Jacob Rajfer, MD

Jacob Rajfer, MD has made UCLA one of the top basic science research centers in the field of impotence, specializing in the molecular events surrounding the production of nitric oxide, the chemical responsible for the erectile process. Since 1980, Dr. Rajfer has headed the clinical and teaching programs in Urology at the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. Many specialties within Urology-- including pediatrics, renal transplantation, oncology and andrology--have been expanded at Harbor and a number of important discoveries have resulted from the clinical and research activities at Harbor under Dr. Rajfer's guidance. It was these research activities that led to the discovery at UCLA of what chemicals cause an erection and explained in detail how drugs like Viagra work in helping men with impotence.

In addition to serving as Chief of Urology at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Dr. Rajfer is a Professor of Urology at the David Geffen School of Medicine's Department of Urology. He received his medical degree from Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois and completed his Internship at LA County-USC Medical Center, Los Angeles, California. Dr. Rajfer completed a Surgery Residency at St. Josephs Hospital in Denver, Colorado, and served as Senior Assistant Resident in Urology at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, where he went on to become Chief Resident in Urology. Dr. Rajfer also served as Research Fellow in Urology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He is Board Certified by the American Board of Urology and holds a number of important patents for medical discoveries related to the field of urology.

Professional Memberships

• American Fertility Society
• Kidney Foundation of Southern California
• Society for the Study of Reproduction
• Los Angeles Urological Society
• Southern California Transplant Society
• Society of University Urologists
• Pacific Coast Fertility Society
• Western Section, American Urological Association, Inc.
• UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center
• American College of Surgeons - Fellow
• American Urological Association
• American Society of Andrology
• Urologic Society for Transplantation and Vascular Surgery
• California Urological Society
• Western Association of Transplant Surgeons
• The Endocrine Society
• American Society of Transplant Surgeons
• Society for the Study of Impotence
• Society of Pediatric Urology
• Western Urologic Forum
• American Academy of Pediatric

Academic & Medical Staff Appointments

• Professor, Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, 1989 to present
• Associate Professor, Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, 1983-89
• Assistant Professor, Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, 1980-83
• Assistant Professor, Department of Urology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, 1978-80