regulations— imagine trying to read a map while someone is still drawing it. As a perfectionist, I took pride in ensuring every detail was accurate, every claim was filed correctly, and every patient account was balanced to the last cent (yes, I was that person).
Through sheer determination (and an absurd amount of patience), I successfully adapted to industry changes, assisted in implementing efficient billing processes, and contributed to the smooth operation of patient account management, all while keeping my sense of humor intact. Whether managing patient inquiries, streamlining billing procedures, or collaborating with healthcare professionals, my goal was always to deliver results—and ensure
While at Jefferson, every role, challenge, and achievement gave me a sense of satisfaction and pride.
LINDA RONDINELLI
everyone had a reason to smile, even in the midst of insurance claim chaos.
While at Jefferson, every role, challenge, and achievement gave me a sense of satisfaction and pride. The friendships, collaborations, and daily laughs with office staff, patients, and their families have been the true highlight of my career. I will miss everything about Jeff— except maybe the insurance forms.
My personal life has been seamlessly intertwined with my professional life. I have overseen the weddings of my daughters, celebrated the birth of my precious grandson, Joseph (now a police officer, making me a very proud grandmother), and endured the loss of close family members. I somehow managed to survive the rollercoaster of COVID restrictions. My daughter, Lisa, also joined the Jefferson family and has had a 29-year career as an RN with Jefferson Gastroenterology running the infusion department. In an interesting twist, I even credit Jefferson Urology Associates with saving my life. In 2013, it was discovered that I had a malignant tumor in my kidney. Thanks to the prompt and precise work of Drs. Lallas and Trabulsi, the tumor was removed, and my life was spared. Who knew working in a urology office would have such lifesaving perks?
Now, as I retire, I look forward to finally solving the great mysteries of the universe—like why missing socks never reappear from the laundry—while doing puzzles and spending time with Dan. I’ll also be soaking up the sun at the beach with my daughter Lisa and her fiancé, Eddie, making sure my grand-dog, Giuseppe, doesn’t get too carried away with his sand-digging ambitions. Retirement: where the hardest decision of the day is whether to start the puzzle border or dive straight into the impossible sky pieces—finally putting my years of problem-solving skills to good use, just without the insurance claims!
Linda Rondinelli (center front row) enjoying
WELCOME MONICA ZAGACKI FISHER NEW UROLOGY STS
Sonia Hurtado, RN Retirement
After 35 years of service to Jefferson, Sonia Hurtado, Specialty Team Supervisor (STS) of Urology/GYN, hung up her OR cap for the last time on January 17, 2025.
Sonia began her career at Jefferson in 1985. After a few years as a pediatric and post-partum nurse, she joined the operating room in February of 1989. Sonia was an OR nurse on the vascular team, later moving on and joining the GYN team. Sonia became the Urology STS in 2003, coincidentally during the same year Dr. Gomella became chairman of the Urology department. For the last 22 years, Sonia has played a key role in managing the flow and practices of the Urology / GYN OR. She was a resource in which the doctors, residents, and nursing staff could turn to for help and guidance.
When Sonia wasn’t at work helping to keep the OR in order, she and her husband, Edgar, raised three children, one of whom is now following in her mom’s footsteps. Giselle started the Perioperative RN program in January 2025. Now that’s Sonia has retired, she is enjoying some of her favorite pastimes that includes spending time with her grandchildren, reading, traveling, and, of course, watching her favorite team, the Yankees.
Dr. Tricia Gomella, Monica Zagacki Fischer, Sonia Hurtado and Alyson Ciglar celebrating Sonia’s retirement with a custom baked tart complete with two kidneys.
Sonia and her daughter, Giselle, who is following in her footsteps as a perioperative nursing specialist.
After Sonia Hurtado’s retirement, Monica Zagacki Fisher BSN, RN, is now stepping into the role as Specialty Team Supervisor for Urology and GYN. Monica graduated with her RN, BSN, from LaSalle University in 2011. She began her career at Jefferson Methodist, as a telemetry nurse, right after graduating. In 2014, Monica transferred to Jefferson Main and began the periop program. She was placed on the Urology team in December of 2014. While at Jefferson, Monica learned many new skills needed to work in the operating room. Sonia also trained Monica to fill in for her, helping her gain the knowledge and experience needed to be an STS. As many people know, Monica is lucky to work side-by-side with her best friend and specialty team scrub tech, Alyson Ciglar. Together, they are a resource for the doctors and nursing staff to go to for anything, making sure the Urology OR runs smooth and efficiently. Monica also recently welcomed a new baby in addition to her new STS role.
ALEX KOLESNIKOV NEW MEMBER OF PENNSYLVANIA PROSTATE CANCER COALITION TEAM
Congratulations to Oleksandr “Alex” Kolesnikov, MPH Clinical Research Project Manager for the department of Urology on his appointment to the Pennsylvania Cancer Coalition (PCC). Representing the Department of Urology and the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, his assignment will be with the Men’s Health Work Group. The Pennsylvania Prostate Cancer Coalition (PPCC) was founded in 1999 as a charitable corporation under Pennsylvania law. The PPCC was organized to make prostate cancer a key public health priority in Pennsylvania. The organization focused on the prostate cancer patient and his family, and emphasized grassroots activism through the involvement of individuals and organizations throughout the Commonwealth. The organization is supported on a statewide level by Department of Health, Bureau of Health Promotion & Risk Reduction in Harrisburg. Alex was selected because of his active participation in our Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center community prostate cancer screening and awareness programs. (www.pacancercoalition.org/)
MARTIN L. DRESNER, MD, JEFFERSON UROLOGY ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT AWARD:
Francis Xavier Keeley, Jr., MD, FRCS
“Mr.” Francis Keeley (as he is properly known in the British health care system) was born and raised in South Jersey. Frank graduated from Duke University in North Carolina with a degree in chemistry in 1986 and then from Washington University in St. Louis in 1990 with a medical degree and as class president. He trained in general surgery and urology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital graduating as Chief resident in 1996. Next, Dr. Keeley completed a two-year endourology fellowship at the Scottish Lithotriptor Centre in Edinburgh before taking up the post of Consultant Urologist at the Bristol Urological Institute and the Southmead Hospital, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol in 1998. He has both a public and a private practice. Public (National Health Service) is at the Bristol Urological Institute,
Southmead Hospital, in Bristol. The private practice is at the Spire Bristol Hospital.
In 2001, he became a Fellow of the Edinburgh Royal College of Surgeons (FRCS). He has clinical and research interests in the minimally invasive treatment of kidney stones, kidney cancer, upper tract TCC, and pelviureteric junction obstruction. He has acted as a mentor in endourology and laparoscopic surgery for 30 consultant urologists in the UK and abroad. Dr. Keeley has served as Honorary Secretary of the British Association of Urological Surgeons, Honorary Treasurer of the BJU International journal company and a member of the Interventional Procedures Advisory Committee of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE).
Hong Troung, MD,
Joins Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
After graduating from Jefferson urology in June 2020, I completed a urologic oncology fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC). I then joined the faculty at Penn State College of Medicine/Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, where I established a clinical practice in urologic oncology and developed a translational research program focused on the genomics of bladder and upper tract urothelial cancers.
In August 2025, I returned to MSKCC as an attending urologic oncologist. My clinical practice now focuses on prostate cancer management. My research investigates the genetic and biologic basis of early onset and high-risk prostate cancer. I am excited for this next chapter and remain deeply grateful for the mentorship and exceptional surgical foundation I received during my residency training at Jefferson.
My clinical practice now focuses on prostate cancer management.
Drs. Mike Moorville (left) and Nate Goldin (right) Jefferson Urology residents class of 1983. Dr. Moorville is “Still enjoying urology after all these years. Nate retired, but he is busy doing volunteer work and helping out some local community hospitals without urology coverage on a part time basis. I am still in solo practice, but slowing down as I also founded and am the CEO of Uramix, a company, which develops original urologic instruments, and I am encouraging fellow alumni to support.”
Drs. Pat Shenot and Leonard Gomella presenting the Martin Dresner Alumni Achievement Award to Dr. Frank Keeley and his wife, Indrani.
Hong Troung, MD
IN MEMORY OF Louis L. Keeler Jr., MD
An innovator in urology, Dr. Keeler performed one of the earliest percutaneous kidney stone surgeries in the early 1980s, helped introduce one of the first private-practice lithotripters in the country in 1985 at the Mid Atlantic Stone Center, and continued performing radical perineal prostatectomies throughout his career after training
in the procedure at Jefferson.
LOUIS L. KEELER JR., MD, passed away on February 4, 2025 at the age of 92. He was born December 12, 1932, in Philadelphia and raised in Lansdowne Pennsylvania. He went to West Catholic High School and was a graduate of the class of 1950. He was a proud Saint Joe’s grad class of 1954, and he went to medical school at the University of Pennsylvania graduating in 1958. He completed his internship at Fitzgerald Mercy Hospital.
He married Margaret Mary McDermott in Camden on June 13, 1959. His fatherin-law was Vincent Thomas McDermott from the famous Jefferson class of 1926, a group noted for its significant contributions to medical practice and academia. He was assigned as a flight officer at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls, Montana in 1959 and finished up his air force service at McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey in 1963 with the rank of Captain. He did a year of surgery at Cooper and Presbyterian Hospitals and then a Urology residency at Jefferson, graduating in 1967.
The following year he started practice, but also did bladder cancer research at Jefferson. He ran the Jefferson Urology Ward from the 1968 till 1973. Dr. Keeler had the pleasure of working very closely with Dr. Paul Zimskind who was chief of Urology at that time. He was a member of the search committee that eventually chose Dr. Grant Mulholland as the new chief of Urology at
Jefferson after Dr. Zimskind’s untimely death.
Dr. Keeler developed a private practice in Southern New Jersey, as chief of Urology at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Camden for many years and was very active in the West Jersey Health System. He served as president of the Mid-Atlantic section of the AUA in 1985 and was also president of the country’s oldest medical society, the Medical Society of New Jersey in 1995.
According to his son Dr. Louis L. Keeler III, a member of the New Jersey Urology group, “Dad was an innovator in Urology doing one of the first percutaneous stone surgeries in the early 1980s. His greatest clinical achievement was obtaining one of the first private practice lithotripters in the country in 1985 at the Mid Atlantic Stone center. He learned to do the radical perineal prostatectomy from Dr. George Strong at Jefferson and did that operation till the end of his career.”
After his retirement in 2000 he devoted his time to golf at Tavistock country club, hanging out at the beach or fishing in Avalon, New Jersey with his five children and their spouses and his beloved wife, Morrie. He doted on and had a special relationship with each of his 17 grandchildren and eventually his five great grandchildren. He was well-known for his lovely gardens at his house in Cherry Hill, and he maintained an excellent sense of humor right till the end.
William Huang, MD SKMC Class of 1998
After graduating from Jefferson Medical College/Sidney Kimmel Medical College in 1998, I headed to the Boston area for residency training at the Lahey Clinic, then completed a 3-year clinical and research fellowship in urologic oncology at Memorial SloanKettering. In 2007, I began my career in urologic oncology by joining the faculty at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, where I am currently Professor and Vice Chair (Clinical Affairs) of Urology and Professor of Radiology. Additionally, I serve as Chief of Urology at Tisch Hospital and Co-Director of the NYU Langone Health Robotic Surgery Program. Over the past 17 years, I have enjoyed working with an outstanding collaborative group, focused on advancing urologic cancer care and surgical education, particularly in kidney cancer, urothelial cancer, and minimally invasive surgery.
One of the most meaningful chapters of my journey began shortly after joining NYU, when I met my wife, Jamie Kanofsky, MD, Associate Professor of Urology and Residency Program Director. Together, we have built a busy and joyful family life in Westchester County, raising three wonderful children. Balancing clinical medicine, research, medical education, and hospital administration with our family time—including what seems like a full-time job managing our children's increasingly demanding athletic schedules— has proven essential to recharging and maintaining perspective.
Throughout my career, I have remained closely involved in our professional organizations. Within the AUA, I have served on the Education Committee, the Research Education Communications (REC) Committee, and completed the
Dr. Huang and family
AUA Leadership Program (Class of 2022), which have provided valuable opportunities to shape academic initiatives. I have also enjoyed committee work with the Society of Urologic Oncology, including the SUO Nominating Committee and Membership Committee. Engagement in these organizations has allowed me to reconnect with old friends and invest in the next generation of urologists and urologic oncologists.
Reflecting back, I am deeply grateful for the guidance of key mentors from my Jefferson days—Drs. Gomella, Mulholland, Bagley, Shenot and Trabulsi— who set me on this path. Not surprisingly, five of us from the JMC Class of 1998 chose careers in urology, including Costas Lallas. I can say that my time at Jefferson was truly special and continues to have an everlasting impact on my career.
PROFESSOR OF UROLOGY AND GYNECOLOGY
ZUCKER SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT HOFSTRA-NORTHWELL NEW HYDE PARK, NEW YORK
Robert Moldwin, MD, FACS
Recent pastel by Dr. Moldwin
Dr. Rob Moldwin was our first Urology Fellow at Jefferson Medical College (now Sidney Kimmel Medical College). Dr. Moldwin joined us as a New York Academy of Medicine Valentine Fellow, spending an inspirational research/clinical year with Drs. Grant Mulholland and Dolores Byrne. He finished up in 1991, after which he began a long and successful academic career at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, and is currently Director of Northwell Urology’s Pelvic Pain Treatment Center and Professor of Urology and Gynecology at The Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/ Northwell. Beyond his academic accomplishments, Rob is an avid fresh and saltwater fisherman, boater, bonsai gardener, and pastel artist. He and his
First Urology Fellow at Jefferson
wife, Jen (a nurse practitioner who also works in the field of pelvic pain), are incredibly happy in their 1925 house in Amityville, New York, along with their dog, Fred, and frequently hanging out with their combined families, numbering five children and four grandchildren.
JEFFERSON UROLOGY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
Our Jefferson urology alumni includes students, residents, fellows, and faculty. Let us know if you have any personal or professional news announcements to share. If you do, please contact Dr. Masaya Jimbo, Director of Jefferson Urology Alumni Association (Masaya. Jimbo@jefferson.edu). We are committed to keeping connected to our urology alumni across the United States and internationally.
Update your contact and other information by using the following link https://tinyurl. com/jeffersonurology or by using the QR code below on your cellphone. Alumni may also directly contact our office by phone (215-955-6961) or email Janice.Harper@ jefferson.edu to update your contact information.
CHIEF RESIDENTS (PGY 5)
Mauro Dispagna, MD
Medical School: SUNY
Upstate Medical University's College of Medicine, Syracuse
Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University
Undergraduate: University of Connecticut Interest: U Conn basketball, hiking, coffee, urological oncology, observational research
Daniel Inouye, MD
Medical School:
University of Southern California
Undergraduate: University of California Santa Barbara Interest: Cooking, craft cocktails, volleyball, rock climbing
Alexander Hirsch, MD
Medical School: Virginia Commonwealth University
Undergraduate: Yale University
Interests: Cooking, baking, cycling, rock climbing
Catherine Implicito, MD
Medical School: Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine
Undergraduate:
Villanova University
Interests: Broadway, cooking, trying restaurants from Philadelphia Michelin guide, Jersey Shore
Zachary Prebay, MD
Medical School: Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee
Undergraduate: University of Michigan Interests: Michigan football, reading, coffee, running
David Fu, MD
Medical School: University of Nebraska Medical Center
Undergraduate: Boston College Interest: Golf, basketball, cooking
Afzal Shakir, MD
Medical School:
University of Oklahoma College of Medicine
Undergraduate: University of Oklahoma Interest: Trivia night, table tennis, bass guitar, flight simulators, 3D printing, movie character impersonations
Carlos Perez, MD., PhD
Medical School: Minnesota
Undergraduate: University of Puerto Rico at Cayey Interest: Long-distance running, anything related to reggaeton and Latin trap (meringue, salsa, bachata), cooking Puerto Rican food/trying to blend with Midwest cuisine, a good beach day with friends
Michael Panagos, MD
Medical School: University of Maryland School of Medicine
Undergraduate: University of Michigan College of Engineering Interest: Michigan football, history, my two cats
Alice Linder, MD
Medical School: Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons
Undergraduate: Harvard University Interests: Bicycling around Philadelphia, bikepacking, tennis, cooking, finding the best ice cream in Philadelphia
Vineeth Sama, MD
Medical School: Medical University of South Carolina
Undergraduate:
Clemson University Interests: Cooking, hiking, golf, pickleball, exploring Philly restaurants
Interests: Pottery, reading, running, family, beginner piano player
Eric Wahlstedt, MD
Medical School: University of Kentucky College of Medicine
Undergraduate: Duke University
Interests: Running, triathlons, travel, caffeinated beverages, exploring Philadelphia
PGY 4
PGY 3
PGY 2
PGY 1 (INTERNS)
Jefferson Health Hosts Boston Scientific Mobile Prosthetics Lab for Residents
On Tuesday May 13, 2025, Urologists in our Jefferson Health System served as faculty for this Boston Scientific program for residents. The program features a fully equipped mobile prosthetic teaching lab.
Faculty included Dr. Paul Chung, Jefferson Center City; Dr. Tyler Thress, Jefferson Einstein; and Dr. Alex Uhr, Jefferson Northeast.
Picture top left is Dr. Chung teaching residents in the Boston Scientific Mobile Prosthetics Lab.
Picture top right is the mobile lab is fully equipped with all instruments and teaching tools for learning penile prosthesis and artificial urinary sphincter placement.
Dr. Paul Chung Jefferson Center City
Dr. Tyler Thress Jefferson Einstein
Dr. Alex Uhr Jefferson Northeast
WELLNESS
Department of Urology Resident Wellness Programs
This year we continued programs to increase the wellbeing of our house staff and faculty and bring balance to their lives as part of our SKMC/ Jefferson initiatives. These initiatives were supervised by Dr. Deb Glassman, who was asked to serve as our Chief Wellness Officer for the Department of Urology. As part of that effort, in February, the department sponsored an afternoon of yoga and salsa (the dip not the dance!). Hosted at Three Queens Yoga studio, our own faculty member and certified yoga teacher, Dr. Glassman, led a practice for the residents. Yoga was followed by a late lunch of Mexican food. Earlier in the year we had a happy hour after work and an afternoon of golf and games at 5 Iron Golf. Future programming will include hiking, service projects and other social events.
