Minae Niwa, Ph.D., has been named the First Holder of the Hill Crest Foundation Endowed Professorship in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology. The title was approved at the UAB Board of Trustees meeting on Feb. 7, 2025.

Juhi Samal, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, is a recent recipient of the COMET™ from the Heersink School of Medicine Immunology Institute for her proposed study, “Immune Cell Sialoglycan Signatures in Ischemic Stroke.”

The Systems Pharmacology AI Research Center (SPARC) is excited to announce a new addition to its leadership team, Sixue Zhang, Ph.D.

Established in response to a need to expand access to neurologic care throughout Alabama, the acute teleneurology service at UAB recently recognized a significant milestone as it marked 10,000 consults.

Michael D. Toboni, MPH, MD, assistant professor in the UAB Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, was recently named the leader of the Gynecologic Oncology Disease Working Group (DWG) within the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center.

The UAB Department of Urology is pleased to announce the establishment of The John R. Burns, M.D. and Dean G. Assimos, M.D. Endowed Professorship, thanks to a generous gift of $500,000 from Drs. Assimos and Burns.

The AHSAA Super 7 football state championship games showcased more than just athletic talent this past year. Patients from the UAB Sports & Exercise Medicine clinic and Children’s of Alabama took center stage as honorary captains, representing resilience, determination, and hope on the state’s largest high school sports stage.

The 2025 Annual Meeting of the American Urological Association (AUA) is April 26-29 in Las Vegas, Nevada at The Venetian Convention & Expo Center.

In an inspiring effort to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem, University of Alabama at Birmingham Peer Wellness Ambassadors (PWAs) and medical students in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Student-Run Interest Group at UAB Heersink School of Medicine have launched OPERATION WIPE OUT UAB. These students lead initiatives to raise cervical cancer awareness, promote HPV vaccination and screening among UAB students, and empower them to advocate for their own health and the well-being of others. 

Dana Rizk, M.D., has been appointed associate dean for Clinical Trials and Cynthia Joiner, Ph.D., MPH, R.N., has been named assistant dean for Clinical Research Operations in the Heersink School of Medicine, effective March 1, 2025. Both of these newly created roles will work closely with Senior Associate Dean for Clinical and Translational Research, Orlando Gutiérrez, M.D., to lead the Heersink School of Medicine’s efforts to advance clinical trials.

The Heersink School of Medicine Office of Research held its Annual Research Retreat on Feb. 14 at the UAB Alumni House. The agenda included presentations and contributions from numerous research leaders. The annual retreat aims to recognize newly developed and identified research areas and set goals for the future of the Heersink research enterprise.

Discussing salary, promotions, or career advancement can feel daunting, particularly in health care, where a culture of teamwork and patient care often overshadows self-advocacy. Yet, these conversations are essential to career growth and professional fulfillment. In March’s American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA) lecture, Stacey Lee, J.D., tackles these challenges in her presentation, “Navigating Your Career.” The Heersink School of Medicine invites all faculty and staff to join this necessary discussion on how health care workers can effectively negotiate for raises, promotions, and other career opportunities.

Majd Zayzafoon, M.D., Ph.D., MBA, professor of Pathology and Medical Education, has been named the associate dean for Global Initiatives and International Medical Education in the UAB Heersink School of Medicine. This new role expands his leadership and builds on his success as assistant dean, further positioning UAB’s role as a global leader in international medical education.

The UAB Department of Neurology welcomed Shaida Andrabi, Ph.D., to the faculty as a professor in January 2025.

Irfan Asif, MD, chair of the UAB Department of Family and Community Medicine, has been elected as 2nd vice president of the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) and will assume the organization’s presidency in 2027.

The Facial Nerve Program in the UAB Department of Otolaryngology, the first and only program of its kind in the state of Alabama, offers a comprehensive team approach for patients experiencing facial paralysis in an effort to improve their condition and therefore, their quality of life.

Thomas Chi, M.D., MBA, professor and chair of the UAB Department of Urology, has been named named Anton J. Bueschen, M.D., Endowed Chair of Urologic Surgery and Research.

Obesity does not only put individuals at risk for heart disease and diabetes—it's also a leading cause of kidney stone disease.

Daniel Rocke, M.D. J.D., associate professor in the UAB Department of Otolaryngology, has been named the Third Holder of the Julius N. Hicks Endowed Chair in the Department of Otolaryngology.

The University of Alabama Board of Trustees has approved renaming the Center for Women's Reproductive Health (CWRH) to the Center for Research in Women's Health (CRWH) at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). This decision, made during the Board’s meeting on Feb. 7, 2025, reflects the center’s mission and comprehensive approach to advancing women’s health research.

Just weeks after discharge, the patient is back at the hospital. This time, the infection has worsened, sepsis has set in, and emergency surgery is needed. A preventable outcome had intervention come sooner.

When Latrice Quinn walked through the doors of UAB Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology for the first time, she was not an employee but a patient. What she didn’t know then was that the compassionate care she received would inspire her to return, not as a patient, but as a vital part of the team, ensuring other mothers felt just as supported as she had.

The Department of Neurobiology is excited to highlight the work of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in the field of neuroscience.

Rubin Pillay, M.D., Ph.D., is a leader in the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and health care, using his expertise to drive innovation and educate future generations. As the chief innovation officer for UAB Medicine and an esteemed author, he has dedicated his career to exploring the transformative power of AI in medicine. His passion for educating others extends beyond his institutional roles, manifesting in his books, lectures, and leadership initiatives.

Tanecia Mitchell, Ph.D., associate professor in the UAB Department of Urology, has been awarded the Division for Translational and Clinical Pharmacology Early Career Award by the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET). This prestigious award recognizes early-career scientists for their outstanding contributions to translational and clinical pharmacology research.

The UAB Department of Urology, in collaboration with the Mike Slive Foundation, provided free PSA blood testing to more than 65 men during the Auburn University Men’s Basketball “AUTLIVE” cancer game vs. The University of Tennessee on Jan. 25. Their efforts were broadcast during ESPN’s coverage of the game, bringing widespread awareness to the significance of PSA blood testing as a screening tool for prostate cancer.

Martina Gonzalez-Gomez, M.D., M.Sc., program manager for the Global Neurosurgery program in the Department of Neurosurgery, and James Johnston, M.D., professor in the Department of Neurosurgery and director of the Pediatric Neurosurgery division, co-instruct the Global Surgery course. In 2023, we met with Gonzalez-Gomez and Johnston to learn more about their vision for the course, which launched with the introduction of the UAB Master of Science in Global Health (MSGH) program offered by the UAB Heersink School of Medicine and the UAB School of Public Health (SOPH).

Jin Chen, Ph.D., vice chair for Education in the Department of Biomedical Informatics and Data Sciences, has been awarded the Priya Nagar, M.D., Innovation Award for Kidney-Related Diseases

The UAB Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health hosted a seminar on Tuesday, February 4, featuring guest speakers Lori Brand Bateman, Ph.D., RD, assistant professor in the Department of Medicine's Division of Preventive Medicine, and Karim Abd El Tawab, MBBCh, MRCP, an interventional radiology consultant at Ain Shams University Hospitals in Cairo, Egypt.

It was a special kind of homecoming: Selwyn Vickers, M.D., former dean of the UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine, spoke as the 2025 Kirby I. Bland Endowed Lecturer on Tuesday, Feb. 18.