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Robert Foster, M.D.

Robert Foster, M.D.

  • Professor of Surgery
  • Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

Contact Information

(415) 353-7070 Appointments
(415) 353-4330 Clinical Fax
[email protected]
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  • 1981-85, Vassar College, B.A. Biology
  • 1986-90, Suny Health Science Center, M.D., Medicine
  • 1981-85, Vassar College, B.A. Biology
  • 1986-90, Suny Health Science Center, M.D., Medicine
  • 1990-91, New York Medical Col., Intern, General Surgery
  • 1991-94, New York Medical Col., Resident General Surgery
  • 1994-95, New York Medical Col., Chief Resident Surgery
  • 1997-99, University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, Resident, Plastic Surgery
  • 1997, University of California, San Francisco, Postdoctoral Fellow, Surgery, Plastic
  • 1997, Stanford University-UCSF, Postdoctoral Fellow, Surgery, Plastic
  • 1999, University of California, San Francisco, Postdoctoral Fellow, Surgery, Plastic
  • 2000, University of California, San Francisco, Postdoctoral Fellow, Surgery, Plastic
  • 2003, University of California, San Francisco, Postdoctoral Fellow, Surgery, Plastic
  • 2004, University of California, San Francisco, Postdoctoral Fellow, Surgery, Plastic
  • American Board of Plastic Surgery, 2000
  • Abdominoplasty
  • Body Contouring
  • Body contouring following weight loss surgery
  • Breast augmentation
  • Breast lift
  • Breast Reconstruction
  • Breast reduction
  • Liposuction
  • Post bariatric body contouring

Robert D. Foster, M.D., is currently a Professor of Surgery in the Department of Surgery and currently holds the position as Chief, Plastic Surgery Service at Mount Zion Hospital and the UCSF Breast Reconstructive Service.  A physician for over 20 years, Dr. Foster received his plastic surgery training at UCSF, where he has worked since 1997.  He is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.  

As Director of the breast reconstruction service at the Carol Franc Buck Breast Care Center, UCSF Cancer Center, Dr. Foster performs more than 300 breast reconstructions each year.  His clinical practice includes a broad range of reconstructive and cosmetic surgery.  

Dr. Foster's research interests include outcome studies to evaluate and optimize breast reconstruction techniques and developing improved methods to help patients through their decision making process at the time of breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.  He has also been recognized nationally and internationally for his basic science research in the area of transplantation tolerance and molecular biology, including funding through the NIH.  He is the author of more than 75 publications and a guest reviewer for seven scientific journals. He has frequently been invited to lecture both in the United States and abroad. Highly respected by his peers, Dr. Foster was named to the list of U.S. News "Top Doctors," which denotes the top 10% of physicians within a region practicing a given specialty.

MOST RECENT PUBLICATIONS FROM A TOTAL OF 45
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  1. Alcon A, Rosser M, Gedallovich J, Foster RD, Sbitany H, Piper ML. Long-Term Outcomes in Prepectoral versus Subpectoral Two-Stage Implant-Based Breast Reconstruction after Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2023 08 01; 152(2):273-280. View in PubMed
  2. Parmeshwar N, Piper M, Viner J, Foster R, Kim EA. Evaluation of Dual-port versus Single-port Tissue Expanders in Postmastectomy Breast Reconstruction. Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. 2021 Jul; 9(7):e3703. View in PubMed
  3. Mukhtar RA, Wong J, Piper M, Zhu Z, Fahrner-Scott K, Mamounas M, Sbitany H, Alvarado M, Foster R, Ewing C, Esserman L. Breast Conservation and Negative Margins in Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: The Impact of Oncoplastic Surgery and Shave Margins in 358 Patients. Ann Surg Oncol. 2018 Oct; 25(11):3165-3170. View in PubMed
  4. Charruyer A, Fong S, Vitcov GG, Sklar S, Tabernik L, Taneja M, Caputo M, Soeung C, Yue L, Uchida Y, Arron ST, Horton KM, Foster RD, Sano S, North JP, Ghadially R. Brief Report: Interleukin-17A-Dependent Asymmetric Stem Cell Divisions Are Increased in Human Psoriasis: A Mechanism Underlying Benign Hyperproliferation. Stem Cells. 2017 08; 35(8):2001-2007. View in PubMed
  5. Piper ML, Evangelista M, Amara D, Daar D, Foster RD, Fowble B, Sbitany H. An Innovative Risk-Reducing Approach to Postmastectomy Radiation Delivery after Autologous Breast Reconstruction. Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. 2017 Apr; 5(4):e1265. View in PubMed
  6. View All Publications

 

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