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The Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology congratulates ten trainees who have been appointed or reappointed to competitive NIH T32 training grants for the 2026-2027 funding period.

Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death for women worldwide. HER2, or human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, is a protein found on the surface of some cells in the body that regulate normal cell growth. In HER2-positive breast cancer, tumor cells have higher levels of HER2 proteins than normal cells. This can cause the cells to grow and divide more quickly, which can make the cancer more aggressive. With the development of medicines that specifically target and block the HER2 protein, most patients with HER2-positive breast cancer can benefit from HER2-targeted therapy. Breast cancer can be classified by HER2-positive and HER2-negative subtypes and by hormonal receptor status, which helps guide treatment decisions, including hormonal therapy.

The UAB Comprehensive Diabetes Center (UCDC) has selected four recipients for its 2026 Seed Funding Program focused on Precision Diabetes.

For high school students interested in leadership, health care and making a difference in their communities, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Adolescent Youth Advisory Board (YAB) offers an opportunity to do all three. The program brings together students from Jefferson and Wilcox counties for a unique experience that builds leadership skills, introduces them to careers in health care and empowers them to help shape programs that impact adolescents across Alabama.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Department of Pediatrics is proud to announce that Kent Willis, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Neonatology has received a National Institutes of Health (NIH) R03 Small Research Grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to study how immune responses early in life may contribute to chronic lung disease later in adulthood. The award provides $222,750 in funding through May 2028.

Bellamy Davis, MPH, PA-C, a physician assistant (PA) in the UAB Department of Urology and past president of the Alabama Society of Physician Assistants, helped develop a new Urology Specialty Protocol approved by the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners (ALBME).

The Marnix E. Heersink Institute for Biomedical Innovation recently welcomed its first cohort of the Heersink AI Founders Club, a new program designed to help individuals turn early-stage ideas into AI-powered solutions with the power to change lives.

The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology is addressing a critical need in maternal health through the Perinatal Consultation Clinic (PCC), a specialized outpatient service designed to provide timely psychiatric care for patients during pregnancy and the postpartum period.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pediatrics welcomed twelve new faculty members in the month of August. Please join us in making them feel at home!

This summer, Brandon Rocque, M.D., professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, presented during two sessions at the 19th Annual National Conference on Hydrocephalus, HAConnect. He was accompanied by UAB undergraduate student Mary Grace Roe. Roe, who is studying psychology, is a mentee of Elizabeth McRae, Ph.D., a pediatric clinical psychologist in the Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery.

Anastasia Smith, DrPH, MPH, has been promoted to assistant professor as a researcher and resident research educator at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery.

Andrew Edwards, M.D., professor and chair of the UAB Department of Emergency Medicine, has been selected for the Association of Academic Chairs of Emergency Medicine (AACEM) 2027 Chair Development Program.

The UAB Department of Emergency Medicine has established its first formal section, Prehospital Medicine, effective Sept. 1, 2026. The new section provides a dedicated organizational structure for the department’s long-standing leadership in prehospital and out-of-hospital emergency care. Will Ferguson, Jr., M.D., associate professor, has been appointed as the section’s inaugural chief.

On Friday, July 17, 2026, Eldad Hadar, M.D., professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery presented at the 36th Ed Benzel Cleveland Spine Review.

Although the deadline for Title II digital accessibility compliance was extended to April 26, 2027, the communications and web teams at UAB have remained committed to a proactive approach to updating documents on the web and ensuring all new documents comply with Title II guidelines. Efforts have been made to upload accessible documents that have been submitted and to offer alternatives if accessibility cannot effectively be achieved. The goal is that all content being added to the website moving forward adheres to Title II guidelines.

The 2026 Educational Research & Innovations in Clinical & Health Sciences (ENRICH) Week will take place the week of Monday, September 14, 2026. ENRICH Week is held each year, providing a place for healthcare educators to grow their teaching skills, participate in curriculum innovation, and showcase their research in health education. On September 16, Diana McNeill, M.D., MAC will give the keynote address at noon in the UAB Hospital West Pavilion Atrium.

Marissa Natelson Love, M.D., associate professor in the UAB Department of Neurology, has been selected as a recipient of the Association of Academic Leaders of Neurology (AALN) Faculty Leadership Award.

The UAB Department of Neurology is proud to recognize Aparna Vaddiparti, M.D., assistant professor, for completing the Center for Teaching and Learning’s (CTL) Essentials of Teaching program.

Kirstie Cummings, Ph.D., and HaoSheng Sun, Ph.D., have been selected for the 2026-2027 FCIDD McNulty Civitan Scientist Award.

The UAB Department of Emergency Medicine has named three faculty members to medical director roles, effective Sept. 1, 2026.

Corey Speers, M.D., Ph.D., professor and chair, Merle M. Salter Endowed Chair of Radiation Oncology in the Department of Radiation Oncology, presented the 2026 State of the Department on Tuesday, Aug. 25.

A study led by Lana Garmire, Ph.D., professor and vice chair of research in the Department of Biomedical Informatics and Data Science, was published in Nature Biomedical Engineering. The study introduces HisToSpatialCNV, an artificial intelligence tool that uses a graph neural network model to predict spatial Copy Number Variations (CNVs) directly from routine H&E pathology images, for the first time.

When Dua Khan, a Master of Science in Global Health candidate at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, told family and friends that she would be spending her summer in Birmingham, Alabama, she often heard the same question: Why Alabama? Her answer was to be the first-ever participant in the Heersink Student Mobility Program at the UAB Heersink School of Medicine.

 After three years of competing through persistent knee pain, Briarwood Christian School tennis player Madelyn Hunt finally found answers at UAB Sports & Exercise Medicine. A second opinion with orthopaedic sports surgeon Amit Momaya, M.D., revealed the source of her pain and set her on a path to recovery and a state title.

It’s almost time for the 2026 American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress in Washington, D.C.! Before you pack your bags and head to the airport, review this handy UAB Surgery guide for your conference prep.

The path to becoming an independent researcher requires more than learning how to conduct a study. Investigators must develop research and grant-writing skills, build strong mentorship and professional networks, and learn how to navigate the many steps involved in building a successful research career. The UAB Comprehensive Healthy Living Research Center’s Education & Career Development Program helps current and future researchers build skills important to their career. Through workshops, seminars, and other development opportunities, students, early-stage investigators (ESI), and established researchers can enhance their knowledge, expand their networks, and advance their careers.

When patients in rural or underserved communities need mental health care, access to a psychiatrist can be difficult. Project ECHO Depression at UAB was created to help bridge that gap by equipping primary care providers with the knowledge and support they need to manage common mental health conditions close to home.

Badari Birur, M.D., professor in the UAB Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, has assumed the role of Medical Director of the UAB Center for Psychiatric Medicine (CPM).

Each August, Neurosurgery Awareness Month provides an opportunity to reflect on the role our specialty plays in medicine and in the lives of patients around the world.

The Zhang Lab has achieved an exceptional milestone with 12 abstract presentations accepted for the American Heart Association (AHA) 2026 Scientific Sessions, highlighting the breadth, productivity, and scientific impact of the laboratory’s research program. The 2026 Scientific Sessions will take place Nov. 6-9, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois.