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Robert M. Weiss, MD, FACS, FAAP

Donald Guthrie Professor of Urology
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Contact Info

Urology

PO Box 208058

New Haven, CT 06520-8058

United States

About

Titles

Donald Guthrie Professor of Urology

Biography

  • Practice Locations: York Street Campus
  • Residency: Squier Urological Clinic, Presbyterian Hospital, New York, New York.
  • Visiting Fellow, American, Department of Urology (Pharmacology), Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, (Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center), New York, New York.
  • Visiting Scholar, Department of Physiology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee
  • Clinical Interests: Pediatric Urology,

Dr. Robert M. Weiss received his undergraduate degree from Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and his M.D. Degree from the State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center. In 1976 he was awarded a M.A. (Hon.) from Yale University. He is a Board Certified Urologist. He is a physician-scientist and pediatric urologist . Dr. Weiss served as Chief of the Section of Urology at the Yale University School of Medicine/Yale New Haven Hospital (1986-2011), as Interim Chair of the Department of Surgery at the Yale University School of Medicine from 1999-2001 and as an Adjunct Professor of Pharmacology at the Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons (1977-2002). Dr. Weiss’ research interests have dealt with signal transduction of urinary tract smooth muscle, bladder and prostate carcinoma, and the use of nanoparticles for delivering drugs to benign and malignant conditions of the bladder. Dr. Weiss has been awarded grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and was the first urologist to receive an NIH Merit Award. He received a "Lifetime Achievement Award" from the Urodynamic Society, in recognition of significant contributions and leadership in the field of Neurourology, the Keyes Medal from the American Association of Genitourinary Surgeons for "outstanding contributions in the advancement of urology" which is recognized as the greatest individual citation awarded by the association and is awarded sparingly, the John W. Duckett, MD Pediatric Urology Research Excellence Award, the Pediatric Urology Medal from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the highest honor that the section awards to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to Pediatric Urology, and the inaugural Robert M. Weiss Urology Teaching Award from the Yale urology residents. He has served as a permanent member of an NIH study section, was a member or chair of a number of NIH or DoD study sections, and served as a member of an Advisory Panel to the United States Pharmacopeia and to the National Formulary. Dr. Weiss is a fellow of both the American College of Surgeons and the American Academy of Pediatrics. He is a member of the American Association of Genitourinary Surgeons, the Clinical Society of Genito- urinary Surgeons, and the American Surgical Association. Dr. Weiss has served as a Trustee of the American Board of Urology and as Associate Editor of the Investigative Urology Section of the Journal of Urology and Section Editor of Neurourology and Urodynamics and is a Fellow of Timothy Dwight College, Yale University. Dr. Weiss has lectured nationally and internationally and has contributed over 300 publications to the scientific literature. Dr. Weiss is a passionate New York Jets fan and season ticket holder since before he was a surgeon.

Appointments

Other Departments & Organizations

Education & Training

Resident
Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center (1967)
Visiting Fellow
Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, New York, NY (1965)
Resident
Squier Urological Clinic/Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY (1964)
Resident
Beth Israel Hospital, New York, NY (1962)
Intern
Bellevue Hospital, New York, NY (1961)
MD
SUNY Downstate Medical Center (1960)

Board Certifications

  • Urology

    Certification Organization
    AB of Urology
    Latest Certification Date
    1999
    Original Certification Date
    1970

Research

Overview

The Proof of Concept that we are testing is that intravesical instillation of small interference RNA (siRNA) packaged in biodegradable nanospheres provides wide opportunities for the treatment of urologic diseases including transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder (TCC), interstitial cystitis (IC), overactive bladder, and detrusor hyperreflexia.

Because of their robust, gene selective silencing of target protein expression, siRNA oligonucleotides are an attractive therapeutic option with high selectivity and specificity and minimal toxicity to neighboring cells. siRNAs, however, have a relatively short half-life and thus we are addressing the stabilization and intravesical delivery of siRNAs. To achieve this goal, we plan to create and test clinically viable, non-viral nanosphere siRNA complexes that are intravesically
instilled for treatment of diseases of the urinary tract.

We plan to develop and test a number of nanoparticle controlled release systems containing targeting proteins that will stabilize and deliver siRNAs and drugs and initially test these on bladder cancers

Using nanospheres that contain siRNAs to survivin in combination with chemotherapeutic agents to affect growth and spread of bladder cancer in in vitro and in vivo animal models

Use of nanoparticles for localization and treatment of prostatic carcinoma in a in vivo animal model.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)

Pharmacology; Signal Transduction; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms; Urology

Research at a Glance

Yale Co-Authors

Frequent collaborators of Robert M. Weiss's published research.

Publications

2021

2019

2018

2015

2014

2013

Academic Achievements & Community Involvement

  • activity

    Masters in Urology

  • honor

    President

  • honor

    Pediatric Urology Medal

  • honor

    John W. Duckett, MD Pediatric Urology Research Excellence Award

  • honor

    Connecticut Magazine Top Docs 2016

Get In Touch

Contacts

Clinic Fax Number
Mailing Address

Urology

PO Box 208058

New Haven, CT 06520-8058

United States