David Fallon Friedlander, MD, MPH, Named Recipient of the 2026 Rising Stars in Urology Research Award
BALTIMORE, Oct. 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The American Urological Association® (AUA) and the Urology Care Foundation, the official foundation of the AUA, today announced David Fallon Friedlander, MD, MPH, as the recipient of the 2026 Rising Stars in Urology Research Award. Dr. Friedlander is an assistant professor in the Department of Urology at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he studies ways to improve the quality and delivery of care for patients with kidney stone disease.
The Rising Stars in Urology Research Award program was established in 2005 to encourage recipients to contribute to urology as surgical specialists and scientists investigating causes, prevention, treatments, and cures that improve patients' lives. The research grant program provides supplemental salary support to urologists who have successfully competed for career development awards from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) or other major funding organizations.
"Dr. Friedlander's research addresses an important challenge in urologic care by identifying ways to ensure patients receive timely and appropriate follow-up after an emergency department visit for kidney stone disease," said Henry Lai, MD, chair of the AUA's Research Council. "His approach combines clinical data, implementation science, and patient-centered research to help reduce delay in care and improve outcomes for patients. We are pleased to support this important work and look forward to its impact on the care of kidney stone patients."
Dr. Friedlander's proposal, Using mixed methods to reduce disparities in renal colic care: a model for surgical value transformation, seeks to improve care for patients experiencing renal colic, one of the most common urologic emergencies in the United States. His research will develop and evaluate a machine learning-supported clinical decision support tool designed to help clinicians identify which patients require expedited follow-up care after an emergency department visit and which can be safely managed without immediate intervention. By incorporating both clinical and social factors into care recommendations, the project aims to improve timeliness, consistency, and equity of care while reducing avoidable emergency department visits and unmet surgical needs. The project also seeks to create a scalable framework that can be adapted to improve care delivery across other episodic urologic conditions.
"I am deeply honored and grateful to receive the 2026 Rising Stars in Urology Research Award," said Dr. Friedlander. "This recognition reflects the extraordinary mentorship, collaboration, and institutional support that have shaped my development as a surgeon-scientist. The award will provide critical support as I build an independent research program focused on transforming routine clinical data into practical, scalable solutions that help clinicians deliver more consistent, equitable, and patient-centered urologic care. I am incredibly thankful to the Urology Care Foundation and the American Urological Association for their investment in my career and in the future of urologic research."
Dr. Friedlander is an assistant professor in the Department of Urology at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he leads research focused on improving the quality, value, and delivery of urologic care. Supported by an Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality career development award, his work integrates health services research, clinical informatics, and health policy to develop data-driven approaches that improve urologic care delivery. He is a former AUA Research Scholar and AUA Science & Quality Scholar and currently serves on the AUA Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Committee.
For more information on the Rising Stars in Urology Research Award, visit AUAnet.org/RisingStars.
About the American Urological Association: Founded in 1902 and headquartered near Baltimore, Maryland, the American Urological Association is a leading advocate for the specialty of urology and has nearly 25,000 members throughout the world. The AUA is a premier urologic association, providing invaluable support to the urologic community as it pursues its mission of fostering the highest standards of urologic care through education, research, and the formulation of health policy.
About the Urology Care Foundation: The Urology Care Foundation is the world's leading nonprofit urological health foundation, and the official foundation of the American Urological Association. Collaborating with physicians, researchers, patients, and the public, the Foundation supports and improves urologic clinical care by funding research, developing patient education, and pursuing philanthropic support. To learn more about the Urology Care Foundation and its programs, visit: www.urologyhealth.org.
Attachment
Corey Del Bianco American Urological Association 4106894033 cdelbianco@auanet.org
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