Goodie Bags
Dr. Tricia Gomella presenting “Welcome to Philadelphia” goodie bags to our new interns who started our residency program in June of 2025. From left to right Dr. Eric Whalstedt from the University of Kentucky
College of Medicine, Dr. Vineeth Sama from the Medical University of South Carolina and Dr. Catherine Implicito from Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine.
Philadelphia Urologic Society Top Prize Category
Utilization of radiation therapy in the treatment of high-risk prostate cancer
Congratulations to Matthew Buck, MD (current PGY5), on his presentation: “Investigating Real-World Variations in Management of Clinically Localized Prostate Cancer with High-Risk Features Found After Radical Prostatectomy: Insights from a Regional Quality Improvement Collaborative.”
This study was based on data from the Pennsylvania Urologic Regional Collaborative (PURC) examined utilization of radiation therapy in the treatment of highrisk prostate cancer.
The utilization of salvage vs. adjuvant RT was highly variable by the graph in this regional cohort. Considering the impact of PSMA PET, treatment varied considerably by only the treating facility.
TJUH Chief Resident Certificates
Congratulations to Carlos Perez, MD, PhD (Current PGY5) on his acceptance to the R. Frank Jones Urologic Society and Boston Scientific Resident Education Course based on competitive applications across all residency programs in North America. The mission of this course is to create a unique, indepth learning experience that will combine didactic education and handson surgical skills in an environment where attendees and physician faculty will also be able to engage in sessions related to advancing the field of Urology, building capabilities related to clinical trials and research, fellowships, and society activities and opportunities.
Pictured top is Graduating Chief Resident Dr. Maria D’Amico received her “official” TJUH training certificates early just before her busy move to the Cleveland Clinic for her FPMRS fellowship.
Above are Drs. JY Leong and Courtney Capella with Urology receiving their “official” TJUH certificates formally recognizing their Urology resident and Chief resident program completion.
2025 Graduation & Awards
Congratulations to our 2025 Residents and Fellow Graduates
COURTNEY CAPELLA, MD, CHIEF RESIDENT
Dr. Capella was raised in Cherry Hill, New Jersey by her parents, Emily and Frank, with her brother, Michael. She went to college at Dickinson in Carlisle, Pennsylvania where she studied Biochemistry. She studied abroad in Australia, Spain, and Cuba, which evoked a love of traveling. Inspired by her pediatrician and her desire to help people though her profession, she decided to pursue a career in medicine. Following undergrad, she attended medical school at Sidney Kimmel Medical College, where she met her now husband, Joe Godovchik, in the anatomy lab.
At Jefferson, her interest in urology was sparked through early preclinical shadowing in the department. Ultimately, Courtney matched into Urological Surgery residency at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and was very excited to stay in Philadelphia due to her proximity to her family, friends and partner, Joe.
Although challenging, Courtney has really enjoyed residency and values the autonomy at Jefferson, as well as the amazing camaraderie amongst her co-residents. Some of her residency highlights include: getting married July 2023, working with JY and Maria, and growing her surgical skills. When not working in the hospital, Courtney enjoys exploring the Philadelphia food scene, attending a workout class, sleeping, listening to Taylor Swift, and tending to her many house plants. Next year, following graduation, Courtney will be joining the Jefferson Northeast group.
Dr. Leong was born and raised in Malaysia. He grew up with a passion to help others, which propelled him into the medical field. He attended his first 2 years of medical school at the International Medical University in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He then transferred over to Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University to complete his last 2 years of medical school, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude and with honors in the Alpha Omega Alpha Society. Prior to graduating, he spent a year as the Jefferson Urology Research Scholar with the Department of Urology at Thomas Jefferson University. It was an academically productive year, culminating in a plenary presentation of his late-breaking abstract at the 2019 annual AUA conference in Chicago.
Dr. Leong has grown to love the United States with all its diversity and uniqueness. That, being said, he still misses Malaysia and tries to travel home often to visit his family. He enjoyed his time in Philadelphia and decided to stay on for urologic surgery residency. In his free time, Dr. Leong likes to play his guitar, exercise, and discover new cuisines and restaurants. You can either find him at Planet Fitness, running along the Schuylkill River, or at Chu Shang Spicy, a Szechuan restaurant in Chinatown, affectionately coined “robot” by him and his peers. He is a big Philly sports fan and even watched the Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl LIX victory early in the morning in Tokyo, Japan. Following residency, he will be pursuing a one-year fellowship in Minimally Invasive Surgery and Robotic Urologic Oncology at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine in Los Angeles, California. Ultimately, Dr. Leong is grateful to be given the opportunity to train at a prestigious institution such as Thomas Jefferson University. He hopes that he can continue to grow and improve as a urologist to provide excellent patient care in a safe, courteous, and efficient manner.
JOON YAU”JY” LEONG, MD, CHIEF RESIDENT
DOLORES SHUPP BYRNE, PhD, SENIOR UROLOGY AWARD
EITAN GLUCKSMAN, MD ENDOUROLOGY AND ROBOTIC SURGERY FELLOW
Dr. D’Amico was born and raised in Yardley, PA in Bucks County with her parents and younger sister Jessica. Growing up she was involved in dance from kindergarten through college, competing with the jazz and ballet companies of her local dance studio. She attended George School in Newtown for high school, where she was introduced to Quaker ideals. She went on to attend Columbia University, where she graduated with a major in Biology and a concentration in Hispanic Studies. While in undergrad she volunteered at Harlem Hospital and studied abroad in Barcelona, Spain.
Following undergrad, Maria worked as the Medical Staff Facilitator in the Emergency Department at NYU, where she gained a broad exposure to various subspecialties in medicine. She then attended Boston University School of Medicine, where she met her husband Chase, and graduated cum laude with induction into the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society. Following residency, she will be starting a two-year fellowship in Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery at Cleveland Clinic, where her husband will also be completing a Rhinology and Skull Base Surgery fellowship.
Dr. Eitan Glucksman grew up in Clifton, NJ. During his childhood years, he enjoyed playing sports with friends and was an avid NJ Nets fan. He attended Yeshiva for elementary and high school where he studied the intricacies of the Talmud alongside the classically taught secular curriculum. Subsequently, he matriculated at Touro College where he graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelors’ degree in Biology. He then attended New York Medical College for medical school and stayed at Westchester Medical Center for residency. It was there that he developed a passion for robotic surgery and ultimately decided to pursue a one-year fellowship in robotic and minimally invasive urologic surgery here at Thomas Jefferson University.
Dr. Glucksman, his wife, and three children have enjoyed their time in Philadelphia. During his time in Philly, he is immensely proud to have finally mastered pronunciation of the word “Schuylkill” and he is incredibly relieved that none of his property was damaged after the Eagles won the Super Bowl. Dr. Glucksman will be joining NY Health, a private practice in New York City, upon completion of his fellowship. He will forever cherish the friendships he cultivated and the close bonds he formed during his time at Jefferson.
Yash Shah, MD, SKMC Class of 2025, is the recipient of the Dolores Shupp Byrne, PhD Senior Urology Award. Dr. Shah has begun his Urology training at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Shah distinguished himself early in medical school for his interest in Urology that began in his freshman year and has continued throughout his 4 years at SKMC. What is significant about Yash is that his contributions to urology go far beyond only his medical school activities. Outside interests have included serving as the social media manager for the "Back Table Urology" Podcast and his work with the American Urologic Association (AUA) as the founder and chief editor of the medical student column of AUA news.
The Dolores Shupp Byrne Senior Urology Award is given in honor of Dr. Dolores Byrne who has been a member of the Department of Urology Faculty since 1987. This named award acknowledges her dedication to student teaching and mentorship. Dr. Byrne supervised research time before our program reduced the basic lab time transitioning from a 6 to a 5-year residency program. She serves as Associate Director of Urology Education, is a member of the SKMC admission Committee and supports SKMC students through their 4th year urology rotations. While still active in supporting our medical student experience in Urology, she now primarily serves as the Program Director of the Post-Baccalaureate PreProfessional (P4) program at Thomas Jefferson University. The senior student awardee is chosen by the Department of Urology faculty for their commitment to our specialty and exceptional contributions during their medical student years.
The formal May 31, 2025 Graduation and Awards Ceremony from the Connelly Auditorium is available on this video link: https://jefferson.hosted.panopto.com/ Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=db2598b2e760-44b9-bd51-b2f001261f70
Read more about Dr. Byrne in her "Faculty Profile" on page 22.
