“Urology on the Beach” Highlights Advances in Clinical Research and Innovative Technology
Urology on the Beach 2025 photo gallery
Article Summary
- More than 300 clinicians, researchers, residents and trainees learned about new developments in their subspecialties and discussed potential collaborative research plans at Urology on the Beach 2025.
- Conference sessions focused on recent research findings and clinical advances, including implantable tibial nerve stimulation devices for overactive bladders and a new option for treating urethral strictures endoscopically.
- Several conference speakers addressed the role of AI in urology and the future of technology in the field.
Advances in urological research and the adoption of innovative technologies are delivering important benefits to clinicians and their patients, according to distinguished professionals at the third annual “Urology on the Beach” conference hosted by the Desai Sethi Urology Institute (DSUI) of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
“Our 2025 conference highlighted new findings in virtually every area of urology,” said Dipen J. Parekh, M.D., DSUI’s founding director and chief operating officer at UHealth—the University of Miami Health System and course director for the January 17-19 conference at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach.
Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of Miller School, was the platinum sponsor, reflecting the close collaboration between oncologists and urologists in diagnosing and treating prostate, kidney and bladder cancers.

More than 300 clinicians, researchers, residents and trainees from the U.S., Canada, Europe and the Americas attended Urology on the Beach. They took advantage of multiple opportunities to learn about new developments in their subspecialties, network with other attendees, meet technology sponsors and discuss potential collaborative research plans.
“Urology on the Beach has a collegial format that allows for one-on-one interactions with field experts, making it a rare opportunity to connect and learn in ways that other meetings don’t often provide,” said co-course director Bruno Nahar, M.D., associate professor of urologic oncology and the Eric and Elizabeth Feder Family Endowed Chair in Urologic Oncology Research at the Miller School.

Co-course Director Raveen Syan, M.D., assistant professor of clinical urology at the Miller School, noted that most conference sessions focused on recent research findings and clinical advances, including implantable tibial nerve stimulation devices for overactive bladders and a new option for treating urethral strictures endoscopically, without incisions, in men and women.
Urology on the Beach received rave reviews from clinicians who traveled to attend the event.
“This is an excellent conference in a beautiful venue,” said Jaspreet Sandhu, M.D., a surgical urologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. “This is my first time here, and it’s been everything they said it would be.”
A three-time attendee, Janaki Sharma, M.D., assistant professor of medical oncology at Sylvester, said she gains new clinical information every year.
“Along with the latest treatments and technologies, the panel discussions let us see how different centers approach the same clinical issue,” she said. “For instance, I will re-evaluate the way to include systemic treatment in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer after hearing from those panelists.”
Future of Urology
Since the first Urology on the Beach conference, artificial intelligence (AI) has advanced from dreams to actual data, according to Dr. Parekh.
“Working with our industry collaborators, we are just scratching the surface of what AI, augmented reality (AR) and other innovative technologies can deliver,” he said in a Sunday session. “We are creating exciting changes and look forward to continuing to push things forward.”

