UAB is adding another tool to its IT toolbox. Faculty, researchers, and trainees will have access to BioRender Premium, effective immediately. This user-friendly, web-based tool helps users create high quality scientific figures quickly and efficiently.

On Wednesday, March 19, Anupam Agarwal, M.D., senior vice president for Medicine and dean of UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine, and Dawn Bulgarella, MSHA, CPA, chief executive officer of UAB Health System, jointly unveiled a unified brand and logo system that brings together the institutions’ research, education, and clinical care efforts under one brand — UAB Medicine. This is the first time the academic and clinical enterprises will fully share the same logo.

In February, the Department of Biomedical Informatics and Data Science welcomed new faculty Assistant Professor Jiancheng Ye, Ph.D.

UAB Heersink School of Medicine is pleased to announce a number of new individuals joining the Department of Medical Education team. Three new staff members started their roles at the beginning of March and a new staff member will join us in April. The department also has a few members who are departing for other opportunities. Please join us in providing a warm welcome to our new additions and well wishes to those who have provided excellent service to our team for many years.

The Alabama Poison Information Center (APIC) released its annual report, highlighting the leadership and continued collaboration of the UAB medical toxicology group and Children’s of Alabama. The APIC remains the only accredited statewide poison center designated by the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH). The APIC aims to provide free and confidential lifesaving information from licensed nurses and pharmacists around the clock. Medical backup is provided by UAB physicians Sukhshant Atti, M.D., William Rushton, M.D., and Stacy Marshall, M.D.

After a national search, Yung Lau, M.D., has been named chair of the UAB Department of Pediatrics and physician in chief of Children's of Alabama, effective March 24, 2025.

Rodrigo Campos-Cardoso, Ph.D., is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Neurobiology. He joined UAB after completing his Ph.D. in neuroscience at the University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto.

Thirty individuals comprising eight teams recently graduated from the UAB Medicine High Performing Care Collaborative (HPCC) spring 2025 program. The program, presented by the UAB Medicine Leadership Development Office, recognized its graduates at a ceremony on March 6, 2025.

When Daylight Saving Time (DST) kicks in, the clocks spring forward by one hour in the spring and fall back in the fall. While the time change last week seems like a minor shift, it may have significant effects on your sleep, mood, and overall well-being. This change can disrupt your body’s natural rhythms, leaving you feeling groggy or out of sync.

Viruses constantly emerge and evolve, with some posing significant threats to human and animal health, while others remain confined to specific species. A recently identified example of the latter is the Camp Hill Virus (CHV), named after its discovery site in Camp Hill, Alabama.

Zach Gentry, M.D., is breaking new ground as the inaugural Global and Rural Health Fellow for the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. His journey into global health began when UAB introduced this fellowship within the past two years, offering OB/GYN residents an opportunity to engage in international medical research and intervention. For Gentry, the opportunity was too compelling to pass up.

The Heersink School of Medicine is proud to announce the 2025 recipients of its 1R01 Award. Securing extramural research funding is a very competitive process, and this award is a testament to these investigators’ groundbreaking research and dedication to advancing biomedical science.

Winter Williams, M.D., associate professor in the UAB Department of Medicine and co-director of the UAB Internal Medicine Clerkship, has been named assistant dean for Clinical Education at UAB Heersink School of Medicine. In this role, Williams will help establish and implement initiatives for high quality, collaborative, and coordinated clinical training for UAB medical students.

Sandeep Bodduluri, Ph.D., is working to use artificial intelligence (AI) to improve health care processes and the patient experience. Through courses offered by the Marnix E. Heersink Institute for Biomedical Innovation, he is sharing his knowledge with clinicians at UAB and abroad, emphasizing the importance of interaction between clinicians and engineers in AI research and development.

Though the loss of an hour may not seem like much, UAB experts say it can still have an impact on your health. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to adjust in the first week following the switch to daylight saving time.

Srihari Prahad, M.D., PGY1, joined the UAB Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology in June 2024. A native of Hoover, Alabama, Prahad completed his undergraduate degree at the University of South Alabama and medical degree at the UAB Heersink School of Medicine.

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.