YASH SHAH, MD
MARIA D’AMICO, MD, CHIEF RESIDENT
2025 Graduation & Awards
WINNERS OF THE MAX KOPPEL MD, MPH RESIDENT ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Drs. Zachary Prebay and JY Leong each received the 2025 Max Koppel Resident Achievement Award. The award is given annually to the resident who achieves the highest score on the annual Urology in service exam. Dr. Patrick Shenot, residency Program Director, and Dr. Max Koppel presented the awards to Zack and JY during our DM Davis Visiting Professor Program. This award is based on the fall 2024 in service exam scores with Drs. Leong and Prebay tying for high score. Dr. Prebay is also a multi-year winner.
The award is given to honor Dr. Max Koppel who completed his residency at Jefferson in 1964. While in private practice in the Philadelphia area, Dr. Koppel participated as an officer in the United States Public Health Service, called to duty and serving in many deployments. After retiring from practice, he became a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Urology assisting in a variety of educational and philanthropic activities.
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2024-2025 JEFFERSON UROLOGY RESEARCH SCHOLARS
Best wishes to our 2024-2025 Jefferson Urology Research Scholars, Rasheed Thompson, BS, and Francisco (Frank) Agurie, BS, as they return to their home institutions to complete their 4th year of medical school. Rasheed joined us from Howard University in Washington, DC and Frank’s home institution is the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. They completed numerous projects and presented at Mid-Atlantic AUA as well as the AUA National Annual meeting in Las Vegas with ongoing publications being completed based on their numerous research projects.
2025 Graduation Celebration
2025 Graduation Celebration
Outpatient Practice Locations
Jefferson Department of Urology Outpatient Locations
Jefferson’s convenient Navy Yard location at 3 Crescent Drive, with our Department of Urology and Men’s Health Program offices.
Abington/Asplundh Cancer Pavilion
Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
Site Contact: Noreen Wielgus, MSN, RN 3941 Commerce Avenue, Willow Grove, PA 19090 215-481-4668 | Fax: 215-481-8056
GU Multidisciplinary Clinic
Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
Site Contact: Crystal Sypherd, CPhT 215-503-0581
Honickman Center, 14th Floor 1101 Chestnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19107 215-955-6700 | Fax: 215-955-0412
The Department of Urology has urologic oncologists who participate in the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at the Asplundh Cancer Pavilion in Willow Grove.
Jefferson Urology Center City Honickman Center
Site Contact: Janelle Browning 1101 Chestnut Street, 11th Floor Philadelphia, PA 19107 215-955-1000 | Fax: 215-503-2066
Jefferson Urology Cherry Hill
Site Contact: Beverly Scarlett 63 Kresson Rd., Suite 103 Cherry Hill, NJ 08034 844-542-2273 | Fax: 856-667-2428
Jefferson Urology Navy Yard
Site Contact: Tammy Aversa 3 Crescent Drive, 2nd Floor Philadelphia, PA 19112 215-503-7124 | Fax: 215-503-3191
Jefferson Urology Washington Township
Site Contact: Rachel Petrillo 354 Hurffville Crosskeys Road Building 3 Sewell, NJ 08080 844-542-2273 | Fax: 856-667-2428
Men’s Health Program at the Navy Yard 3 Crescent Drive, 2nd Floor Philadelphia, PA 19112 215-890-1090 | Fax: 215-503-3191
For Pediatric Urology Care Division of Pediatric Urology Nemours Physicians: 302-651-4200 Locations in Delaware, Philadelphia, Main Line and New Jersey
Jefferson Medical Group Urology Practices
Jefferson NE Urology Bucks 240 Middletown Boulevard Langhorne, PA 19047 267-560-1001
Jefferson NE Urology Torresdale 3998 Red Lion Road Philadelphia, PA 19114 215-632-8882
Jefferson NE Urology Cottman 1342 Cottman Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19111 215-745-1612
Jefferson NE Urology Welsh Road 2137 Welsh Road Philadelphia, PA 19115 215-698-7333
Buxmont Urological Specialists 125 Medical Campus Drive Lansdale, PA 19446 215-361-2304
Buxmont Urological Specialists 633 West Germantown Pike Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462 215-257-1050
Einstein Urology Philadelphia 1200 W. Tabor Road Philadelphia, PA 19141 215-456-4600
JMG Urology Chestnut Street 925 Chestnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19071 215-503-8383
Jefferson Lehigh Valley Medical Group Urology Practice Locations
Main number: 610-402-6986 or 1-833-587-6564
LVPG Urology Cedar Crest 1250 S. Cedar Crest Blvd., Suite 215 Allentown, PA 18103 610-402-6986
LVPG Urology Muhlenberg 2649 Schoenersville Rd., Suite 101 Bethlehem, PA 1801 484-884-3600
LVPG Urology Palmer Township 3701 Corriere Rd., Suite 27 Easton, PA 18045 484-591-7080
LVPG Urology Quakertown 99 West End Blvd., Suite 110 Quakertown, PA 18951 610-402-6986
LVPG Urology Carbon 2226 Blakeslee Blvd Dr E, Suite 200 Lehighton, PA 18235 610-402-6986
LVPG Urology Hazelton 50 Moisey Dr., Suite 212 Hazel Township, PA 18202 570-501-7020
LVPG Urology Pocono 422 Normal St. East Stroudsburg, PA 18301 570-424-2100
New Honickman Center located on 11th and Chestnut Sts., Philadelphia
Jefferson Urology Society and our 2026 Match Results
The Jefferson Urology Society (JUS) completed another active year of programming, ending with its annual Post-Match Debrief in February 2026. It is very proud of its leadership and fellow SKMC students, who continued the stellar Jefferson tradition of a superb match. Urology programs participate in an early match program.
Pictured above:
Dr. Costas Lallas presenting at the Society of Academic Urology (SAU) winter meeting.
Congratulations to Christina Grindley (HUP), Sohan Shah (Temple) and Anushka Ghosh (Jefferson) who successfully matched in a very competitive 2026 field of urology residency applicants.
Dr. Costas Lallas, the faculty sponsor of JUS, was able to present his insight into the importance of a student interest group and strong program coordinator in a Urology training program at the 2026 SAU Winter Meeting (pictured).
Jefferson Urology Society Officers
2025-2026
President Brian Im
VP President (Clinical) Anushka Ghosh
Treasurer Sean Horan
Lower
Class Liaison Jack Rifkin
Upper
Class Liaison
Analyse Giordano
Faculty Advisor Dr. Costas Lallas
2025-2026
Jefferson Urology Research Scholars
Our 2025-2026 Jefferson Urology Research Scholars are Sean Horan and Anastasia “Stacey” Mavridis from Sidney Kimmel Medical College and Mehr Nasir-Moin from the University of Buffalo College of Medicine. See page 32 for a sample listing of some of their presentations at Urology meetings. Our Research Scholars dedicate a gap year working with our Urology faculty on specific research projects before returning to their 4th year of medical school.
Dr. Moriah Cunningham Receives PhD
Dr. Moriah Cunningham successfully defended her thesis on July 18, 2025, and was awarded her PhD in the Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine Program at Thomas Jefferson University. Dr. Cunningham began her focused PhD work on PARP inhibitors in the Department of Urology Research
Lab under the guidance of Dr. Mat Schiewer and completed her thesis work under the mentorship of Dr. Steve McMahon, Chair of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
PARP inhibitors have become a new class of drugs to treat advanced prostate cancer and other malignancies that harbor mutations such as in the BRCA1/2 homologous repair pathways.
Dr. Cunningham has been a strong advocate for community outreach through the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center. In addition to her research interests, she has been active in the importance of relationship building between the community and
to help tackle prostate cancer specifically within the African American community.
Her work was recently published in the journal Molecular Oncology in February, 2026. (Cunningham ML, et al. Mol Oncol. 2026 Feb;20(2):369388)
Dr. Cunningham has been a strong advocate for community outreach through the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Pictured (left to right: Sean Horan, Anastasia “Stacey” Mavridis, and Mehr Nasir-Moin.
