Projects per year
Personal profile
Personal profile
Dr. Raj Satkunasivam is a fellowship-trained urologic oncologist with a focus on minimally invasive and robotic approaches to the treatment of genito-urinary malignancies. His practice includes minimally invasive and robotic surgical techniques for kidney, bladder, prostate, adrenal and testicular cancers. He is the Director of Advanced Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgery at the Houston Methodist Institute for Technology, Innovation, and Education (MITIE).
Dr. Satkunasivam received his medical degree from the University of Toronto and completed his urology residency also at the University of Toronto. He pursued sub-specialty fellowship training in urologic oncology, advanced robotic and laparoscopic surgery at the University of Southern California, where he developed novel techniques for robotic kidney-sparing surgery (partial nephrectomy) and robotic bladder cancer surgery with entirely robotic (intra-corporeal) urinary reconstruction.
Research interests
Prior to joining Houston Methodist Hospital, Dr. Satkunasivam was an Assistant Professor and Surgeon Investigator at the University of Toronto's Odette Cancer Center at Sunnybrook Hospital. He holds a Master of Science in Health Services Research from the Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California. His research is focused on the clinical epidemiology of genito-urinary malignancies, specifically in identifying novel risk factors, improving individualized risk assessment and in assessing the comparative effectiveness of treatments. His research also examines outcomes and quality of surgical care, and novel strategies to improve the care of complex surgical patients. He is currently an Assistant Professor in the Houston Methodist Academic Institute and a Health Services Researcher in the Center for Outcomes Research at Houston Methodist Hospital.
External positions
Associate Professor of Urology, Weill Cornell Medicine
Oct 1 2021 → …
Research Area Keywords
- Cancer
- Outcomes, Quality & Health Care Performance
- Clinical Translation & Trials
- Clinical Care
Free-text keywords
- Urologic oncology
Fingerprint
- 1 Similar Profiles
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
-
HIGH DOSE RATE BRACHYTHERAPY PRIOR TO ROBOTIC ASSISTED LAPAROSCOPIC PROSTATECTOMY WITH SELECTIVE ADJUVANT ADVANCED ANDROGEN BLOCKADE FOR LOCALIZED HIGH-RISK PROSTATE CANCER (NEOHDR-B)
Farach, A. M. (PI), Butler, E. B. (Key Personnel), Mathur, S. (Key Personnel), Miles, B. J. (Key Personnel), Satkunasivam, R. (Key Personnel) & Teh, B. S. (Key Personnel)
12/23/24 → …
Project: Clinical Trial
-
Molecular Analysis of tumors and liquid biopsies in Patients undergoing standard treatment for Kidney Cancer and correlation to clinical outcomes
Miles, B. J. (Key Personnel) & Satkunasivam, R. (Key Personnel)
8/26/24 → …
Project: Clinical Trial
-
Molecular Analysis of tumors and liquid biopsies in Patients undergoing standard treatment for Bladder Cancer and correlation to clinical outcomes (MAP Bladder)
Satkunasivam, R. (PI), Chan, K. S. (Key Personnel) & Miles, B. J. (Key Personnel)
4/9/24 → …
Project: Clinical Trial
-
Adjuvant immunotherapy in high-risk muscle invasive urothelial carcinoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials
Oscar-Thompson, L., Riveros, C., Sonpavde, G., Apolo, A. B., Lalani, A. K. A., Wallis, C. J. D. & Satkunasivam, R., Mar 2025, In: Urologic Oncology: Seminars and Original Investigations. 43, 3, p. 156-163 8 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
2 Scopus citations -
Association of arsenic exposure with PDGF-BB in vitro and in a South Texas population exposed through drinking water
Svetlik, A. E., Hasan, N. T., Trisha, N. F., White, D. W., Satkunasivam, R., Johnson, N. M. & Roh, T., Jun 2025, In: Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology. 499, 117316.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
1 Scopus citations -
Association of patient and physician characteristics with androgen-deprivation-therapy intensification in patients with de novo hormone-sensitive metastatic prostate cancer: A population-based study
Nguyen, D. D., Satkunasivam, R., Aminoltejari, K., Hird, A., Roy, S., Morgan, S. C., Malone, S., Ong, M., Jiang, D. M., Gotto, G. T., Shayegan, B., Kulkarni, G. S., Breau, R. H., Lalani, A. K. A. & Wallis, C. J. D., Sep 15 2025, In: Cancer. 131, 18, e70070.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
Caspase-1–dependent pyroptosis converts αSMA+ CAFs into collagen-IIIhigh iCAFs to fuel chemoresistant cancer stem cells
Gao, H., Wong, S. Q. R., Subel, E., Huang, Y. H., Lee, Y. C., Hayashi, K., Alonzo, M. E., Karabicici, M., Hoi, X. P., Kasabyan, A., Mo, Q., Melchiode, Z., El-Zaatari, Z., Shen, S., Satkunasivam, R., Nikolos, F. & Chan, K. S., Jun 13 2025, In: Science Advances. 11, 24, eadt8697.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access6 Scopus citations -
Comparison of Mortality and Morbidity of Robotic Versus Laparoscopic Radical Nephrectomy for the Treatment of Renal Cell Carcinoma—An Analysis of the National Surgery Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) Targeted Nephrectomy Database
Mundra, V., Hu, S., Titus, R. S., Luna-Velazquez, E., Melchiode, Z., Xu, J., Riveros, C., Ranganathan, S., Huang, E., Miles, B. J., Kaushik, D., Wallis, C. J. D. & Satkunasivam, R., Jun 2025, In: Current Oncology. 32, 6, 358.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access
Prizes
-
Presidential Award - High Impact Publication Honoree
Satkunasivam, R. (Recipient), 2025
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)