The UAB Department of Urology welcomed Kazumi Taguchi, M.D., Ph.D., as an associate professor in June.
Taguchi, a native of Japan, earned his Ph.D. and medical degree from Nagoya City University, where he also completed his residency in urology and a fellowship in endourology at the affiliated university hospital.
He further advanced his academic training with a research fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco. In 2018, he was appointed to the faculty of Nephrology at Nagoya City University, where he served prior to bringing his expertise to UAB.
“I am very pleased to join UAB, one of the most thriving institutions in the world,” Taguchi said.” I am optimistic and can foresee a bright and growing future for us.”
Taguchi shared his curiosity for endourology, drawing from his experience as a physician-scientist and his dedication to advancing global medicine.
What inspired you to pursue a career in this field?
Taguchi: My subspecialty, endourology, focuses especially on treating patients with kidney stone disease and benign prostatic hyperplasia by endoscopes and robotics. I had always wondered where these diseases came from; they are not cancer, but form an extra feature in our bodies that causes problems.
What aspects of your new role here are you most excited about?
Taguchi: Being able to work as a physician-scientist is truly meaningful for me. I believe it is the most effective and productive way to tackle the problems and questions I have in my daily practice with patients. A comprehensive research approach from bench-top to patients is a dream to achieve as an academician.
What are your goals for making an impact through both your teaching and patient care in this role?
Taguchi: UAB has amazing resources for education, clinical practice, and research. My goal in my career here is to fully utilize these resources, build strong and diverse endourology teams and programs, and educate the next generation of leaders to contribute to their communities. With my unique background as an international recruit here, I would like to expand our education and research network globally.