Thomas Jefferson University 2024-2025
JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY PHYSICIANS
Leonard G. Gomella, MD, FACS
Chairman, Department of Urology
The Bernard W. Godwin Jr. Professor of Prostate Cancer Sr. Director Clinical Affairs, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center Enterprise Vice President Urology, Jefferson Health
Medical School: University of Kentucky Residency: University of Kentucky Fellowship: Surgical Oncology, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD
Paul Bloch, MD
Assistant Professor
Site Director, Fishpond Office
Medical School: Sidney Kimmel Medical College Residency: University of Tennessee Health Science Center
P. Kenneth Brownstein, MD, FACS
Clinical Assistant Professor
The Harold A. Honickman Physician Director of Jefferson Signature Services
Director of Development
Medical School: Hahnemann University (now Drexel University College of Medicine), Philadelphia, PA Residency: General Surgery – UCLA, Harbor General Hospital San Diego, CA
Urology Residency: Thomas Jefferson University, Phila., PA
Dolores E. Shupp-Byrne, PhD
Assistant Professor
Associate Director of Medical Student Education
Director Jefferson’s Postbaccalaureate PreProfessional Program (P4)
Graduate School: University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Post-Doctoral Fellowship: Jefferson Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA
Paul H. Chung, MD, FACS
Associate Professor
Director Men’s Health Program, Reconstructive Urology Trauma and Prosthetics, and Co-Director Fellowship in Reconstructive Urology
Site Director Honickman Office
Medical School: Sidney Kimmel Medical College
Residency: UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
Fellowship: Male Genito-Urinary Reconstructive Surgery and Trauma, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Deborah T. Glassman, MD, FACS
Clinical Associate Professor
Director Telehealth Program, APP Committee
Chair, Chief Urology Wellness Officer
Medical School: NYU School of Medicine, NY, NY
Residency: University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD
Patrick T. Gomella, MD, MPH, FACS
Assistant Professor Urology and Surgery
Co-Director Prostate Cancer Focal Therapy Program CME Coordinator
Site Director Asplundh Pavilion
Medical School: Sidney Kimmel Medical College
Residency: George Washington University Fellowship: Urologic Oncology, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD
Scott G. Hubosky, MD
Demetrius H. Bagley Jr. MD Professor Vice Chair
Quality Improvement & Safety
Director Division of Endourology/Co-Director Fellowship Program Endourology & Laparoscopy
Medical School: Loyola University, Stritch School of Medicine, Chicago
Residency: Thomas Jefferson University Hospital Fellowship: Robotic Surgery and Endourology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA
Costas D. Lallas, MD, FACS
The Nathan Lewis Hatfield Professor of Urology
Vice Chair, Education
Co-Director Fellowship Program Endourology & Laparoscopy Program Director
Einstein Urology Residency Program Director
Medical School: Sidney Kimmel Medical College
Residency: Duke University
Fellowship: Robotic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ
A. Paul Irons, MD
Instructor Department of Urology
Medical School: Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine, Quinnipiac University, North Haven, CT
Residency: University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN
Masaya Jimbo, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor
Co-Director Men’s Health Program
Director Jefferson Urology Alumni Association
Medical School: Sidney Kimmel Medical College
Residency: Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
Fellowship: Andrology and Men’s Health, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
Jeanne V. Llenado, DO, FACOS
Clinical Assistant Professor, Vice Chair Regional Urology Site Director, South Philadelphia Campus
Medical School: UMDNJ-School of Osteopathic Medicine, Stratford, NJ
Residency: UMDNJ, Stratford NJ
Adam R. Metwalli, MD
Professor
Co-Director Prostate Cancer Focal Therapy Program SKCCC Urology Liaison
Medical School: Wake Forest University School of Medicine
Residency: General Surgery–University of Louisville Hospital Urology – Oklahoma University Health Science Center
Fellowship Training: Urologic Oncology: National Institutes of Health and University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Alana M. Murphy, MD, FACS
Associate Professor
Associate Director Urology Residency Program
Director Female Urology
Medical School: College of Physicians & Surgeons at Columbia University, New York
Residency: Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY
Fellowship: Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH
Mihir S. Shah, MD, FACS
Clinical Assistant Professor Vice Chair for Research
Associate Director Urology Residency Program Social Media Coordinator
Medical School: Rutgers, The New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ
Residency: Thomas Jefferson University Hospital Fellowship: Advanced Robotics, Laparoscopy and Urologic Oncology, USC Los Angeles, CA
Patrick J. Shenot, MD, FACS
Professor and Deputy Chair
Residency Program Director Chair, Faculty Affairs Committee
Medical School: State University of New York Stony Brook
Residency: Thomas Jefferson University Fellowship: Neurourology, Thomas Jefferson University
Whitney R. Smith, MD, FACS
Assistant Professor Director DEI, Department of Urology Chief of UROGYN for Jefferson, NJ
Medical School: Rutgers, The New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ
Residency: Thomas Jefferson University Hospital Fellowship: Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery Wake Forest Baptist Health, Winston-Salem, NC
Perry R. Weiner, DO, MSc, FACOS
Clinical Associate Professor
Co-Director and Founding Director, Men’s Health Program Clinical Director, Urology Practice
Operations
Site Director, Cherry Hill, NJ
Medical School: New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, New York
Residency: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
DEPARTMENT OF UROLOGY ADMINISTRATION
Dan Walmer, MBA
JOINT DEPARTMENT OF UROLOGY FACULTY
SIDNEY KIMMEL MEDICAL COLLEGE
Karolynn Echols, MD, FACOG, FPMRS, FABOIM Associate Professor, Obstetrics and Gynecology and Urology Director, Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Medicine Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Ethan Halpern, MD, MSCE
Professor of Radiology, Urology & Medicine, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, The Sandeep P. Deshmukh, MD Professor of Radiology, Vice Chair for Research, Department of Radiology
William Kevin Kelly, DO Professor, Medical Oncology and Urology Chairman Department of Medical Oncology
Marja T. Nevalainen, MD, PhD Professor, Pharmacology, Physiology and Cancer Biology and Urology
Associate Director of Translational Research and Co-Director, Prostate Cancer Working Group Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, SKCCC
Mathew L. Thakur, PhD, FSNMMI, FNAI, FACNM, FICNM, FARR Professor of Radiology, Radiation Oncology and Urology Director, Laboratories of Radiopharmaceutical Research, Molecular Imaging and Biofluid Diagnostics
duPONT NEMOURS PEDIATRIC UROLOGY FACULTY
Jennifer Hagerty, DO, FAAP
Clinical Associate Professor of Urology and Pediatrics Chief, Division of Urology at Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children Fellowship: Northwestern University, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital, Chicago, IL
Keara N. DeCotiis, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor of Urology Fellowship: The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
T.E. (Sonny) Figueroa, MD, FAAP, FACS Professor of Urology and Pediatrics Fellowship: Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, MI
Puneeta Ramachandra, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor of Urology and Pediatrics Fellowship: Rady Children’s Hospital of San Diego, San Diego, CA
JEFFERSON COMMUNITY PHYSICIANS and VOLUNTEER UROLOGY FACULTY
Angelo Baccala, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor of Urology Deputy Physician in Chief, Innovation and Program Development, Institute for Surgical Excellence, Chief, Division of Urology, Institute for Surgical Excellence at Lehigh Valley
Tej Desai, DO Practice Instructor Reconstructive Urology Fellow
Daniel D. Eun, MD
Clinical Professor of Urology Robotics Fellowship Director and Director of the Urology International Program at Jefferson Einstein Philadelphia Hospital
Serge Ginsberg, MD, FACS
Associate Professor of Urology
Jatin Gupta, DO, MS
Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor
Mohammed Ismail, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor of Urology Chief of Urology, VA Medical Center Wilmington, Delaware
Michael J. Metro, MD, FACS
Clinical Professor of Urology
Vice Chair of Academic Affairs at the Jefferson Einstein Philadelphia Hospital Urology Department and Urology Residency, Co-Director Fellowship in Reconstructive Urology
Andre Filipe Miranda, MD Instructor Department of Urology
Sandip Prasad, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor of Urology
Edouard J. Trabulsi, MD, MBA, FACS Professor of Urology Chair, Department of Urology Jefferson Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA
Jonathan Yu, MD Practice Instructor Robotic Surgery Fellow
CSGUS Meeting Hosted by Jefferson Urology 2025
Medicine.
Dr. Thomas Stellwagon, Jefferson Urology Chair, was the host of the 1932 CSGUS meeting at Jefferson.
Dr. Bob Flanigan (Loyola, Chicago), Dr. Ralph Clayman (UC Irvine, Irvine, California) and Dr. Mitch Benson (Mt. Sinai, New York).
Dr. Gomella acknowledging Alex Stokes, Alex Kolesnikov, Janice Harper and Denise Tropea, who worked behind the scenes to make the CSGUS program a success.
Thanks to Alex Kolesnikov, MPH, Department of Urology Clinical Research Project Manager who helped with keeping the CSGUS meeting organized.
Dr. Julita Mitchell, Marcus Institute of Integrative
Joan Flanigan (Chicago), Dr. Adam Kibel (Boston) and Liz Nelson (Pittsburgh).
Pennsport string band members with CSGUS attendees Dr. Alan and Noelle Wein, Dr Mitch Benson and Carole Kerner.
Alex, Dan and Alex with the string band members.
Pennsport String Band with CSGUS attendees.
Dr. Cheryl Lee (Columbus, Ohio), Dr. Johannes Vieweg, (Fort Lauderdale) and Carole Kerner (New York).
Dr. Herb Lepor (New York), Dr. and Mrs. Chris Gonzales (Chicago), Dr. Jack McAnich (San Francisco) and Dr. Eric Klein (New York).
CSGUS closing event at the Museum of the American Revolution.
Dr. David and Martha Bloom (Ann Arbor, Michigan)
CSGUS meeting hosts Drs. Tricia and Lenny Gomella with CSGUS Secretary Dr. Chris Kane (San Diego).
Dr. Chris Kane, CSGUS Secretary (San Diego), Dr. Jack McAnich (San Francisco) Dr. John Barry (Portland, Oregon), Dr. Mani Menon (Mt. Sinai, New York) and Dr. Peter Carroll, CSGUS President, (San Francisco).
Dr. Jack and Judith Elder (Boston).
Dr. Leonard Gomella with the Honorable Margaret (Peggy) Duckett Drach, Museum of the American Revolution Board of Directors and our guest speaker Allegra Burnette, MFA Museum Chief Strategy and Growth Officer.