Archan Khandekar, M.D., clinical instructor and urologic oncology fellow at the Miller School, moderated a discussion on “The Future of Technology” with several industry and scientific leaders.
“AI is not the future. It is here now, building a foundation for next-generation surgery,” said Tamir Wolf, M.D., Ph.D., CEO and co-founder of Theator, a California company.
Using videos, AI can analyze elements of surgical procedures and later connect the dots to improve clinical care quality and facilitate research projects, he said. AI can also provide more accurate documentation, reducing the administrative burden on physicians, while improving insurance coding for potentially greater accuracy.
Osamah Choudhry, M.D., co-founder and CEO of the California-based Medivis, spoke on the innovative use of AR, combined with scanning tools and AI, in surgical planning to target lesions and guide urologic procedures.
“Wearing a headset, a clinician can view the exact approach to remove a lesion and preserve normal anatomy,” he said. “They can also show their plans to patients so they have a better appreciation of their procedure.”
Rajat Roy, CEO and co-founder, PathomIQ Inc., a third California company, outlined how AI-powered predictive tests based on cancer diagnostic tissue images can improve treatment outcomes.
AI is not the future. It is here now, building a foundation for next-generation surgery.
Dr. Tamir Wolf
“By separating the signal from the noise, AI can help pathologists discern the complex structures that drive cancer,” he said. “Combining those images with genomic and clinical data, helps clinicians to determine the best cancer treatment for each patient.”
In a follow-up session on translational research, Nima Sharifi, M.D., professor of urology at the Miller School and DSUI scientific director, said the university is committed to bringing laboratory and clinical discoveries to the patient. To take one example, DSUI researchers are studying how dietary interventions may affect how the prostate develops and potentially reduce the risk of a future cancer.
Later in the day, Alan J. Wein, M.D., Ph.D. (hon.), professor of clinical urology and director of business development and mentoring at the Miller School, reflected on the dramatic changes in the field since entering practice in 1974.
“Virtually all our procedures, medications and other treatments are handled differently today,” he said. “There have been incredible advancements in reconstructive procedures, infertility, cancer care and other fields. I am sure the way we practice will be transformed in the next 20 years.”
Urology Career Opportunities
For Urology on the Beach, course directors expanded the popular “Rising Star” session, providing a platform for residents from across the country to showcase their innovative research, and the Surgical and Innovation Theater for trainees to present their work. Topics included oncology, female urology, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), men’s health, stone disease and translational research.
As Dr. Syan said, “Exposure to ongoing research at other institutions benefits residents, trainees and faculty.”
DSUI leaders also partnered with the Florida Urological Society to foster networking and collaboration within the Florida urology community, including a dedicated conference session. Another new session was moderated by leaders from American Urology Association (AUA), offering valuable insights on how to successfully publish works and providing attendees with practical guidance on advancing their academic and professional impact.

Robert Siemens, M.D., editor in chief of The Journal of Urology, outlined the fundamental differences between peer-reviewed journals and other publications in “Picking the Perfect Home for Your Research.” He also noted the importance of conferences like Urology on the Beach in translating new research and clinical information to practitioners.
“This conference has featured fabulous talks from excellent speakers,” added Dr. Siemens. “The meeting has been well organized, with really good science and great camaraderie.”
Dan Kulp, Ph.D., director of publications and executive editor for the American Urological Association, encouraged attendees to volunteer as a reviewer or serve on an editorial board.
“You will gain different perspectives by being embedded in a scholastic environment,” he added.
Addressing Urologic Cancers
Three sessions addressed kidney, prostate and bladder cancers, including panel discussions on challenging individual conditions.
“Guest speakers from leading institutions presented updates on the latest advances for kidney cancer treatment,” said moderator Mark Gonzalgo, M.D., Ph.D., professor and vice chair of urology at the Miller School and director of the Urologic Oncology Fellowship. “Our case presentations and interactive discussions with multidisciplinary panelists and attendees focused on the evolving landscape of surgical and non-surgical treatment options for management of kidney cancer.”

The session also covered recent advances in imaging for kidney cancer which are likely to enhance diagnostic accuracy, said Dr. Nahar.
“Another presentation focused on managing small renal masses, a condition increasingly common in clinics,” he said. “This discussion emphasized the importance of knowing when to operate and when to monitor these lesions, helping to avoid unnecessary surgeries and side effects for patients.”
In the prostate cancer session, Sanoj Punnen, M.D., professor of urologic oncology at the Miller School, who moderated the discussion with Dr. Nahar, noted the importance of new technologies in developing personalized treatments, adding, “AI will be a game-changer in everything.”
One presentation looked at DSUI’s long-term experience with high-intensity focused ultrasound for treating prostate cancer, including a recent paper on lessons learned.
“We covered critical aspects such as proper patient selection, effective follow-up strategies and how these findings are helping to refine treatment approaches and improve outcomes for patients,” said Dr. Nahar.
In his thought-provoking talk, Ian Thompson, Jr., M.D., professor emeritus at University of Texas Health San Antonio, discussed “Long-Term Complications of Prostate Cancer Treatment.” He noted a much higher increase in urinary and sexual function side effects and complications in patients, compared with normal aging issues.
“The risk of bladder cancer really bothers me,” he said, “and we need to find ways to reduce toxicity while helping patients make truly informed decisions.”
Chad Ritch, M.D., M.B.A., associate professor of urologic oncology at the Miller School, moderated the bladder cancer session, which highlighted the rapidly evolving field of BCG-unresponsive bladder cancer. It’s a growing concern exacerbated by the global Bacillus Calmette-Guerin shortage.

