“My father was a tomato farmer. There is the phrase that says he or she worked their fingers to the bone, well, that’s my dad. And he was a very good man.”

—Sidney Poitier

A super-surgeon, educator, wine connoisseur, guitar player and dad extraordinaire—Piyush Agarwal, MD, is a man who skillfully wears many hats. When he’s not using cutting-edge technologies like blue light cystoscopy to find small, hard-to-see tumors in the operating room, he is fulfilled by the company of his effervescent children, supportive wife, solid friendships and vibrant patients.

Crediting much of his life to his father, who emigrated from India and became a physician in the United States, Dr. Agarwal is a family man at heart. The significant impact that his father had on him was palpable throughout the studio, and his source of inspiration was made very clear. Witnessing his father’s trials, tribulations and triumphs planted seeds of strength, courage and wisdom within Dr. Agarwal, enabling him to become the man, surgeon and dad he is today.

“Humbling” is how Dr. Agarwal describes his job as a surgeon, and, by way of firsthand experience with him in the operating room for a blue light cystoscopy procedure, he practices what he preaches. With a gentle, yet commanding, demeanor, Dr. Agarwal is truly exceptional. Not only does he possess a compassionate bedside manner, he is dedicated to training our future surgical leaders and does so with the utmost respect, patience and benevolence. For Dr. Agarwal, having the ability to do an operation and see the patient back for their follow-up tumor-free, with a beaming smile, brings him the most joy.

After being a physician for almost 15 years, Dr. Agarwal still finds immense satisfaction in the beauty of research and education. He consistently finds ways to perfect his craft and improve patient outcomes. Whether seated at his desk or in the operating room with blood on his hands, he is passionate about innovation and discovery. He spends much of his time conducting research related to bladder cancer—specifically BCG-unresponsive disease—the urinary microbiome, molecular targeted therapy and immunotherapy.

Dr. Agarwal’s philosophy in life is simple: “Don’t let anyone treat you like free salsa. You should always be the guacamole, baby,” which happens to be a quote he saw on a small easel outside a restaurant, late one night. Though this is a simple saying, it stuck with him, as it teaches him and his children to never stop believing in themselves and to always know their true worth.

On set, we were captivated by his multifaceted journey and his unwavering commitment to sustaining quality of life for his patients, as well as the tender strumming of his guitar. He is an all-around extraordinary human being—skilled, compassionate and a family man at heart. We were very lucky to get to know Dr. Agarwal in a different light.

This is Piyush Agarwal, Behind the Mask.

Urology

The world-class team of the Section of Urology at the University of Chicago Medicine includes highly skilled and experienced surgical faculty members, each specializing in different urological diseases. Our team of 11 faculty, eight advanced practice providers, and 19 residents and fellows is committed to providing our patients with exceptional, most innovative, comprehensive and compassionate care.

Arieh L. Shalhav, MD
Fritz and Mary Lee Duda Family Professor of Surgery
Chief, Section of Urology
Director, Minimally Invasive Urology
Director, Robotic Surgery
Learn More & Contact

faculty listing

Professor of Surgery
Piyush Agarwal, MD, Professor of Surgery; Director, Bladder Cancer Program; Fellowship Director, Urologic Oncology
Scott Eggener, MD, Bruce and Beth White Family Professor of Surgery and Radiology; Vice Chair, Urology; Director, University of Chicago High Risk & Advanced Prostate Cancer Clinic (UCHAP)
Mohan S. Gundeti, MD, Professor of Surgery, Pediatrics and Obstetrics and Gynecology; Director, Pediatric Urology
Ervin Kocjancic, MD, Professor of Surgery
Carrie W. Rinker Schaeffer, PhD, Professor of Surgery
Arieh L. Shalhav, MD, Fritz and Mary Lee Duda Family Professor of Surgery; Chief, Section of Urology Surgery; Director, Minimally Invasive Urology; Director, Robotic Surgery
Ted Skolarus, MD, MPH, Professor of Surgery; Director of Health Services Research
Gregory Zagaja, MD, Professor of Surgery; Director, Prostate Cancer Program

Associate Professor of Surgery
Sarah Faris, MD, Associate Professor of Surgery; Program Director, Urology Residency Program

Assistant Professor of Surgery
Parth Modi, MD, MS, Assistant Professor of Surgery
Omer Raheem, MD, MSc, MCh, MRCSI, Assistant Professor of Surgery and Obstetrics and Gynecology
Luke Reynolds, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery; Associate Program Director, Urology Residency Program

Clinical Associate of Surgery
Stephen Nold, MD, Clinical Associate of Surgery

faculty honors

Pediatric Urology was ranked No. 31 across the nation by U.S. News & World Report.