Dr. Mani Menon (Mt Sinai, NY) receiving the CSGUS John Barry Award from Dr. Barry (Portland, Oregon).
Dr. Joel and Liz Nelson (Pittsburgh)
CSGUS Meeting Hosted by Jefferson Urology 2025
and
Meeting hosts Drs. Tricia and Lenny Gomella with a 1958 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa and Swoop.
Back in 2024, Forbes was saying the car cost was $38 Million, one of the most expensive cars in the Simeone Auto Foundation Collection.
Dr. Mike and Kimberly Cookson (Oklahoma City) with Swoop.
Dr. Barry Kogan and Cheryl Gelder-Kogan with Swoop.
Dr. Herb Lepor (NYU, NY), Dr. Peter and Laura Carroll (San Francisco) at the Simeone Foundation Auto Museum with Swoop.
Dr. James Eastham (MSKCC, NY) who will be our esteemed 2026 DM Davis Visiting Professor in 2026.
Dr. Mo Allaf
his wife, Dr. Kendall Moseley (Baltimore), with Swoop and Dr. Edward “Ted” Schaeffer (Chicago).
Dr. Kathleen Kobashi (Houston), Amanda Amling and Dr. Chis Amling (Portland, Oregon) and Dr. Elia Skinner (Stanford, CA)
Michelle and Dr. Sam Chang (Nashville), Dr. James and Rose McKiernan (New York) and Anita Koch (Indianapolis).
Dr. Chis and Gay Winters (New Orleans) with Swoop.
Guest at the Simeone Foundation Auto Museum had docent tours that explained the background of each car in the collection.
Dr. Mike and Anita Koch (Indianapolis, Indiana) at the Museum of the American Revolution.
Dr. Chris Amling (Portland, Oregon) was very excited to get his Philadelphia themed gift bag.
Dr. Mitch Benson (New York) offering commentary and a toast to Drs. Gomella on a well received meeting.
Dr. Mitch Benson (at the podium) offering a toast in honor of the Gomella’s for a successful 2025 CSGUS meeting. From left to right Dr. Peter Carroll (San Francisco), Dr. Mani Menon (Mount Sinai, NY), the Gomella’s, Dr. Toni and Dr. John Barry (Portland, Oregon).
Dan Dizio, co-founder of the Philly Pretzel factory with Dr. Tricia Gomella. Thanks to Dan for the custom CSGUS pretzel display.
Home made treats enjoyed by guests on their trip to Chadds Ford.
Accompanying guests had a lunch and dessert reception at the home of Drs. Tricia and Lenny Gomella in Chadds Ford.
Nicole Shiner and Erin Wagner, Co-Executive Directors of the Greater Philadelphia Film Office presented on some of the memorable films shot here in Philadelphia with “Rocky” at the top of the list.
The Pennsport String Band mini concert in alumni Hall.
CSGUS Meeting Hosted by Jefferson Urology 2025
Dan Dizio, CEO and Co-Founder of the “Philly Pretzel Factory”.
Mark Montanaro, Curator of the Mummers Museum in South Philly presenting on “Mummery” and the unique history of the Mummers string bands in Philadelphia.
Pennsport String Band surprised the CSGUS audience with a mini concert.
During the Saturday program CSGUS members and their guests had the opportunity to interact with the speakers.
Dr. Herb Lepor (NYU, New York) and Dr. Indy Gill (USC Los Angeles).
Nicole Shiner and Erin Wagner showing a brief film clip from “Philadelphia” starring Denzel Washington.
Members of the audience during the Saturday Philadelphia highlights part of the program.
Dr. Eila Skinner (Stanford) paid tribute to Dr. Don Skinner, long time CSGUS member and former Chair at Stanford.
Carol Clayman (Irvine, California), Dr. Tricia Gomella, Dr. Bill and Jan Catalona (Chicago) enjoying “Philly Pretzel Factory” treats.
Dr. Chris Kane getting into the Mummers String Band experience.
The history of the “P” pretzel. It was not “P” for the Phillies nor “P” for Philadelphia but the “P” stood for prostate. The “P” pretzels were donated by Dan Dizio, CEO of the “Philly Pretzel Factory” in support of our annual Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center Prostate Cancer Screening Events.
Dr. Paul Chung's lecture during the Friday academic session. The title of his talk was “Drips and Irrigations for Prosthetic Surgery: What can We Learn From the Lab?”
Part of the Saturday program included a bus tour of historic sights in Philadelphia. Our guests got a “peek” at the bell though a window by Dr. Chris and Amanda Amling.
Drs. Tricia and Lenny Gomella appreciate the opportunity to have hosted the 102nd Annual meeting of the Clinical Society of Genitourinary Surgeons and hope the attendees have fond memories of the meeting. We look forward to the 2026 CSGUS meeting in San Diego.
Captain of the Pennsport String Band, Joe Accetta, answering questions about the Mummers tradition.
Dr. Gerry Sufrin (Washington, DC), Dr. Jonannes and LaDonna Vieweg (Fort Lauderdale) along with Dr. Chris and Amanda Amling (Portland, Oregon).
Dr. Kathleen Kobashi (Houston) photo op with a Mummer.
Dr. Ibrahim sharing a moment with Dr. Peter Schlegel (New York).
Dr. Brad and Beth Leibovich (Rochester, Minnesota)
Dr. Hunter Wessels (Seattle, Washington) brought along a special guest named "Leo" to the CSGUS talks.
1 Urology outpatient MA Essence Williams, Williams with Chief resident Mauro Dispagna in the Thompson OR Suite. Our outpatient clinical staff are invited to shadow in the operating room to learn about our surgical procedures and instrumentation.
2 Visiting medical students, Abeer Sanduja and Ananya Jindal, on rotation from Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College located in Belagavi, India with chief residents Afzaal Shakir and Mauro Dispagna. Jefferson has research and educational collaborations with the university in India.
3 The Honickman center was widely promoted across the Delaware Valley including advertisements on the SEPTA regional rail system.
4 Jefferson Urology holiday party celebration.
5 Sean Horan, Jefferson Urology Research Scholar, was the invited guest of Dr. Mani Menon to attend a Mt. Sinai urology meeting in New York. The International Prostate Cancer Symposium and World Congress of Urologic Oncology is a multiday event featuring live and semi-live robotic surgeries (viewable in 3D), expert-led panels, and sessions on prostate, kidney, and bladder cancer.
6 Drs. Afzal Shakir, Michael Panagos and Jeanne Llenado take a morning wellness coffee break for Doctor's Day at Jefferson Methodist Hospital.
7 A rare event. A “three chief case” in the TJUH Pavilion OR. Graduating Chief residents Dr. JY Leong, Maria D’Amico and Courtney Capella.
8 Dr. Mike Panagos enjoying his birthday celebration with co-residents and students.
9 Drs. Adam Schneider, Zack Prebay and Michael Panagos at the DMD Visiting Professor lunch reception in the Hamilton Building.
10 Caroline Richards busy preparing handouts for the fall CSGUS meeting at Jefferson.
11 It was a good year when Jefferson became a partner with the 2025 Super Bowl Champs, the Philadelphia Eagles.
12 Dr. JY Leong, one of our graduating chiefs family members, came to Philadelphia from Malaysia to help him move to Los Angeles for his fellowship at USC. They were welcomed by Drs. Tricia and Lenny Gomella. JY’s father, Dr. Wing Seng Leong, mother, Dr. Yu Choon Geok, and sister, Dr. Jing Yi Leong, made the trip.
13 Chief resident (20252026) Dr. Zack Prebay and wife welcomed their first child Isabel this year for a new Jefferson baby!
14 Dr. Allen Chiura, 1998 Chief Resident, stopped by the Honickman center to say hello to Drs. Deb Glassman and Scott Hubosky. Dr. Chiura is a native of Zimbabwe where he facilitates the training of young urologists at Parirenyatwa Government Hospital in Harare, Zimbabwe.
15 Our “ new ” New Jersey office at 63 Kresson Road, Cherry Hill, NJ, is conveniently located on the building’s first floor with easy parking. The office is located less than 10 Minutes from Jefferson Cherry Hill Hospital.
16 Our new Cherry Hill office opened officially in January 2026. In addition to our senior Jefferson New Jersey Urologists, new members of the Department, Drs. Andre Miranda and Paul Irons, will be available for new patient and follow-up visits.
17 Marlene Vallett, Enterprise Ambulatory Operations Manager for the Department of Urology along with Beverly Scarlett, Practice Supervisor for Urology New Jersey, are looking forward to welcoming patients to our brand new Cherry Hill office. See the Staff Profile article on Marlene’s career at Jefferson on page 24.
18 As part of Sonia Hurtado’s retirement celebration, Dr. Gomella presented her with a signed baseball from Reggie Jackson, a well-known player from her beloved New York Yankees team. See page 53 for details on Sonia's retirement.
Publications
Prebay ZJ, Wahlstedt J, Shakir A, Wahlstedt E, Chung PH, Shah MS. A TriNetX Analysis of Hypertrophic Scarring Disorders, Genitourinary Strictures, and Urethroplasty Failure. J Clin Med. 2025 Jan 7;14(2):302.
