Submitted on September 15, 2025
Congratulations to Michelle Van Kuiken, MD, who has been named the Kutzmann Endowed Professor of Clinical Urology.
For Dr. Van Kuiken, who joined UCSF in 2020, the honor is both a professional milestone and a reflection of the department’s culture.
“It’s an incredible opportunity that emphasizes that the department values and supports the career ambitions and talent of junior faculty,” she said.
She is the first woman to hold the Kutzmann Professorship, an important step in a field where women remain underrepresented. Although women make up about 20% of academic urology faculty nationwide, they hold fewer than 8% of endowed and distinguished professorships.
Dr. Van Kuiken sees her role as part of the change.
“When more women are in leadership, it creates more opportunities for mentorship,” she said. “Gender- and race-concordant care has been shown to improve outcomes.”
Beyond her research and teaching, Dr. Van Kuiken serves as Medical Director of Subspecialty Clinics, where she works to expand access, improve efficiency, and strengthen patient-centered care at UCSF’s growing network in Berkeley, Redwood Shores and Marin. She also chairs Faculty Wellbeing, focusing on building systems that reduce burnout and help clinicians thrive.
Her clinical expertise lies in female pelvic floor reconstruction and complex lower urinary tract dysfunctions – conditions that are common, yet too often misunderstood and poorly managed. She was inspired to become a “one-stop” provider who could treat these issues comprehensively rather than sending patients elsewhere.
The Kutzmann Professorship was most recently held by Thomas Chi, MD, MBA, whose visionary leadership in endourology, clinical expansion, and mentorship left a lasting mark on UCSF before his recent appointment as Chair of the Department of Urology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
“Dr. Van Kuiken is a tremendous clinician, leader, and mentor,” said Taube Family Distinguished Professor in Urology and Urology Chair Benjamin Breyer, MD. “This professorship is a well-deserved recognition of her impact and the promise of even greater contributions ahead.”