Jonathan

Wright

MD

MS

FACS

My goal is to provide the highest level of medical and surgical care in a compassionate environment where the patient is an active member of the team.

Biography

Dr. Jonathan Wright is the medical director of the UWMC Urology Clinic and a UW Professor of urology. He is an associate investigator at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. Dr. Wright specializes in urologic oncology, with a specific focus on bladder, prostate and penile cancers. He performs both open and robotic surgery.

Dr. Wright earned his B.A. in economics with honors from Boston College where he graduated magna cum laude. He then completed his M.D., with honors, from the University of Washington. Dr. Wright then stayed on to complete his residency training at the University of Washington which included an internship in general surgery, followed by residency and chief residency in urology at the University of Washington. Dr. Wright then went on to complete a two year Society of Urologic Oncology Accredited Fellowship in Urologic Oncology at the University of Washington. Since completing his advanced clinical and research training, Dr. Wright has been a faculty member at the University of Washington. He also received a M.S. in epidemiology from the University of Washington School of Public Health.

Dr. Wright has been recognized as a “Top Doctor” in both Seattle Met Magazine (2012; 2013; 2014; 2015) and Seattle Magazine (2014; 2015).

Dr. Wright is a member of the following professional organizations: American College of Surgeons, Society of Urologic Oncology, American Urological Association, Western Section of the American Urological Association, Northwest Urological Association, Washington State Urological Association and the Seattle Surgical Society. He serves on the executive board of the Washington State Urological Association. He is also a fellow in the American College of Surgeons.

Clinical Interests

Radical prostatectomy; radical cystectomy with urinary reconstruction; neobladder; clinical trials; penis cancer; bladder preservation; robotic surgery.

Research Interests

Dr. Wright is interested in the relationship between obesity and adverse prostate cancer outcomes. He has completed several studies examining this relationship and is the principal investigator for an R01 study from the National Institute of Health/National Cancer Institute (NCT02454517). This randomized phase III trial studies a diet and exercise program based on the Diabetes Prevention Program in promoting weight loss and improving health compared to general recommendations for men on active surveillance with low-risk or low-intermediate-risk prostate cancer. A lifestyle intervention that promotes weight loss may influence prostate health. A combined diet and exercise program that is based on the Diabetes Prevention Program may affect markers (or “biomarkers”) of prostate cancer progression. Gathering this information may help doctors understand how obesity affects prostate cancer progression and may help lead to a program that can reduce the risk of prostate cancer progression.

Dr. Wright also is the co-leader of Project 1 of the Pacific Northwest Prostate Cancer Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE). The goal of the PNW Prostate Cancer SPORE is to promote interdisciplinary research and move basic research findings from the laboratory to clinical settings. Project 1 focuses on Molecular Predictors of Prostate Cancer Progression and Mortality. Dr. Wright is a Member of the Fred Hutch/UW Cancer Consortium Prostate Cancer Program.

In bladder cancer, Dr. Wright is involved in several clinical trials aimed at improving outcomes in patient with bladder cancer. Further, along with the UW Genitourinary Research Laboratory, Dr. Wright and other researchers are working to build bladder cancer models to understand mechanisms of resistance to chemotherapy. The team has established a Rapid Autopsy Program for bladder cancer building upon the extensive work done in prostate cancer at the University of Washington. Dr. Wright is a member of the Solid Tumor Translational Research (STTR) Program in Bladder Cancer at the UW/SCCA/Fred Hutch.

Personal Interests

Outside of work, I love being with my wife and kids and trying to find time to work out regularly. My wife and I met on the Boston College tennis team and we both enjoy playing tennis together and now with our children. Family is very important to us and we are lucky to each have one surviving parent in the area and many cousins in Yakima where I grew up. We are also active in our church. I am a big Seattle sports fan.

Media

• Video: 2023 Updates in Bladder and Urinary Tract Cancers for Patients and their Loved Ones
• Video: Howard J Cohen Bladder Cancer Foundation
• From out of the blue comes a better bladder-cancer detector (UW Medicine Newsroom, February 23,2021)
• ‘You Can Still Swim:’ SCCA helps a bladder cancer patient and synchronized swimmer get back in the pool (SCCA Care Blog, February 2, 2020)
• Dr. Jonathan Wright Discusses Bladder Cancer (King 5, May 12, 2018)
• Video: Study examines how diet, exercise might slow prostate cancer (KING 5, November 6, 2017)
• Web: Connecting the dots between weight loss and prostate cancer (Fred Hutch News Service, November 2017)
• Video: Dr. Jonathan Wright speaks with the UW School of Medicine Alumni Association upon receiving the 2016 Alumni Early Achievement Award
• Web: Five Minutes with Dr. Jonathan Wright (Seattle Cancer Care Alliance)
• Video: What Do you Wish You Had Known Before Bladder Removal Surgery? A Response from Survivors (Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network)
• How Can You Support Bladder Cancer Research? (Howard J. Cohen Bladder Cancer Foundation)
• Dr. Wright on Doximity
• Dr. Wright on Twitter @JLWrightMD

Support

Support Dr. Wright’s work by making a gift to the UW Bladder Cancer Research Fund.