The session also covered personalized treatment approaches for bladder cancer, including the role of molecular biomarkers and the integration of surgery with immunotherapy and chemotherapy.
“There has been tremendous progress for patients wanting bladder-sparing therapy, but uncertainty continues regarding the optimal treatment and sequencing of therapy,” noted Dr. Siegel in his talk.
Men’s Health
Puneet Masson, M.D., associate professor and director of reproductive urology at the Miller School, and Thomas Masterson, M.D., assistant professor of clinical urology at the Miller School, moderated the Friday men’s health session. Bruce Kava, M.D., professor of clinical urology at the Miller School, and Dr. Wein gave updates on the delivery of men’s health care. They noted that, in contrast to international, multidisciplinary practices, urologists are primarily responsible in the United States.
Several presenters looked at innovative approaches to testosterone replacement therapy (TRT).
“Because TRT is a contraceptive, we typically stop this treatment for couples trying to conceive and give men other medications to make their own testosterone and sperm,” said Dr. Masson.

However, Larry Lipshultz, M.D., professor of urology and chief of male reproductive medicine and surgery at Baylor College of Medicine, presented a novel approach in his talk on “Concurrent Use of TRT In Couples Trying to Conceive.” He demonstrated it can be safe and effective to keep men on TRT while giving them synthetic hormonal therapy to produce sperm.
In a related talk, Joseph Alukal, M.D., M.B.A., director of men’s health at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, said TRT may also be given safely to prostate cancer patients, helping to reduce comorbities, particularly in older men.
Reconstructive Urology
Dr. Syan and Laura Horodyski, M.D., assistant professor of urology at the Miller School, led a Saturday session on reconstructive urology, including neuromodulation techniques for overactive bladder, as well as new treatment for female patients. Anne Pelletier Cameron, M.D., the James Montie M.D. Legacy Professor of Urology at the University of Michigan, spoke on tailoring therapies for interstitial cystitis. She noted that steroid injections and hydrodistension treatments can help some patients, while physical therapy can reduce pelvic muscle tenderness.
J. Quentin Clemens, M.D., the Edward J. McGuire Professor and associate chair for research at the University of Michigan and the president of the Society of Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine and Urogenital Reconstruction, gave a presentation on new developments in urogynecology and reconstructive pelvic surgery (URPS). A talk by Nick Warner, M.D., reconstructive urologist at the Mayo Clinic iin Rochester, Minnesota, covered “Innovation in Endoscopic Management of Urethral Strictures and Bladder Neck Contractures.”
Management on male stress urinary incontinence was the focus of a talk by Jaspreet Sandhu, M.D., a urologic surgeon at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. Later in the session, Doreen Chung M.D., a urologist at New York-Presbyterian, provided suggestions for managing incontinence and other urinary problems in the frail and elderly.
Benign Prostate Hyperplasia/Endourology
The BPH/Endourology session was moderated by Robert Marcovich, M.D., associate professor of urology and director of the DSUI residency program, Hemendra Navinchandra Shah, M.D., associate professor of clinical urology and Jonathan Katz, M.D., assistant professor of urology, all from the Miller School.
Recognized for his leadership in treating stone disease, Mantu Gupta, M.D., professor of urology at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, spoke on recent advances in percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL), a minimally invasive surgical procedure that removes kidney stones. He noted that placing patients in a supine position may have benefits compared with the traditional prone position.
Ojas Shah, M.D., the George F. Cahill Professor of Urology at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and Brian Eisner, M.D., co-director of the Kidney Stone Program at
Massachusetts General Hospital, led two debates on the use of ureteroscopy to examine the upper urinary tract and treat kidney stones and on the prevention of stones.
Summing up the three days of sessions, Dr. Parekh said, “We are very grateful to our speakers, as well as sponsors and attendees. What makes our conference so special is the ability to learn from faculty who have achieved excellence in their fields.”
Tags: benign prostatic hyperplasia, bladder cancer, cancer research, clinical urology, Desai Sethi Urology Institute, Dr. Alan Wein, Dr. Bruce Kava, Dr. Bruno Nahar, Dr. Chad Ritch, Dr. Dipen J. Parekh, Dr. Hemendra Shah, Dr. Janaki Sharma, Dr. Jonathan Katz, Dr. Laura Horodyski, Dr. Mark Gonzalgo, Dr. Nima Sharifi, Dr. Punneet Masson, Dr. Raveen Syan, Dr. Robert Marcovitch, Dr. Sanoj Punnen, Dr. Thomas Masterson, men's health, overactive bladder, prostate cancer, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, urology, Urology on the Beach