Scott Eggener, MD, was selected as an Oral Board Examiner for the American Board of Urology. He serves as a member of the Prostate Cancer Screening and Diagnosis Guidelines panel for the American Urological Association. He was selected as an Associate Editor of the Journal of Urology.

Sarah Faris, MD, received the Journal of Urology Best Reviewer Award. She also received the University of Chicago Distinguished Leader in Diversity and Inclusion award. Dr. Faris was selected as the American Urological Association Core Curriculum Senior Editor. She was an invited speaker by the Society for Women in Urology.

Mohan S. Gundeti, MD, was selected to serve on the Editorial Board of the American Urological Association and the new Gold Open Access journal, JU Open Plus. He was awarded $60,000 by the ITM Pilot Translational and Clinical Studies Development Program for his study “Machine learning to assess pediatric hydronephrosis and predict time to resolution.” He was awarded $25,000 by UChicago Global for his work in developing the pediatric minimal invasive surgery program in India and Southeast Asia. Dr. Gundeti was invited as a visiting professor at the University of Colorado Medicine. He was awarded the John D. Arnold, MD Scientific Research Mentor Award. He was appointed Co-Director, North American Robotic Urology Symposium, in February 2022.

Parth Modi, MD, MS, was selected as a Bucksbaum Institute for Clinical Excellence Junior Faculty Scholar.

Omer Raheem, MD, MSc, MCh, MRCSI, was appointed Associate Editor of Sexual Medicine and Sexual Medicine Reviews, the official journal of the Sexual Medicine Society of North America. He was appointed Co-Chair of the Research Grant Committee for the Sexual Medicine Society of North America (SMSNA).

faculty promotions

No urology promotions this year

select publications

Piyush Agarwal, MD

Lee YH, Lee MM, De Silva DM, Roy A, Wright CE, Wong TK, Costello R, Olaku O, Grubb RL 3rd, Agarwal PK, Apolo AB, Bottaro DP. Autocrine signaling by receptor tyrosine kinases in urothelial carcinoma of the bladder. PLoS One 2021 Jul 22;16(7):e0241766.

Agarwal PK, Sfakianos JP, Feldman A, Tagawa ST, Black PC. A 25-year perspective on advances in an understanding of the biology, evaluation, treatment and future directions/challenges of urothelial cancer. Urol Oncol 39(9): 528-547, 2021.

Curry BP, Alvarez R, Widemann BC, Johnson M, Agarwal PK, Lehky T, Valera V, Chittiboina P. Robotic nerve sheath tumor resection with intraoperative neuromonitoring: case series and systematic review. Oper Neurosurg: 2021 Dec 22. doi: 10.1227/ONS.0000000000000051.

Walia AS, Sweis RF, Agarwal PK, Kader AK, Modi PK. Cost-Effectiveness of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Urothelial Carcinoma-A Review. Cancers (Basel). 2021 Dec 24; 14(1): 73. doi: 10.3390/cancers14010073.

Labbate CV, Kuchta K, Park S, Agarwal PK, Smith ND. Incidence of Preoperative Antibiotic Use and Its Association with Postoperative Infectious Complications after Radical Cystectomy. Urology. 2022 Feb 23; S0090-4295 (22) 00157-1. Published online.

Labbate CV, Kuchta K, Park S, Agarwal PK, Smith ND. AUTHOR REPLY. Urology. 2022 June 164: 177.

Paner GP, Smith SC, Hartmann A, Agarwal PK, Compérat E, Amin MB. Flat intraurothelial lesions of the urinary bladder-do hyperplasia, dysplasia, and atypia of unknown significance need to exist as diagnostic entities? and how to handle in routine clinical practice. Mod Pathol. 2022 Apr 25. doi: 10.1038/s41379-022-01087-7. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35468997.

Scott Eggener, MD

Labbate CV, Paner GP, Eggener SE. Should Grade Group 1 (GG1) be called cancer? World J Urol. 2022 Jan; 40(1):15-19.

Eggener SE, Berlin A, Vickers AJ, Paner GP, Wolinsky H, Cooperberg MR. Low-Grade Prostate Cancer: Time to Stop Calling It Cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2022 09 20; 40(27):3110-3114.

Fankhauser CD, Afferi L, Stroup SP, Rocco NR, Olson K, Bagrodia A, Baky F, Cazzaniga W, Mayer E, Nicol D, Islamoglu E, de Vergie S, Saoud R, Eggener SE, Nazzani S, Nicolai N, Hugar L, Sexton WJ, Matei DV, De Cobelli O, Cheaib J, Pierorazio PM, Porter J, Hermanns T, Hamilton RJ, Hiester A, Albers P, Clarke N, Mattei A. Minimally invasive retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for men with testis cancer: a retrospective cohort study of safety and feasibility. World J Urol. 2022 Jun; 40(6):1505-1512.

