Robert C. Flanigan, MD was born in Lima, Ohio on May 2, 1946. He attended the College of Wooster and Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) Medical School before completing his residencies in urology and general surgery at CWRU Affiliated Hospitals. He is board certified in both urology and surgery. After residency, Dr. Flanigan served in the U.S. Air Force for two years and was awarded the Air Force Commendation Medal. He then began his academic career at the University of Kentucky where he was promoted to Associate Professor, and served as Chief of Urology at the Lexington VA Hospital.

In 1986, Dr. Flanigan accepted the position of Professor and Chairperson of the Department of Urology at Loyola University Medical Center (Stritch School of Medicine). In 1994, he became the first Albert J. Speh, Jr. and Claire R. Speh Professor of Urology at Loyola.

Dr. Flanigan has been very involved in basic and clinical research throughout his career. He has contributed over 290 publications to the medical literature. In addition, he recently was elected Secretary of the American Urological Association, he has served as President of the American Board of Urology, President of the Society of Urologic Oncology, President of the North Central Section of the American Urological Association, President of the Society of University Urologists, and was founder and first President of the Society of Urologic Chairpersons and Program Directors. He also serves as a Governor of the American College of Surgeons and as a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Director’s of the American Board of Medical Specialties. He is a member of the American Association of Genitourinary Surgeons and the Clinical Society of Genitourinary Surgeons.

Dr. Flanigan’s primarily research interests have been in the areas of renal, prostate, and bladder cancer. He has served as the Principal Investigator for Loyola of the NIH funded Urologic Cancer Outreach Program from 1988-to present.