The Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor title is awarded annually following a university-wide nomination process and a rigorous review by a faculty and student committee. Final selections are approved by the UConn Board of Trustees, which confirmed this year’s awardees at its June 25, 2025 meeting.
Dr. Peter C. Albertsen is a globally respected urologic oncologist whose research and leadership have transformed the understanding and management of prostate cancer. A faculty member at UConn Health since 1987, Dr. Albertsen’s work has shaped national and international treatment guidelines and spared tens of thousands of men from unnecessary surgery and radiation.
He earned his undergraduate degree in biochemistry from Princeton University and his medical degree from Columbia University. He completed his surgical residency at Harvard and his urology training at the Brady Urological Institute at Johns Hopkins. He also holds a master’s degree in medical administration and preventive medicine from the University of Wisconsin.
Dr. Albertsen was among the first to use population-based data to challenge prevailing assumptions about PSA screening and prostate cancer aggressiveness. His landmark publications, including a seminal article in Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), demonstrated that many prostate cancers grow slowly and do not require immediate treatment. These findings helped launch a global shift toward active surveillance, now a widely accepted standard of care. He has played key leadership roles in major trials in both the U.S. and the U.K., including serving as Chair of the Cause of Death Committee for the PLCO and ProtecT trials.
He has authored more than 300 peer-reviewed articles and editorials, with over 17,000 citations and an h-index of 63, placing him in the top tier of urologic researchers. His research has been published in The New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, and other leading journals, and has been supported by more than $5 million in external funding.
As UConn’s Urology Residency Program Director for over 30 years, Dr. Albertsen has trained more than 60 residents, many of whom have gone on to leadership roles in academic medicine and beyond. He is widely praised for his dynamic and discussion-based teaching style and for his long-standing mentorship of medical students and residents.
Dr. Albertsen has served in numerous leadership roles at UConn Health and nationally, including as Associate Dean for Clinical Research and Planning, Division Chief of Urology, and Trustee of the American Board of Urology. He continues to provide exceptional patient care, including to underserved and correctional populations, and is often sought out by colleagues for their own care.
His many honors include the Eugene Fuller Triennial Prostate Award and the Distinguished Contribution Award from the American Urological Association, as well as honorary membership in both the AUA and the German Urological Association. Dr. Albertsen’s research, clinical care, and mentorship have had an enduring impact on the field of urology and the lives of countless patients, making him a most deserving recipient of the University of Connecticut’s highest faculty honor.