Eggener S, Siemens DR. Prostate Cancer, Decisional Regret and Exercise. J Urol. 2022 05; 207(5):952-953.

Turchan WT, Cutright D, Wu T, Leng JX, Dignam JJ, Eggener SE, Liauw SL. Hematuria following Post-Prostatectomy Radiotherapy: Incidence Increases with Long-Term Followup. J Urol. 2022 06; 207(6):1236-1245.

Saoud R, Kristof TW, Judge C, Chumbalkar V, Antic T, Eggener S, Modi P. Clinical and pathological features of renal epithelioid angiomyolipoma (PEComa): A single institution series. Urol Oncol. 2022 02; 40(2):18-24.

Cooperberg MR, Lin DW, Morgan TM, Chapin BF, Chen RC, Eggener SE. Active Surveillance: Very Much “Preferred” for Low-Risk Prostate Cancer. J Urol. 2022 02; 207(2):262-264.

Chatterjee A, Mercado C, Bourne RM, Yousuf A, Hess B, Antic T, Eggener S, Oto A, Karczmar GS. Validation of Prostate Tissue Composition by Using Hybrid Multidimensional MRI: Correlation with Histologic Findings. Radiology. 2022 02; 302(2):368-377.

Turchan WT, Cutright D, Wu T, Leng JX, Eggener S, Liauw S. Incidence and Severity of Hematuria After Post-Prostatectomy Radiotherapy in a Cohort With Long-Term Follow-up. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2021 Nov 01; 111(3S):e296.

Tatjana A, Tjota MY, O’Donnell PH, Eggener SE, Agarwal PK, Haridas R, Segal J, Wang P. EZR-ROS1 fusion renal cell carcinoma mimicking urothelial carcinoma: report of a previously undescribed gene fusion in renal cell carcinoma. Virchows Arch. 2022 Feb; 480(2):487-492.

Vickers AJ, Russo G, Lilja H, Evans C, Schalken JA, Klein E, Eggener S. How Should Molecular Markers and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Be Used in the Early Detection of Prostate Cancer? Eur Urol Oncol. 2022 04; 5(2):135-137.

Sarah Faris, MD

Association between Industry Payments and Published Position on Use of Devices for the Treatment of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms.

Singh A, Faris S, Agarwal P, Reynolds LF, Modi PK. Association between Industry Payments and Published Position on Use of Devices for the Treatment of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms. Urology. 2022 01; 159:87-92.

PMID: 34752849

Management of Patients With Microhematuria.

Judge C, Cifu AS, Faris S. Management of Patients With Microhematuria. JAMA. 2021 Aug 10; 326(6):563-564.

PMID: 34374732

Persistent Opioid Usage After Urologic Intervention and the Impact of Tramadol.

Wackerbarth JJ, Ham SA, Aizen J, Richgels J, Faris SF. Persistent Opioid Usage After Urologic Intervention and the Impact of Tramadol. Urology. 2021 11; 157:114-119.

PMID: 34333038

Mohan S. Gundeti, MD

Toni, T., Lombardo, A., Andolfi, C., Gundeti, M.S., Ureteroneocystostomy without ureteral remodeling for grade III–V vesicoureteral reflux treatment. J Pediatr Urol. 2021 Jul 23:S1477-5131(21)00346-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jpurol.2021.07.009. Online ahead of print J Pediatr Urol. 2021. PMID: 34364812

Sahadev R, Rodriguez MV, Kawal T, Barashi N, Srinivasan AK, Gundeti M, Shukla AR., Upper or lower tract approach for duplex anomalies? A bi-institutional comparative analysis of robot-assisted approaches. J Robot Surg. 2022 Jan 25. doi: 10.1007/s11701-022-01372-2. Online ahead of print.J Robot Surg. 2022. PMID: 35079941

Mittal S, Aghababian A, Eftekharzadeh S, Saxena S, Janssen K, Lombardo A, Adamic B, Dinardo L, Weaver J, Fischer K, Andolfi C, Long C, Weiss D, Kirsch A, Srinivasan A, Gundeti M, Shukla AR., Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Ureterocalycostomy in the Setting of Ureteropelvic Junction Obstruction: A Multi-Institutional Cohort. J Urol. 2022 Feb 21:101097JU0000000000002484. doi: 10.1097/JU.0000000000002484. Online ahead of print.J Urol. 2022. PMID: 35188821

Mohanty A, Lombardo AM, Judge C, Gundeti MS., Are there disparities in access to robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery among pediatric urology patients? US institutional experience. Int J Urol. 2022 Mar 26. doi: 10.1111/iju.14866. Online ahead of print.Int J Urol. 2022. PMID: 35340066

Greenwald D, Mohanty A, Andolfi C, Gundeti MS., Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Pediatric Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Pyeloplasty. J Endourol. 2022 Apr;36(4):448-461. doi: 10.1089/end.2021. 0363.J Endourol. 2022. PMID: 34806401

