Dr Couser was born in Lebanon, NH, and graduated from Deerfield Academy (1957), Harvard College (BS, 1961), Dartmouth (Geisel) Medical School (BMS,1963),  and Harvard Medical School (MD with honors) (1965). He trained in Internal Medicine at UCSF (1965-67) and the Harvard II-IV Medical Service at Boston City Hospital (1969-71). He trained in nephrology at the BCH (1970-71) and the University of Chicago (1971-72). He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and in Nephrology. He began his faculty career at the University of Chicago (Assistant Professor, 1972) and continued as Associate Professor and Professor of Medicine at Boston University School of Medicine (1973-82) before moving to the University of Washington in Seattle, WA, as the Belding Scribner Professor of Medicine and Head of the Division of Nephrology (1982-2002). 
 Dr. Couser was a classic physician-scientist who cared for patients, taught students, house staff, and fellows as a regular ward attending, and directed a productive research laboratory and training program that was continuously funded by NIH from 1973-2007, including RO1 grants, research training grants, an NIH Merit Award, a George M O'Brien Kidney Research Center grant, and numerous smaller organizational grants.  

Dr Couser's research expertise (and clinical expertise) was in immune mechanisms of glomerular disease. He published over 350 peer-reviewed scientific papers, as well as numerous review articles and book chapters in this area. His laboratory is generally credited with discovering the role of in situ immune deposit formation in membranous nephropathy and other diseases characterized by immunoglobulin deposits in glomeruli and changing concepts of the immunopathogenesis of glomerulonephritis from a circulating, preformed immune complex deposition process to in situ mechanisms involving primarily glomerular autoantigens. He was also the first to suggest a role for the complement membrane attack complex (C5b-9) in mediating tissue injury in both glomerular and non-renal diseases. He was the recipient of numerous awards for his work, including the David Hume Award from the US National Kidney Foundation (NKF), the John Peters Award from the American Society of Nephrology (ASN), and the Jean Hamburger Award from the International Society of Nephrology (ISN).

In addition to his research, Dr. Couser was also elected to leadership positions in the US and internationally, including service as the Vice president of the American Society of Clinical Investigation (ASCI) (1979, President of the ASN (1996-7) and President of the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) (2005-07) where he served 13 years on the Executive Committee and traveled personally to over 80 countries to teach and promote ISN outreach effot=rts in the developing world