Congratulations to our UAB Pediatric Fellowship Class of 2025. Thank you to all who helped us celebrate the graduates at a reception in their honor on May 28th. Please see below where they will be going after completing fellowship training.

Every year the Department of Pediatric Subspecialty Fellowship Programs give out achievement awards to graduating pediatric fellows in three separate areas: research, quality improvement, and service.

The UAB Department of Pediatrics welcomed one new faculty member in the month of May. Please join us in making them feel at home! 

Think a sunburn is just temporary redness? Discover how UV radiation penetrates deep into your skin, damaging DNA, accelerating aging, and silently increasing your risk of cancer—even before the burn begins.

The Department of Pathology is thrilled to announce Oyedele Adeyi, M.D., FRCPC, as director of the Division of Anatomic Pathology, effective June 6, 2025. Adeyi joins the department from the University of Minnesota Medical School where he served as professor since 2019 and as director of surgical pathology. Prior to his appointment at Minnesota, Adeyi joined the University of Toronto in Canada as an assistant professor in 2006 and was promoted to associate professor in 2014.

Anthony P. Nicholas, M.D., Ph.D., recently left UAB after spending 29 years as a faculty member in the Department of Neurology. In that time, Nicholas established himself as a leader in the field of movement disorders on both clinical and research fronts, all while acting as a mentor for young neurologists representing medical students, residents, and junior faculty.

At UAB Heersink School of Medicine, many work quietly behind the scenes to ensure medical students have the tools, support, and structure to succeed. One key figure is Kenneth Hurd—a technician turned educator whose influence shapes everything from high-stakes exams to hands-on electives. His blend of technical expertise and student-centered service makes him a trusted presence during one of the most demanding phases of a future physician’s journey.

On May 9, 2025, members of the Heersink School of Medicine Medical Education Committee (MEC) met for its annual retreat to discuss directions for the undergraduate medical education curriculum. The MEC’s primary responsibility is to plan and oversee the curriculum and the communication of curricular changes to wider faculty, student, and administrative audiences across Heersink’s four campuses and instructional sites. The presentations and organized discussions throughout the day facilitated the beginning of conversation around the future of undergraduate medical education.

The UAB O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center recently announced five winners of the O’Neal Invests grant awards, two generously funded by the Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama (BCRFA).

Henry Fisher has watched the transformation of UAB and the Department of Surgery over his three-decade tenure and played a vital role in bringing accessible transplantation services to thousands of lives across Alabama and beyond.

The Department of Pathology is pleased to announce a new faculty member joining our team, effective June 1. Taru S. Dutt, Ph.D., is joining the Division of Laboratory Medicine as an assistant professor. Dutt joins us from Colorado State University where she served as a research scientist I and as co-director of the Flow Cytometry and Single Cell Sequencing Core since 2022.   

Tourette syndrome (TS) often begins in childhood, but for many patients, its challenges and care needs continue into adulthood. From early recognition and behavioral interventions to managing transitions and overcoming adult treatment barriers, TS demands a comprehensive, lifespan approach. At UAB, experts are addressing these needs through a collaborative model that supports patients from childhood through adulthood.

The UAB Department of Surgery welcomes two new faculty members, Margaret Romine, M.D., and Matthew Romine, M.D., who both completed their surgical residencies and fellowships at UAB.

How do you celebrate an extraordinary family? One that has devoted themselves to bringing skilled nursing into thousands of homes across Alabama? One that has given generously in support of hospice and palliative care for decades? For the family of the late Charles D. Beard Jr., the answer is simple. Keep on giving.

Harshad P.A., Ph.D., is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Neurobiology. 

University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) senior Nic Amison recently spent two semesters serving as the UAB Comprehensive Diabetes Center’s (UCDC) first communications intern. 

The UAB General Surgery Residency Program honored its chief residents, as well as supporting faculty and residents across the program, at an annual awards day celebration.

A new UAB clinic offering a range of ENT services is backed by decades of experience in one convenient location on Highway 119. UAB ENT at 119, previously known as Alabama Nasal and Sinus Center, officially opened its doors under its new moniker in January 2025. The clinic is led by Michael J. Sillers, M.D., FACS, who recently rejoined the UAB Department of Otolaryngology as a clinical professor specializing in rhinology.

You’re not the only one digesting your lunch—so are your microbes. Every time you eat, an entire ecosystem inside your gut gets to work, breaking down food, absorbing nutrients, and boosting your immune system. Probiotics, live microorganisms found in certain bacteria and yeasts, are at the heart of this process. But understanding how they function (and why you should care) can be more complicated than it seems.

Each year the Pediatric Endocrine Society (PES) selects a member who advocates for cost-effective practice and quality improvement in pediatric endocrinology to present the Paul Kaplowitz, MD, Endowed Lectureship at the annual meeting.

Sarah Novara, M.D., associate professor in the Division of Pediatric Neurology, has been named a Fellow of the Child Neurology Society (FCNS).

The Cassell Family Bidirectional Training Program—empowered by the generous support of Ralph Cassell, Dr. Gail Cassell, and Dr. Cynthia Cassell—had its first major milestone in advancing global health initiatives and medical training in Peru with the launch of its first collaborative workshop. This program focuses on the bidirectional training of physicians in a global health fellowship through the UAB Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health and Partners in Health (PIH), known locally as Socios En Salud, in Lima, Peru.

When most people think of a surgeon, they don’t typically imagine handcrafted musical instruments, hill country blues, or early morning painting sessions. But for Kirk Withrow, M.D., associate professor and director of Salivary and Sleep Surgery in the UAB Department of Otolaryngology, creativity isn’t a side hobby; it’s part of how he sees the world.

The Chu Family generously donated funds to Children's of Alabama and the Department of Pediatrics to support educational initiatives.

The Dixon Foundation supports the Dixon Pediatric Fellowship training program for fellows who intend to pursue an academic career with a research emphasis (ranging from basic and translational science to education or QI-centric research) in approved pediatric subspecialties.

UAB Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation hosted the Kessler Foundation for on-site training as part of collaborative research project within the Spinal Cord Injury Model System. UAB is one of four research institutions participating in the study.

The UAB Pediatric Residency Program hosted the 19th Annual Coat of Arms Spring Scramble 5K on Saturday, May 17 in downtown Homewood.

UAB Comprehensive Diabetes Center (UCDC) members and trainees will share their latest scientific findings at the world’s largest diabetes conference, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) 85th Scientific Sessions, June 20-23, at the McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago.

Research at UAB Heersink School of Medicine gives medical students hands-on experience in investigative medicine, helping deepen their understanding of and develop solutions for health care access and accessibility.

Yanna Brooks, certified medical assistant at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery, has been selected for the 2025 Patient Experience Hero Award. She was nominated by Clinic RN team lead, Jessica Wesson for her commitment to patient care and ability to build meaningful connections with patients and colleagues.