Philippe Zimmern

Philippe Zimmern, M.D. is a Professor of Urology at UT Southwestern Medical Center, holding the Felecia and John Cain Chair for Women's Health in Urology. He joined the faculty at UT Southwestern in 1995 after completing his medical training at Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital in Paris, France, and a fellowship at UCLA. Dr. Zimmern directs the female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery (FPMRS) fellowship program at UT Southwestern in collaboration with Gary Lemack, M.D., and Maude Carmel, M.D.

Dr. Zimmern's clinical specialties include:

• Incontinence and prolapse
• Voiding dysfunction and urodynamics
• Fistula and urethral diverticulum repairs
• Mesh implant complications
• Urinary tract infections
• Vaginal surgery with native tissue repair
• Minimally invasive robotic surgery for prolapse

His research focuses on female pelvic medicine, reconstructive surgery, and recurrent urinary tract infections. Through the Cure Recurrent Cystitis Initiative (CRCI) with Dr. Nicole De Nisco, he investigates the role of the urinary microbiome and inflammation in recurrent UTI pathology, aiming to develop anti-inflammatory and probiotic therapies.

Dr. Zimmern has co-authored more than 365 publications, 28 surgical movies, and 65 book chapters, and co-edited four textbooks. His recent work (2024-2025) shows a clear trend toward innovative approaches to urinary incontinence and recurrent UTIs, with increasing focus on biotechnology applications, microbiome research, and novel device development. His publications span urology, gynecology, microbiology, and biomedical engineering, reflecting his interdisciplinary approach to women's urological health.

Among his numerous honors and awards:

• 1997 Paul Zimskind Urodynamic Society Award
• Jane and John Justin Distinguished Chair in Urology (2005)
• SUFU Distinguished Service Award (2011)
• Continence Care Champion award from NAFC (2012)
• Inaugural Leaders in Excellence Award at UT Southwestern (2019)
• Felecia and John Cain Chair for Women's Health in Urology

Dr. Zimmern has been a visiting professor internationally and serves on editorial boards for multiple urology journals. He is FPMRS certified and a member of FACS. He has directed the CRCI clinical studies investigating urinary microbiome changes over time in women with and without UTIs, aiming to identify beneficial bacteria for alternate UTI therapies.

He leads the De Nisco-Zimmern Lab, which focuses on understanding the mechanisms behind recurrent urinary tract infections and developing novel treatments beyond antibiotics.