Neema Navai, MD
Department of Urology, Division of Surgery
About Dr. Navai
Dr. Neema Navai is Deputy Chair and Associate Professor in the Department of Urology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. A native of Michigan, Dr. Navai completed his undergraduate degree in cellular and molecular biology at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor where he earned class honors. He then attended the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, IL where he completed his medical doctorate during which he was admitted to the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society. Dr. Navai remained at Northwestern University for his Urology residency after which he began his time here at MD Anderson as a fellow in the Urologic Oncology during which he gained support from the AUA Foundation Research Scholars program. Upon completing his fellowship, Dr. Navai joined the faculty at MD Anderson Cancer Center in the Department of Urology.
Dr. Navai provides specialized care to patients facing bladder cancer diagnoses. His care model emphasizes his patient’s needs, thoughtful consideration to empathetic communication, and helping guide patients with deep regard for their cancer goals and personal values. Dr. Navai offers robotic surgical options including complex urinary reconstructions with a goal to minimize the potential negative impacts of major surgical therapy on quality of life while maintaining exemplary cancer outcomes.
As the Co-Chair and strategic decision owner of the Virtual Care platform and Reach strategy group in the Chief Medical Executives (CME) office at MD Anderson, Dr. Navai partners with Sanchita Jain, Executive Director of Innovation, to oversee the strategic and operational approach to telemedicine across the MD Anderson’s enterprise. In this role, reporting to our CME Dr. Welela Tereffe, Dr. Navai helps MD Anderson realize its strategic goal to provide a best-in-class approach to telemedicine. Ensuring we can meet the needs of more patients and have more impact on those served.
Dr. Navai serves on several institutional governance committees within patient care informatics and further serves our outpatient operations as the Genitourinary Center Medical Director. In these roles, he emphasizes systems-based approaches to foster best in class care, high reliability, patient safety, all in service of the mission of MD Anderson to end cancer.
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Associate Professor, Department of Urology, Division of Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2004 | Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA, MD, Medicine |
| 2000 | University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA, BS, Cellular and Molecular Biology |
Postgraduate Training
| 2010-2013 | Clinical Specialist, Fellowship, Urologic Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX |
| 2006-2009 | Urology Resident, Urology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL |
| 2005-2006 | Clinical Residency, General Surgery, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL |
| 2004-2005 | Clinical Internship, General Surgery, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL |
Experience & Service
Academic Appointments
Assistant Professor, Department of Urology, Division of Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2013 - 2019
Honors & Awards
| 2012 | Trainee Excellence Award, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2012 | Best Poster: Bladder Cancer Basic Research III, AUA |
| 2010 | SUO December Meeting Fellow/Resident Poster Award, SUO |
| 2010 | Leander W. Riba Award, Northwestern University |
| 2009 | Bipin Bhayani Resident Research Awards, Northwestern University |
| 2003 | Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society, Northwestern Medical School |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Navai N, Benedict WF, Zhang G, Abraham A, Ainslie N, Shah JB, Grossman HB, Kamat AM, Dinney CP. Phase 1b Trial to Evaluate Tissue Response to a Second Dose of Intravesical Recombinant Adenoviral Interferon α2b Formulated in Syn3 for Failures of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) Therapy in Nonmuscle Invasive Bladder Cancer. Ann Surg Oncol 23(12):4110-4114, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27387678.
- Dinney CP, Fisher MB, Navai N, O'Donnell MA, Cutler D, Abraham A, Young S, Hutchins B, Caceres M, Kishnani N, Sode G, Cullen C, Zhang G, Grossman HB, Kamat AM, Gonzales M, Kincaid M, Ainslie N, Maneval DC, Wszolek MF, Benedict WF. Phase I Trial of Intravesical Recombinant Adenovirus Mediated Interferon-α2b Formulated in Syn3 for Bacillus Calmette-Guérin Failures in Nonmuscle Invasive Bladder Cancer. J Urol 190(3):850-6, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23507396.
- Tran MN, Choi W, Wszolek MF, Navai N, Lee IL, Nitti G, Wen S, Flores ER, Siefker-Radtke A, Czerniak B, Dinney C, Barton M, McConkey DJ. The p63 protein isoform ?Np63α inhibits epithelial-mesenchymal transition in human bladder cancer cells: role of MIR-205. J Biol Chem 288(5):3275-88, 2013. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 23239884.
- Navai N, Wood CG. Environmental and modifiable risk factors in renal cell carcinoma. Urol Oncol 30(2):220-4, 2012. PMID: 22385993.
- Rebuck DA, Zhao LC, Helfand BT, Casey JT, Navai N, Perry KT, Nadler RB. Simple modifications in operating room processes to reduce the times and costs associated with robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. J Endourol 25(6):955-60, 2011. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 21457071.
- Alphs HH, Navai N, Köhler TS, McVary KT. Preoperative clinical and diagnostic characteristics of patients who require delayed IPP after primary Peyronies repair. J Sex Med 7(3):1262-8, 2010. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 20059657.
- Meeks JJ, Zhao LC, Navai N, Perry KT, Nadler RB, Smith ND. Risk factors and management of urine leaks after partial nephrectomy. J Urol 180(6):2375-8, 2008. e-Pub 2008. PMID: 18930268.
- Navai N, Erickson BA, Zhao LC, Okotie OT, Gonzalez CM. Complications following urethral reconstructive surgery: a six year experience. Int Braz J Urol 34(5):594-600; discussion 601, 2008. PMID: 18986563.
- Navai N, Ramos P, Zhao LC, Meeks JJ, Nadler RB, Smith ND. Why not partial nephrectomy?. Urology 72(2):243-6, 2008. e-Pub 2008. PMID: 18584853.
- Casey JT, Erickson BA, Navai N, Zhao LC, Meeks JJ, Gonzalez CM. Urethral reconstruction in patients with neurogenic bladder dysfunction. J Urol 180(1):197-200, 2008. e-Pub 2008. PMID: 18499188.
- Erickson BA, Navai N, Patil M, Chang A, Gonzalez CM. A prospective, randomized trial evaluating the use of hydrogel coated latex versus all silicone urethral catheters after urethral reconstructive surgery. J Urol 179(1):203-6, 2008. e-Pub 2007. PMID: 18001794.
- Navai N, Yap RL, Gupta R, Fraser TG, Gonzalez CM. Inflammatory pseudotumor of the testis: a novel presentation of acute retroviral syndrome. Int J Urol 12(4):424-6, 2005. PMID: 15948738.
- Saporita AJ, Zhang Q, Navai N, Dincer Z, Hahn J, Cai X, Wang Z. Identification and characterization of a ligand-regulated nuclear export signal in androgen receptor. J Biol Chem 278(43):41998-2005, 2003. e-Pub 2003. PMID: 12923188.