Jianmei Leavenworth, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Neurosurgery, has been named the latest recipient of the school’s Featured Discovery award. This recognition celebrates notable research contributions made by faculty and highlights the impact of their scientific advancements.

The UAB Department of Urology congratulates three of its faculty members who were recently promoted and awarded tenure.

In 2016, the rare disease Zhu-Tokita-Takenouchi-Kim, or ZTTK Syndrome, was discovered by Erin Eun Young Ahn, Ph.D., a professor in the UAB Department of Pathology’s Division of Molecular and Cellular Pathology, alongside her research team. ZTTK is primarily identified in children and is characterized by intellectual disability, delayed musculoskeletal development and multi-organ anomalies, and is caused by loss of function in the SON gene. This gene creates a DNA and RNA binding protein, SON, that is required for the body to grow and develop naturally.

Three psychologists from the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pediatrics and Children’s of Alabama were honored for their contributions to psychology at the Alabama Psychological Association Annual Conference.

Kimberly Hendershot, M.D., a professor in the Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, is now president of the Alabama Chapter of the American College of Surgeons (ACS).

Robert Hollis, M.D., MSPH, assistant professor of the UAB Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery, and Ridley Brown, BSN, RN, oncology navigator at the O'Neal Cancer Center, have been featured in the UAB MedCast episode: “What is the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC) and why does it matter?”

A group of dedicated lifestyle medicine researchers within the UAB Department of Family and Community Medicine is leading the institution’s first randomized quality improvement (QI) project. The multi-phase study hopes to optimize enrollment into Sports & Exercise Medicine’s Fitness, Lifestyle, and Optimal Wellness (FLOW) program.

Members of the UAB Department of Urology recently attended and presented at the 2025 Joint Meeting, 35th Congress of the European Society for Paediatric Urology in Vienna, Austria. 

UAB’s SPARC center played a leading role at the 2025 BIOKDD workshop. The event featured cutting-edge AI research from UAB’s HySonLab and keynotes from leaders in data mining, highlighting BIOKDD’s ongoing impact on biomedical innovation.

The UAB Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology (CDIB) has launched a new article series titled Meet the Minds of CDIB, spotlighting the diverse faculty who power the department’s groundbreaking research. 

Julius E. Linn Jr., M.D., who died Aug. 4, 2025, at age 84, devoted five decades of his professional life to advancing medical communication and preserving Alabama’s cultural heritage. His death marks the end of a remarkable career at The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) that bridged the worlds of scientific research, medical publishing, and historical preservation.

Ben Gran is the lab manager for both Dr. Rita Basu and Dr. Ananda Basu who are clinical diabetes researchers at the UCDC. Gran has been with the Basu Lab for a decade supporting cutting-edge diabetes research studies.

The UAB Department of Urology welcomed Dustin Hyatt, M.D., in August 2025 as a clinical associate professor in the Section of Academic Community Urology.

The UAB Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery is pleased to announce a new endowed lectureship to honor the legacy of Loring W. Rue, III, M.D., professor emeritus in the UAB Department of Surgery. Dr. Rue’s leadership and dedication to improving trauma care makes him an instrumental figure in the history of the trauma program at UAB.

Early childhood literacy is a vital building block for healthy development and long-term success. Research shows that reading and language deficits can become fixed as early as age two, underscoring the importance of early intervention, especially for premature and sick newborns who face higher risks of neurodevelopmental delays.

The UAB ALS Multidisciplinary Clinic has been designated a Certified Treatment Center of Excellence (CTCE) by the ALS Association, a recognition that underscores its commitment to providing the highest standard of care for patients and families living with ALS.

Krishmita Siwakoti, M.D., PGY2, joined the UAB Department of Radiation Oncology in July 2025. A native of Kathmandu, Nepal, she completed both her undergraduate education and medical school there. Get to know Dr. Siwakoti better with three quick questions!

The UAB Department of Urology is pleased to announce a partnership with three global leaders in healthcare technology and pharmaceuticals to support its premier endourology fellowship program.

On August 7, 1997, Jennifer Creswell and her sister were driving when they were hit by a large truck, flipping their vehicle five times.

In Fall 2025, the UAB Heersink School of Medicine announced the creation of a twelfth Learning Community (LC). This is the first time an LC has been added since the founding of the program in 2015, and it has been named after Latesha Elopre, M.D., MSPH, a beloved member of the Heersink School of Medicine family who tragically passed away earlier this year.

Complications following surgical procedures pose significant risks to pediatric patients. Detecting complications after an operation can pose a challenge due to heavy reliance on symptom reports from children and their caregivers. Children may struggle to effectively convey their symptoms, leading to delayed recognition of post-operative complications. A new article published in Science Advances may show a promising solution.

Jianyi “Jay” Zhang, M.D., Ph.D., professor and T. Michael and Gillian Goodrich Endowed Chair of Engineering Leadership, spoke at the UAB Department of Biomedical Engineering seminar series last Friday, addressing students, postdoctoral researchers, faculty, and staff on the future of cardiac repair and the vital role of engineering in medicine.

Earlier this year, M.K. Sewell-Loftin, Ph.D., was honored with the esteemed American Cancer Society Research Scholar Grant for her groundbreaking research on triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). This significant award recognizes her innovative work aimed at improving understanding and treatment of a subtype that accounts for 15-20% of breast cancer cases and often leads to poorer prognoses compared to other forms.

Leveraging gamified learning, the Department of Family and Community Medicine is working to revolutionize medical education proving that, for learners, practice makes perfect. The 2025 Alabama Family Medicine Residency Cup kicked off competition this week with 11 residency programs across the state competing to answer daily, board-style questions designed to cover topics considered relevant for clinical application or for board examinations.

The UAB Department of Pathology boasts a long legacy of fostering physician-scientists who are skilled both in clinical practice and research. These practitioners bridge the crucial gap between the lab and patient care, using clinical experience to drive research leading to new treatments and therapies. Their efforts target individualized medicine, propel public health breakthroughs and ensure that scientific discoveries are translated directly to the bedside.

When someone dies by suicide, the words we use to describe their death can either deepen stigma or foster understanding. Today, mental health experts emphasize compassionate, factual language, recognizing that words can make a real difference in prevention, awareness, and healing.

Health care providers from across the state and region gathered to learn about diabetes, thyroid disorders, osteoporosis, and more at the 2025 UAB Endocrinology Update, Aug. 23, at Hilton Birmingham Downtown at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB).

When most people think about their health, they focus on the body: the heart, the lungs, the muscles. But what about the brain? The brain deserves just as much attention, and protecting it should start earlier than you think.

The Department of Pathology is pleased to announce the promotion and tenure of eight of our esteemed faculty colleagues for 2025, effective October 1, 2025. 

Rachael Rafferty McCurdy, DNP, RN, AGACNP-BC, recently joined the Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery as the new trauma performance improvement (PI) coordinator.