Thomas Chi, MD, MBA, PI of a prior CAIRIBU P20 Center at UCSF and current collaborator with the UCSF- UroEpi K12 program, was recently appointed as the Chair of the Department of Urology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Prior to joining UAB, Dr. Chi served as Kutzmann Endowed Professor in Clinical Urology and the Associate Chair for Clinical Affairs at the University of California, San Francisco.
Dr. Chi received his MD from the University of California, San Franciso School of Medicine in 2005. Remaining at UCSF, he completed two years of general surgery residency training, followed by a urology residency, and a fellowship in Endourology and Laparoscopy.
Now, Dr. Chi’s clinical practice includes the treatment of patients with urinary stone disease and benign prostatic hypertrophy as well as utlizing minimally invasive surgical techniques to remove kidney stones. Dr. Chi also researches the genetic and microbial environment of the kidney to understand how kidney stones form.
During his time as PI of the prior CAIRIBU P20 Center at UCSF, Dr. Chi’s research focused on the development of an automated nephrolithiasis clinical registry as a tool to support high-impact research within the wider urologic community.
Dr. Chi is a current collaborator of the UCSF-UroEpi K12 program (PI, Alison Huang, MD, MAS). This program aims to recruit junior faculty who are committed to research of non-malignant urologic conditions. The current UCSF K12 Scholars under their mentorship are researching conditions such as urinary tract infections, lower urinary tract symptoms, and kidney stone disease.
UAB was home to a prior CAIRIBU P20 Exploratory Center researching Calcium Oxalate Stone formation, under the leadership of PI, Dean Assimos, MD. As the new Chair of the Department of Urology at UAB, Dr. Chi will continue the legacy of foundational research in the treatment of urologic conditions.
Congratulations, Dr. Chi!