Biography
Bruce Gao, M.D., FRCSC, is HS Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Urology at the University of California, Irvine. He received his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Calgary and completed his urological surgery residency at the University of Toronto, where he earned his Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada. Dr. Gao completed an Endourology Society-accredited fellowship in robotic surgery and minimally invasive endourology and stone disease at UC Irvine.
Gao's research focuses on the development of novel surgical technologies and techniques in endourology, particularly in ureteroscopy and stone disease management. He has served as principal or co-investigator on multiple grants totaling over $250,000, including an NIH Innovative Science Accelerator Program grant for developing the first preclinical titanium cystoplasty in a swine model and UC Irvine grants for developing a novel flexible ureteroscope and investigating electromotive drug administration for ureteral dilation. His work on developing a cost-effective force sensor for ureteroscopic application earned third place in the Endourological Society Fellow Essay Contest and was recognized as runner-up for the Olympus Best Paper Award at the World Congress of Endourology.
Prior to his medical career, Gao co-founded Simply Solar Innovations Inc., a company that developed a mobile application to improve solar panel efficiency and expanded sustainable energy access to over 30,000 people in 136 countries, generating over $100,000 in revenue. He received the Schulich Leader Scholarship, one of 40 awarded nationally from 977 nominees, and the Nat Christie Foundation Medical Entrance Award as the highest-rated applicant to the University of Calgary MD program among over 1,600 applicants. Gao has authored or co-authored over 25 peer-reviewed publications and presented his research at national and international conferences.
Return to topEducation
- BSc in Neuroscience, University of Calgary, 2015
- MD, University of Calgary, 2018
Distinctions
- Endourology Fellow Essay Contest Winner (Third Place), Endourological Society, 2024
- Blue Ribbon Podium Award, American Urological Association, 2024
- Patrick Harty Award, University of Toronto, 2023
- Sopman Humanitarian Award, University of Toronto, 2021
- Schulich Leader Scholarship, University of Calgary, 2012-2016
- Clinical and Translational Research Award, University of California, Irvine, 2025
- School of Medicine Outstanding Fellow/Resident Research Award, University of California, Irvine, 2024
- Citizenship Award, University of Toronto, 2023
- Nat Christie Foundation Medical Entrance Award, University of Calgary, 2015-2018
- Louise McKinney Scholarship, University of Calgary, 2012-2015
Areas of Expertise
- Holmium Laser Enucleation Prostate
- Minimally Invasive Urological Surgery
- Kidney Stone Management
- Ureteroscopic Force Sensor Development
- Electromotive Drug Administration
- Virtual Reality Surgical Planning
Recent Publications
- Gao B, Kanabur P, Campi R, Tran M, Landman J, Pedrosa I, Challacombe B, Wah TM, Siva S, Jewett M, Stewart GD, Shuch B, Clayman R, “'BJUI Clinical Dilemma': the incidental small renal mass in a solitary kidney” (opens in new tab), BJU International, vol. 135, no. 3, pp. 371-379, 2025.
- Gao B, Sharifi S, Lavasani S, Saadat S, Wu Y, Tsai J, Cumpanas A, Tano Z, Naimi B, Abdel-Aziz A, Ali S, Jiang P, Patel R, Landman J, Clayman R, “In-vivo acute ureteral dilation using electromotive drug administration (EMDA) in the porcine ureter”, Journal of Endourology, 2025.
- Bak A.B., Pace K.J.C., Gao B., Wallis C.J.D., Lee J.Y., “Association of race and 30-day postoperative complications after urologic oncology surgery” (opens in new tab), Canadian Urological Association Journal, vol. 19, pp. 1-15, 2025.
- Zhang M., Gao B.M., Hernandez M.C., Lavasani S.A.M., Hadidi Y.F., Chaudhri E.N., Ali A., Landman J., Clayman R.V., “The Science of Surgical Force: A New Field of Study in Urology” (opens in new tab), Journal of Endourology, 2025.
- Gao B.M., Wu Y.X., Sharifi S.H.H., Lavasani S.A.M., Saadat S., Hana M.S., Pham V., Martinez-Carcamo E., Derbeneva O., Ali A., Tano Z.E., Jiang P., Patel R.M., Landman J., Clayman R.V., “Electromotive Drug Administration in the Porcine Ureter: First In Vivo Application for Ureteral Dilation” (opens in new tab), Journal of Endourology, 2025.