Simhal R, Im BH, Shah S, Guillame S, Perez Kerkvliet C, Evans R, Hickok NJ, Chung PH. Response to Letter to the Editor on "Antibiotic dip and irrigation solutions confer increased antimicrobial efficacy of inflatable penile prosthesis hydrophilic surfaces compared with 0.05% chlorhexidine gluconate". J Sex Med. 2025 Jan 3;22(1):209211.
Prebay ZJ, Fu D, Hochberg AR, Chung PH. Androgen deprivation therapy does not increase rates for reintervention, complication, or infection in primary penile implant or artificial urinary sphincter surgery: a retrospective cohort study from the TriNetX network. Int J Impot Res. 2025 Nov;37(11):896901. doi: 10.1038/s41443-025-01015-8. Epub 2025 Jan 29.
Dehghanbanadaki H, Jimbo M, Fendereski K, Kunisaki J, Horns JJ, Ramsay JM, Gross KX, Pastuszak AW, Hotaling JM. Transgenerational effects of paternal exposures: the role of germline de novo mutations. Andrology. 2025 Jan;13(1):101118.
Shah MS, Hochberg AR, Prebay ZJ, Shah YB, Im BH, Simhal RK, Givner D, Wang KR, Simon DP, Mark JR, Metwalli AR, Lallas CD. Stent vs Stentless Ileal Conduits After Radical Cystectomy: Is There a Difference in Early Postoperative Outcomes? Urol Pract. 2025 Jan; 12(1):139-146.
Prebay ZJ, Wahlstedt J, Shakir A, Wahlstedt E, Chung PH, Shah MS. A TriNetX Analysis of Hypertrophic Scarring Disorders, Genitourinary Strictures, and Urethroplasty Failure. J Clin Med. 2025 Jan 7;14(2):302.
Gomella LG. Celebrating the career and contributions of Dr. Michael Droller. Urol Oncol. 2025 Feb;43(2):68-73. doi: 10.1016/j. urolonc.2024.11.005.
Leong JY, Chung PH. Letter: Development, Implementation, and Impact of an Electronic Medical Record Alert System for Implanted Artificial Urinary Sphincters. Urol Pract. 2025 Mar;12(2):222-223.
Gurram S, Egan J, Antony M, Ahdoot MA, Yerram NK, Lebastchi AH, Chalfin HJ, Gomella PT, Bratslavsky G, Metwalli AR, Linehan WM, Ball MW. Renal Function After Partial Nephrectomy: A Comparative Analysis of Warm, Cold, and No Ischemia Methods. Urol Pract. 2025 May;12(3):325334.
Ghoreifi A, Hussain J, Tan WP, Kenigsberg A, Gomella PT, Yerram N, Rothberg MB, Tay KJ, Rastinehad AR, Bianco FJ, Sanchez-
Salas R, Polascik TJ; Focal Therapy Society. Re: Alec Zhu, Mary O. Strasser, Timothy D. McClure, et al. Comparative Effectiveness of Partial Gland Cryoablation Versus Robotic Radical Prostatectomy for Cancer Control. Eur Urol Focus 2024;10:843-50. Eur Urol Focus. 2025 May;11(3):533-534.
Gomella PT, Leong JY, Gomella LG, Tomar VS, Teran H, Trabulsi EJ, Thakur ML. NonDRE Voided Urine Test to Diagnose Prostate Cancer: Updated Results. Diagnostics (Basel). 2025 Mar 3;15(5):607.
Kieran K, Granberg C, Deibert C, Burnett AL, Chung PH. What Is Needed to Support Nonurban Urology in the United States? Perspectives From Urologists in Rural and Underresourced Areas. Urol Pract. 2025 Mar;12(2):264-273.
Im BH, Hochberg AR, Havranek B, Capella CE, D’Amico MJ, Giordano AH, Smith W, Murphy A, Shah MS, Lallas CD. Analyzing Antibiotic Usage Trends in Genitourinary Infections and Procedures: Insights From the TriNetX Database. Urology. 2025 Mar;197:20-25.
Shah YB, Capella CE, Simhal RK, D’Amico MJ, Smith W, Murphy AM. Sacrocolpopexy in urology versus gynecology: a contemporary analysis of outcomes and patient profiles. Can J Urol. 2025 Mar 18;32(1):63-70.
Shah YB, Im BH, Hochberg AR, Freudenburg EP, Jiang J, Gao BM, Shah MS, Das AK. The new gold standard for surgical management of BPH: an institutional experience with 1000 HoLEPs. Can J Urol. 2025 Mar 18;32(1):1519.
Glassman DT, Grindley C, Wahlstedt JC, Galen E, Meeks W, Wang K, Gomella LG The Impact of Telehealth on Treatment Decision-Making in Prostate Cancer. Urol Pract. 2025 Sep;12(5):578-585.
Simhal RK, McPartland C, Wang KR, Buck M, Shah YB, Poluch ML, Hochberg AR, Im BH, Chandrasekar T, Shah MS, Lallas CD Bowel regimens before radical cystectomy: An analysis of a modern cohort. Int J Urol 2025 Apr;32(4):402-408.
Setya N, Ghagane SC, Nerli RB, Bokare A, Thakur ML, Gomella L. VPAC receptor positivity in comparison with mp-MRI in the diagnosis of prostate cancer: A preliminary study. BJUI Compass. 2025 Apr 22;6(4):e70006.
Leong JY, D’Amico MJ, Capella CE, Gomella LG, Izes JK. Port site metastasis after robotic assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy: Diagnosis via prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-targeted 18F-DCFPyL PET/ CT. Urol Case Rep. 2025 May 28;61:103082.
Thompson RAM, Shah YB, Aguirre F, Stewart C, Lallas CD, Shah MS. Artificial
Intelligence Use in Medical Education: Best Practices and Future Directions. Curr Urol Rep. 2025 May 29;26(1):45.
Hochberg AR, Ho AH, Thompson RAM, Buck MB, Lallas CD, Ibilibor C, Tomaszewski JJ, Ginzburg S, Correa A, Uzzo R, Smaldone MC, Danella JF, Guzzo TJ, Lee DJ, Belkoff L, Walker J, Raman JD, Clark RK, Reese A, Jacobs B, Jang T, Kowalczyk KJ, Smith M, Shah MS. Real-World Management of High-Risk Prostate Cancer Post-Radical Prostatectomy: Insights from a Regional Quality Collaborative. Cancers (Basel). 2025 May 8;17(10):1600.
Tahmasebi A, Siu Xiao T, Wessner CE, Kuon Yeng Escalante CM, Lyshchik A, Forsberg F, Liu JB, Roth CG, Rodgers SK, Kania LM, Anton K, Yadav A, Lallas CD, Topper SR, Trabulsi EJ, Eisenbrey JR. Feasibility of Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Fusion With Pretreatment MR/CT for Recurrence Detection in Renal Cell Carcinoma Patients During Post-Ablation Surveillance. Ultrasound Med Biol. 2025 Aug;51(8):13361342. doi: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2025.04.021. Epub 2025 May 28.
Thompson RAM, Shah YB, Aguirre F, Stewart C, Lallas CD, Shah MS. Artificial Intelligence Use in Medical Education: Best Practices and Future Directions. Curr Urol Rep. 2025 May 29;26(1):45. doi: 10.1007/s11934-025-01277-1. PMID: 40439780; PMCID: PMC12122599.
Biasatti A, Bignante G, Ditonno F, Veccia A, Bertolo R, Antonelli A, Lee R, Eun DD, Margulis V, Abdollah F, Yoshida T, Derweesh IH, Meagher MF, Simone G, Tuderti G, Bologna E, Mehrazin R, Rais-Bahrami S, Sundaram CP, Yong C, Minervini A, Mari A, Lambertini L, Ferro M, Singla N, Pandolfo SD, Amparore D, Checcucci E, Gonzalgo ML, Porter JR, Ghoreifi A, Contieri R, Perdonà S, Porpiglia F, Djaladat H, Ghodoussipour S, Autorino R. New Insights into Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma: Lessons Learned from the ROBUUST Collaborative Study. Cancers (Basel). 2025 May 5;17(10):1668.
Im BH, Hochberg AR, Giordano AH, Evans R, Fertala A, Fertala J, Hickok NJ, Chung PH. Hydrophilic inflatable penile prosthesis surface coatings readily rebind antibiotics and maintain antimicrobial efficacy ex vivo. Int J Impot Res. 2026 Feb;38(2):134-140.
Leong JY, Prebay ZJ, Ebbott D, Li M, Chung PH. Evaluating the management trends for priapism and assessing the risk of priapism after in-office intracavernosal injections: a cross-sectional analysis. Int J Impot Res. 2025 Jun;37(6):465-470.
Ibilibor C, Jones M, Tomaszewski J, Ginzburg S, Correa A, Uzzo R, Smaldone M, Danella J, Guzzo TJ, Lee D, Belkoff L, Walker J, Raman JD, Reese A, Shah MS, Jacobs B, Jang T, Kowalczyk K, Smith M. Investigating the
Usage of Abiraterone in African American Men with Metastatic Prostate Cancer. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities. 2025 Jun 24. Epub ahead of print.
