Dr. Wilson began working at City of Hope in 1990 and has been the chief of the Division of Urology & Urologic Oncology since 1992. In 2003, he was also named director of the Prostate Cancer Program, and since 1995, he has been a member of the City of Hope Medical Group Board of Directors.
Under his leadership, the Division of Urology & Urologic Oncology has developed into a nationally recognized leader in urologic oncology with expertise in prostate cancer, bladder cancer, testis cancer, kidney cancer, and urinary reconstruction. Dr. Wilson is highly experienced with minimally invasive, laparoscopic and robotic-assisted urologic oncology and is a recognized world expert in robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy being one of the top six surgeons worldwide in terms of volume performing this type of surgery.
His research interests focus on the early diagnosis and prevention of prostate cancer patients, identification of high-risk prostate cancer patients, and quality-of life-issues involving prostate and bladder cancer treatment. Working with other doctors and scientists, he participated in translational research that recently was awarded an National Institutes of Health R01 research grant. This research is directed at discovering improved techniques for diagnosing prostate cancer.
In 1995 he was recognized as one of 25 “Doctors who are making a difference” by Los Angeles Magazine. In 1998, he was voted “Professor of the Year” by the Department of Urology residents in training at the University of Southern California (USC) School of Medicine. From 1998 through 2002, he served as an officer of the Los Angeles Urological Society and in 2001 was president of that organization.
More recently, Dr. Wilson presented City of Hope’s experience with robotic radical and laparoscopic prostatectomy to a number of prestigious organizations, including the American Society of Clinical Oncologists (ASCO, 2005); and the European Robotic Urology Symposium (2005); among others. He also performed a live video broadcast to the American Urological Association (2004).
He is committed to compassionate, aggressive and complete urologic cancer care and the research it takes to find the best possible treatments for patients with these problems. He strongly believes, as did Sam Golter, City of Hope’s first executive director, that “there is no profit in curing the body if, in the process we destroy the soul.”
Dr. Wilson was born and raised in Northwest Oregon where he graduated high school as an Oregon Scholar and a member of the National Honor Society. After high school he attended Stanford University and graduated with a B.S. degree in biology. He then attended medical school at the Oregon Health Sciences University and returned to California in 1984 where he trained in urology at USC to obtain his board certification. He then completed a fellowship in urologic oncology at City of Hope in conjunction with USC in 1992. He is a member of the Society of Urologic Oncology as well as the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, and is the first physician to hold the Pauline and Martin Collins Family Chair in Urology at City of Hope.