Alan J. Davidson received the B.A. degree from the University of California (1955) and the M.D. degree from the University of California, San Francisco (1959). He completed a residency in Diagnostic Radiology at Stanford University (1966) where he developed his clinical interest in genitourinary radiology and began his laboratory research into the characterization and nature of the physiological effect of iodinated contrast material on the canine kidney.

During his career in academic radiology, Dr. Davidson held appointments at Yale University, the University of California, San Francisco, Stanford University, and The Johns Hopkins University. At the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Washington DC, he was Distinguished Scientist (1986-7), Senior Scientist and Chief, Genitourinary Radiologic Pathology (1987-1996). A charter member of The Society of Uroradiology, Dr. Davidson was its President (1983) and received the Gold Medal of the Society (2001). In addition to his research papers, monographs and book chapters, Dr. Davidson was the author of Radiologic Diagnosis of Renal Parenchymal Disease (1977), Radiology of the Kidney (1985), with David Hartman of Radiology of the Kidney and Urinary Tract 2nd ed. (1994), and with David Hartman, Peter Choyke and Brent Wagner of Davidson’s Radiology of the Kidney and Genitourinary Tract 3rd ed. (1999).

Since retirement in 1996, Dr. Davidson has resided on Orcas Island and in Seattle, Washington.