Lee M, Liss N, Zhao K, Agosto O, Eun DD. Radiographical Changes after Ureteral Rest for Robotic Ureteral Reconstruction. J Endourol. 2025 Jul;39(7):686-690.
Kolanukuduru KP, Mandel AL, Simhal RK, Sholklapper TN, Sun K, Poluch M, Wang KR, Shah YB, Chung PH. Marfan’s syndrome is associated with a greater risk of Peyronie’s disease: a case-control study of the TriNetX database. Int J Impot Res. 2025 Jul;37(7):564565.
Perez Kerkvliet CJ, Leong JY, Thompson RAM, Zarrabi KK, Kelly WK, Lallas C, Gomella L, Shah M. Treatment
Intensification Prior to Radical Prostatectomy for Clinically Localized Prostate Cancer. Cancers (Basel). 2025 Jul 7;17(13):2258.
Tzeng SF, Yu YR, Park J, von Renesse J, Hsiao HW, Hsu CH, Garnica J, Chen J, Chiu LT, Santol J, Chen TY, Chung PH, Kandalaft LE, Starlinger P, Hsieh RC, Yu MC, Hsiao PW, Carmona SJ, Chen HK, Meng Z, Lin YH, Zhou J, Tsai CH, Ho PC. PLT012, a Humanized CD36-Blocking Antibody, Is Effective for Unleashing Antitumor Immunity Against Liver Cancer and Liver Metastasis. Cancer Discov. 2025 Aug 4;15(8):1676-1696.
Cunningham ML, Vasquez-Gonzalez J, Barnada SM, Tchotorlishvili S, Jones L, Maguire R, Lewis G, Rizwan K, Deng J, Koachar S, Patel D, Shankle H, Mulders T, Ajmal N, Solomides C, Alnemri ES, Alnemri TF, Shafi AA, Gomella LG, Kelly WK, McMahon SB, Schiewer MJ. PARP inhibitors elicit distinct transcriptional programs in homologous recombination competent castration-resistant prostate cancer. Mol Oncol. 2025 Sep 7. Epub ahead of print.
Loeb S, Keith SW, Gross L, Hartman RL, Beer TM, Brierley KL, Cheng HH, Couvillon A, Dicker AP, Friedman S, Gomella LG, Karsh L, Kelly WK, Lallas CD, Leader AE, Mann MJ, Mark JR, Mille P, Paller CJ, Rana HQ, Sokolova AO, Trabulsi EJ, Whang YE, Giri VN. Patient-Reported Outcomes From Males Regarding Germline Testing for Prostate Cancer: Results From the PROGRESS Registry. JCO Precis Oncol. 2025 Sep;9:e2500571
Ditonno F, Veccia A, Bignante G, Wu Z, Wang L, Abdollah F, Stephens A, Simone G, Tuderti G, Lee R, Eun DD, Correa AF, De Cobelli O, Ferro M, Porpiglia F, Amparore D, Checcucci E, Tufano A, Contieri R, Perdonà S, Bhanvadia R, Margulis V, Brönimann S, Singla N, Porter J, Ghodoussipour S, Minervini A, Mari A, Lambertini L, Ghoreifi A, Nativ
OF, Gonzalgo ML, Sidhom D, Sundaram CP, Ben-David R, Eraky A, Mehrazin R, Yoshida T, Kinoshita H, Dehghanmanshadi A, Rais-Bahrami S, Meagher MF, Puri D, Derweesh IH, Moghaddam FS, Djaladat H, Bertolo R, Autorino R, Antonelli A. Radical nephroureterectomy vs kidney sparing surgery for upper tract urothelial carcinoma in solitary kidney patients: a multiinstitutional analysis of the ROBUUST 2.0 registry. World J Urol. 2025 Sep 3;43(1):534.
D’Amico MJ, Simhal RK, Bernardo RC, Wang KR, Capella CE, Shah YB, Leong JY, Shenot PJ, Smith WR, Murphy AM. A Comparison of Preoperative Frailty Indices Correlation With Perioperative Risk for Patients Undergoing Sacrocolpopexy. Urology. 2025 Oct;204:59-65.
Leong JY, Prasad V, Perez Kerkvliet CJ, Wagner AA, Link RE, Shah MS. Single port robotic partial nephrectomy via a retroperitoneal approach. Can J Urol. 2025 Oct 30;32(5):469-475.
Shumaker L, Leopold Z, Perilstein M, Ricci S, Eun D. Robot-assisted transvesical simple prostatectomy with circumferential mucosal anastomosis: long-term urinary and sexual function outcomes in a 292 patient cohort. J Robot Surg. 2025 Oct 16;19(1):693. doi: 10.1007/s11701-025-02879-0. PMID: 41099878; PMCID: PMC12531315.
Lee M, Saxena S, Zhao K, Dodd C, Lee R, Stifelman M, Zhao L, Eun DD. Robotic ureteral reconstruction for endometriosisinduced strictures: insights from a multiinstitutional experience. World J Urol. 2025 Oct 4;43(1):589.
Schardein J, Moore J, Olson B, Kaufmann S, Jimbo M, Gross K, Parks S, Jenkins T, Pastuszak AW, Hotaling JM, Christensen MB. Epigenetic differences in non-plaque tissues of men with Peyronie’s disease. J Sex Med. 2025 Nov 2;22(11):2043-2051. doi: 10.1093/ jsxmed/qdaf233. PMID: 40971925.
Huang DY, Lallas CD, Davis RM, Keith SW, Moeller PJ, Kim IK, Ghosh A, Aguirre F, Thompson RAM, Drabo EF, Maio V. Comparative analysis of Robotic-Assisted, Laparoscopic, and open radical nephrectomy: Utilization, Costs, and clinical outcomes. J Robot Surg. 2025 Nov 24;20(1):41.
Prebay ZJ, Schneider A, Shah S, Dispagna M, Shah MS. Surgical success following robotic upper urinary tract reconstruction, results from a global network of healthcare organizations.J Robot Surg. 2025 Nov 8;19(1):761.
Lee M, Lesgart M, McPartland C, Lee R, Eun DD. Robotic Transvesical Bladder Neck Reconstruction: A Novel Approach to Managing Vesicourethral Anastomotic Stenosis. Eur Urol. 2025 Nov;88(5):519-524.
Leader AE, Pham K, Cianci N, Knapp H, Doka F, Barron S, Kolesnikov O, DeHoratius J, Bradley K, Robles L, Giamboy R, Dahlgren O, Gomella LG. Evaluating the impact of a community-based prostate cancer screening program. Arch Public Health. 2025 Dec 24;83(1):305.
Im BH, Chung PH. Response to comment on: hydrophilic inflatable penile prosthesis surface coatings readily rebind antibiotics and maintain antimicrobial efficacy ex vivo. Int J Impot Res. 2026 Feb;38(2):143.
Leong JY, Gaines T, Prebay ZJ, Ebbott D, Chung PH. Low utilization of intracavernosal injection and penile Doppler ultrasound in the evaluation of erectile dysfunction and Peyronie’s disease. Can J Urol. 2025 Dec 30;32(6):589-595.
Henry GD, Diaz N, Phillips CD, Lentz AC, Perito P, Natale R, Bennett N, Stuart AR, Henry CJ, Chung PH. Methods and early findings from a study comparing nextgeneration sequencing versus traditional cultures for penile implants concerning for low-grade infection. Transl Androl Urol. 2025 Dec 31;14(12):3945-3951. doi: 10.21037/ tau-2025-57. Epub 2025 Dec 24. PMID: 41522308; PMCID: PMC12779433.
Dehghanbanadaki H, Kim B, Fendereski K, Horns JJ, Ramsay JM, Jimbo M, Gross KX, Pastuszak AW, Hotaling JM. Racial/Ethnic differences in male reproductive health: a systematic review and meta-analysis of semen parameters and hormonal profiles in the United States. Int J Impot Res. 2025 Dec;37(12):950-964.
Ghosh A, D’Amico MJ, Shah YB, Smith WR, Shah MS, Lallas CD, Murphy AM. Treatment patterns for genitourinary syndrome of menopause: a TriNetX analysis. Can J Urol. 2025 Dec 30;32(6):627-632.
Soputro NA, Saxena S, Bamby J, Biasatti A, Aguirre F, Calvo RS, Nieto-Blanco G, Thompson R, Okhawere KE, Kupsaw G, Al-Bayati A, Duncan S, Jimenez G, Patil D, Imtiaz S, Lorentz CA, Linehan JA, Crivellaro S, Vourganti S, Autorino R, Shah MS, Wagner A, Chang P, Ahmed M, Stifelman MD, Yuh B, Badani KK, Kaouk J. Single-port Robotic Retroperitoneal Partial Nephrectomy via Low Anterior Access: A Propensitymatched Comparative Analysis to Standard Transperitoneal Multiport Robotic Surgery from the Single Port Advanced Research Consortium (SPARC). Eur Urol Focus. 2025 Dec 22:S2405-4569(25)00361-X.
