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University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)
Dr. Laurence S. Baskin, MD is an American pediatric urologist, surgeon-scientist, educator, and researcher at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). He is a Professor of Urology and holds the Frank Hinman, Jr., MD Distinguished Professorship in Pediatric Urology. His clinical and research career has focused particularly on hypospadias, genital reconstruction, pediatric urologic surgery, disorders of sex development, congenital urologic conditions, and urinary-tract reconstruction.
| CategoryDetails | |
| Full Name | Laurence S. Baskin, MD |
| Profession | Pediatric Urologist / Surgeon-Scientist |
| Current Institution | University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) |
| Current Position | Professor of Urology |
| Academic Chair | Frank Hinman, Jr., MD Distinguished Professor in Pediatric Urology |
| Specialty | Pediatric Urology |
| Subspecialties | Pediatric reconstructive urology, hypospadias, genital reconstruction, disorders of sex development |
| Medical School | UCLA |
| Undergraduate | University of California, Berkeley |
| Urology Residency | UCSF |
| Pediatric Urology Fellowship | Children's Hospital of Philadelphia |
| Faculty at UCSF | Since 1993 |
| Former Leadership | Chief of Pediatric Urology, UCSF, 1997–2024 |
| Research Leadership | Principal Investigator, Baskin Laboratory |
| Major Research Focus | Hypospadias, genital development, bladder development, congenital pediatric urologic disease |
| Professional Societies | AUA, Society for Pediatric Urologic Surgery, American Association of Genitourinary Surgeons, among others |
Baskin earned a BS in Biophysics in 1982 from the University of California, Berkeley.
He received his MD in 1986 from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
He completed his urology residency at UCSF in 1991, developing the surgical foundation for his subsequent career in pediatric urology.
Baskin completed a pediatric urology fellowship at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia in 1993. He subsequently joined the UCSF faculty and has practiced pediatric urology exclusively.
Earned a BS in Biophysics from UC Berkeley.
Received his MD from UCLA.
Completed urology residency at UCSF.
Completed pediatric urology fellowship at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and joined the UCSF faculty.
Baskin became Chief of Pediatric Urology at UCSF in 1997, a leadership role he held until 2024.
He developed the Baskin Laboratory, which investigates the biological mechanisms underlying congenital and acquired pediatric urologic disorders. The laboratory has maintained continuous NIH funding since 1995, according to UCSF.
He received the John Duckett Medal from the European Society for Paediatric Urology in 2007.
UCSF appointed Baskin to the Frank Hinman, Jr., MD Distinguished Professorship in Pediatric Urology. At the time, he was also chief of pediatric urology and director of the pediatric urology fellowship program.
He received the AUA Foundation John W. Duckett, MD Pediatric Urology Research Excellence Award in 2012.
UCSF highlighted Baskin's long-standing contribution to mentoring medical students and young researchers through the Baskin Laboratory and pediatric urology research program.
UCSF records identify him as former Chief of Pediatric Urology from 1997 to 2024, after more than two decades in the leadership position.
Baskin remains active as a UCSF professor and researcher. His recent publications include work concerning differences of sex development, ovotesticular development, fetal germ-cell development and pediatric urologic conditions.
Dr. Baskin's clinical work is centered on pediatric urology and reconstructive surgery.
His major areas of expertise include:
UCSF specifically describes him as an expert in genital development and reconstructive surgery and notes his extensive work in hypospadias.
One of Baskin's most prominent areas of expertise is hypospadias, a congenital condition involving abnormal development of the penile urethra.
He founded the UCSF Center for the Study and Treatment of Hypospadias, dedicated to improving treatment and understanding of the condition. He has written extensively on hypospadias and genital reconstruction and has produced educational videos demonstrating surgical techniques.
His work spans both clinical reconstruction and basic science, with his laboratory studying how genital tissues develop and how prenatal environmental exposures can affect urologic development.
The Baskin Laboratory at UCSF investigates the causes and developmental mechanisms of pediatric urologic disease. Its research focuses on how cells communicate during normal and abnormal development and how environmental exposures during pregnancy may influence congenital abnormalities.
Research areas include:
Understanding the developmental biology and causes of hypospadias and improving reconstructive treatment.
Investigating the biological processes involved in normal and abnormal bladder development.
Studying cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in development of the external genitalia.
His recent research includes work related to ovotesticular differences of sex development and gonadal development.
The laboratory examines how abnormal prenatal environmental exposures can influence developmental processes.
Baskin is a highly published pediatric urologist. UCSF describes him as the primary author of more than 300 research articles on its current physician profile.
Selected recent publications include:
He has also served as an editor of major pediatric-urology educational resources, including the Handbook of Pediatric Urology and Hinman's Atlas of Pediatric Urologic Surgery.
Baskin has held leadership roles in several major professional organizations.
His documented leadership includes:
Sidra Medicine
Sidra Medicine