Dr. William D. “Bill” Steers, born August 19, 1955 in Toledo, Ohio, died Friday, April 10. He was professor and chairman of the department of urology at the University of Virginia Health System and Editor of The Journal of Urology®. He received a B.S. in chemical engineering from Cornell University in New York and received his medical degree from the Medical College of Ohio in Toledo in 1980. After a residency at the University of Texas and M.D. Anderson Hospital, Dr. Steers completed a fellowship in neurobiology and pharmacology at the University of Pittsburgh. He was a faculty member at the University of Virginia since 1988, became Chair of the Department of Urology in 1995 and was awarded the Hovey Dabney Professorship in 2003.
Dr. Steers has a long history with The Journal of Urology®, first serving as an editorial committee member starting in 2001. He was Associate Editor from 2004 to 2007 and then served as Editor from 2007 until his recent death. Dr. Steers received the American Urological Association's Gold Cystoscope Award in in 1994 for contributions to urology and the Hugh Hampton Young Award in 2011 for outstanding contributions in urological education and pharmacology of the genitourinary tract, including female urology, urinary incontinence and neurogenic bladder. He was also selected to receive a Presidential Citation in May 2015 for years of service to the AUA in many ways, but especially as editor of The Journal of Urology®. Men's Health Magazine named Dr. Steers one of the top 15 Best Doctors for Men in the United States.
He lectured and performed surgery throughout the world and was elected to numerous scientific/professional societies, including the Physiological Society of London, Clinical Society of Urology and the American Association of Genitourinary Surgeons. Dr. Steers was president of the American Board of Urology 2010-2011 and president of the Society for Basic Urologic Research in 1995. With more than 300 basic research and clinical publications, his diverse clinical interests spanned urinary incontinence, benign prostatic hyperplasia, neurogenic bladder and robotic surgery for prostate cancer. Recognized as an expert in the complications of prostate cancer treatments (incontinence and impotence), Dr. Steers had extensive experience performing robotic prostatectomy.
Dr. Steers was a member of the FDA's Reproductive Medicine Advisory Panel, and chaired the NIH's Urinary Incontinence and Interstitial Cystitis Clinical Trials. Dr. Steers was a principal investigator on the original clinical trials on the use of Viagra® for erectile dysfunction. He was president of the University of Virginia physician's practice plan (Health Services Foundation) until 2009 and chaired or served on numerous University and national committees. He and his wife tend Three Notched Vineyard in Albemarle County and produce Well Hung Wines in Virginia.
Biographical information excerpted from University of Virginia: http://uvahealth.com/findadoctor/profile/William-D-Steers. For information on services and arrangements, click here.
Tupper Stevens
Archivist and Museum Research
William P. Didusch Center for Urologic History www.urologichistory.museum
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