Benjamin R Lee, MD, MBA

Benjamin R Lee, MD, internationally known for his expertise in kidney cancer surgery, prostate cancer, and calculus treatment and innovations, is Chair of the Department of Urology in the University of Arizona College of Medicine Tucson Department of Surgery and director of the Genitourinary Cancer and Disease oriented strategic planning team at the University of Arizona Cancer Center.

Dr. Lee joined the University of Arizona after serving as a professor of Urology at Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans, where he was also director of the robotic, laparoscopy, and endourology fellowship. He is noted for developing novel techniques for robotic and laparoscopic surgery and is also a leading authority on robotic treatment of renal cell carcinoma and prostate cancer as well as nanotechnology applications in urologic oncology.

Dr. Lee graduated magna cum laude from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. He then attended the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and continued at the James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute at Johns Hopkins for residency with Dr. Patrick Walsh and Dr. Alan Partin, learning the art of laparoscopy under Dr. Lou Kavoussi. He joined the faculty at North Shore Long Island Jewish Medical Center and developed expertise in the treatment of stone disease with the founder of endourology, Dr. Arthur Smith.

While at Tulane University, Dr. Lee published on nanotechnology applications to improve drug delivery for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma, methods to decrease the morbidity of surgery, methods of decreasing the recurrence of cancer, explanations of why the immune system may be activated differently following laparoscopy compared to open surgery, and further studies focused on preserving kidney function during laparoscopic and robotic kidney surgery. Dr. Lee's research has been recognized by awards from the American Urological Association, The Endourological Society, and Urology Journal. He was awarded the prestigious Arthur Smith Award in 2008 for his contributions to the discipline of robotics, laparoscopy, and minimally invasive surgery.

Dr. Lee was organizing secretary of the 31st World Congress of Endourology, which was held in New Orleans, LA, in 2013. He has served on the Board of Directors for the Southeastern Section of the American Urological Association and is currently on the finance committee of the Endourological Society, on the editorial board for the Journal of Endourology, and co-editor of the Journal of Endourology Case Reports. He was also previously chair of the American Urological Association Task Force on e-learning development for AUA University, an online education program offered by the American Urological Association.

Dr. Lee has participated in multiple clinical trials and is the author or co-author of more than 250 manuscripts, book chapters, and educational teaching videos. He was instrumental in developing a multidisciplinary nanotechnology research program that includes the integration of urology, biomedical engineering, biomolecular engineering, pathology, and physics and materials engineering.