- Gao B, Gorgen ARH, Bhatt R, Tano ZE, Morgan KL, Vo K, Zarandi SS, Ali SN, Jiang P, Patel RM, Clayman RV, Landman J, “Avoiding "Needless" nephrectomy: What is the role of small renal mass biopsy in 2024?” (opens in new tab), Urologic Oncology Seminars and Original Investigations, vol. 42, no. 8, pp. 236-244, 2024.
- Gao B, Saadat S, Choi EJH, Jiang J, Das AK, “How I do it: Holmium laser cystolitholapaxy and enucleation of the prostate for benign prostatic hyperplasia”, Canadian Journal of Urology, vol. 31, no. 3, pp. 11904-11907, 2024.
- Gao B, Tsai JC, Cumpanas AD, Altamirano-Villarroel J, Saadat S, Pham V, Grohs E, Wu YX, Tano ZE, Ali SN, Jiang P, Patel RM, Landman J, Clayman RV, “Development and initial evaluation of a cost-effective force sensor for ureteroscopic application” (opens in new tab), Journal of Endourology, vol. 38, no. 10, pp. 1075-1081, 2024.
- Elterman DS, Gao B, Zorn KC, Bhojani N, Te A, Chughtai B, Kaplan SA, “How I do it: Optilume BPH catheter system”, Canadian Journal of Urology, vol. 30, no. 3, pp. 11568-11573, 2023.
- Kim J, Gao B, Bhojani N, Zorn KC, Chughtai B, Elterman DS, “Micro-cost analysis of single-use vs. reusable cystoscopy in a single-payer healthcare system” (opens in new tab), Canadian Urological Association Journal, vol. 16, no. 10, pp. 346-350, 2022.
- Elterman D, Gao B, Lu S, Bhojani N, Zorn KC, Chughtai B, “New technologies for treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia” (opens in new tab), Urologic Clinics of North America, vol. 49, no. 1, pp. 11-22, 2022.
- Gao B, Bobrowski A, Lee J, “A scoping review of the clinical efficacy and safety of the novel thulium fiber laser: The rising star of laser lithotripsy” (opens in new tab), Canadian Urological Association Journal, vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 56-66, 2021.
- Gao B, Farhat W, Zu'bi F, Chua M, Shiff M, Al-Kutbi R, Pokarowski M, Ming J, Kim J, Dos Santos J, Koyle M, “Comparative analysis of suturing technique in pediatric pyeloplasty on surgical outcomes” (opens in new tab), Pediatric Surgery International, vol. 37, no. 11, pp. 1633-1637, 2021.
- Elterman D, Gao B, Zorn KC, Bhojani N, Chughtai B, “How I do it: Temporarily implanted nitinol device (iTind)”, Canadian Journal of Urology, vol. 28, no. 4, pp. 10788-10793, 2021.
- Gao B, Lu S, Bhojani N, Zorn KC, Chughtai B, Elterman D, “Office-based procedures for BPH” (opens in new tab), Current Urology Reports, vol. 22, no. 12, pp. 63, 2021.
Most Cited Publications
- Gao B, DeCotiis K, Bobrowski A, Koyle M, O'Kelly F, “The association of Neurofibromatosis Type 1 and lower urinary tract dysfunction in the paediatric population: A critical review of literature” (opens in new tab), Journal of Pediatric Urology, vol. 16, no. 3, pp. 357-365, 2020.
- Gao B, Remondini T, Dhaliwal N, Frusescu A, Patel P, Cook A, Fermin-Risso C, Weber B, “Incidence of bleeding in children undergoing circumcision with ketorolac administration” (opens in new tab), Canadian Urological Association Journal, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. E6-E9, 2018.
- Gao B, Nzekwu E, Cook AJ, Spaner SJ, “Case report: Diffuse hyperplastic perilobar nephroblastomatosis complicated by a unilateral Wilms tumour: diagnosis, treatment and follow-up” (opens in new tab), BMC Research Notes, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 396, 2018.
This profile was created with the help of AI.
Last updated on 5/20/2026.