Biographical Info

Michael Abern, MD is a board-certified urologist, Associate Professor of Urology and the Director of Urologic Oncology at University of Illinois at Chicago. He specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of high-risk urologic cancers and approaches the field from both a clinical and an academic perspective as a surgeon and researcher.

Dr. Abern treats both men and women, focusing on cancers of the prostate, kidney, bladder, testicle, and adrenal glands as well as other rare diseases. He has a clinical interest in surgical management through open, laparoscopic and robotic techniques. He started the multi-disciplinary tumor board for urologic cancers, and MRI/Ultrasound fusion prostate biopsy program at UIC. He is the clinical leader of the genitourinary cancer program of the UIC Cancer Center, which strives to bring research projects to the Chicagoland community—an area that suffers a large burden of prostate cancer mortality.

Outside the clinic, Dr. Abern is an active investigator in urologic and oncologic research. His research program is focused on cancer detection using novel biomarkers and quantitative imaging. This work is supported by the Department of Defense Prostate Cancer Research Program. In addition, he is primary investigator on several collaborative and industry-sponsored clinical trials through the UIC Cancer Center.

Dr. Abern holds a leadership position as Chair of Content Review for the American Urological Association and editorial board member for the journal “Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases”. He is a reviewer for the Department of Defense prostate cancer research program, and will serve as the 2019 chairperson for the Prevention, Treatment, and Epidemiology study section.