Saoud R, Abou Heidar N, Andolfi C, Gundeti MS., Antegrade Colonic Enema Channels in Pediatric Patients Using Appendix or Cecal Flap: A Comparative Robotic vs Open Series. J Endourol. 2022 Apr;36(4):462-467. doi: 10.1089/end.2021.0403.J Endourol. 2022. PMID: 34931548

Sidelsky S, Nallani A, Gundeti MS., Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Augmentation Ileocystoplasty and Appendicovesicostomy (RALIMA) – Recent Modifications to the University of Chicago Technique to Reduce Operating Time. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.urolvj.2022.100150

Judge C, Gliatis A, Mohanty A, Gundeti MS., Redo robotic left ureteral reimplant using the “LUAA Gundeti technique”. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.urolvj.2022.100153

Gliatis A, Judge C, Stahoviak K, Gundeti MS., Open bladder augmentation ileocystoplasty, appendicovesicostomy creation, and bladder neck reconstruction. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.urolvj.2022.100168

Parth Modi, MD, MS

Walia AS, Sweis RF, Agarwal PK, Kader AK, Modi PK. Cost-Effectiveness of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Urothelial Carcinoma-A Review. Cancers (Basel). 2021 Dec 24; 14(1).

Hollenbeck BK, Dunn RL, Sukul D, Modi PK, Nallamothu BK, Sen A, Bynum JP. Aortic valve replacement among patients with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2021 12; 69(12):3468-3475.

Shankar PR, Ellimoottil C, George AK, Hadj-Moussa M, Modi PK, Salami S, Tosoian JJ, Wei JT, Davenport MS. Testing-Related Health Impact of Transrectal and Transperineal Prostate Biopsy as Assessed by Health Utilities. J Urol. 2021 12; 206(6):1403-1410.

Lai LY, Kaufman SR, Modi PK, Ellimoottil C, Oerline M, Caram MEV, Hollenbeck BK, Shahinian VB. Impact of Advanced Practice Provider Integration into Multispecialty Group Practices on Outcomes Following Major Surgery. Surg Innov. 2022 Feb; 29(1):111-117.

Omer Raheem, MD, MSc, MCh, MRCSI

Kim J, Polchert M, Chacko B, Tannenbaum J, Raheem O. Do Minimally Invasive Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Treatments Preserve Sexual Function? A Contemporary Review of the Literature. Curr Urol Rep. 2021 Nov 02; 22(11):56.

Kim J, Drury R, Morenas R, Raheem O. Pathophysiology and Grayscale Ultrasonography of Penile Corporal Fibrosis. Sex Med Rev. 2022 01; 10(1):99-107.

Mefford AT, Raheem O, Yafi FA, Alzweri LM. Peyronie’s disease – outcomes of collagenase clostridium histolyticum injection: A systematic review. Arab J Urol. 2021; 19(3):363-369.

Ottaiano N, Pincus J, Tannenbaum J, Dawood O, Raheem O. Penile reconstruction: An up-to-date review of the literature. Arab J Urol. 2021; 19(3):353-362.

Tannenbaum J, Youssef M, Attia AS, Hsieh TC, Raheem O. Hyperthyroidism as an Underlying Cause of Premature Ejaculation. Sex Med Rev. 2022 01; 10(1):108-112.

Kohn TP, Rajanahally S, Hellstrom WJG, Hsieh TC, Raheem OA. Global Trends in Prevalence, Treatments, and Costs of Penile Prosthesis for Erectile Dysfunction in Men. Eur Urol Focus. 2022 05; 8(3):803-813.

Raheem OA, Chen T, Akula KP, Greenberg J, Le TV, Chernobylsky D, Sikka SC, Walsh TJ. Efficacy of Non-Testosterone-Based Treatment in Hypogonadal Men: A Review. Sex Med Rev. 2021 07; 9(3):381-392.

Pincus J, Sandoval V, Dick B, Sanekommu G, Rajasekaran R, Ramasamy R, Raheem O. E-Cigarette-Associated Endothelial Damage: A Potential Mechanism for Erectile Dysfunction. Sex Med Rev. 2022 01; 10(1):168-173.

Natale C, Carlos C, Hong J, Khera M, Baum N, Raheem OA. Testosterone Therapy After Prostate Cancer Treatment: A Review of Literature. Sex Med Rev. 2021 07; 9(3):393-405.

Seminal vesicle cystadenoma with dysplasia: missing link to adenocarcinoma? Chumbalkar V, Zagaja G, Montironi R, Paner GP. Seminal vesicle cystadenoma with dysplasia: missing link to adenocarcinoma? Histopathology. 2021 08; 79(2):274-276.

residents & fellows

View the Urology Residents and Fellows here.