Parkinson’s disease can lead to dysarthria and dysphonia, which are difficulties with speech and voice, respectively. Thanks to a grant awarded to researchers in the UAB Voice Center, part of the Department of Otolaryngology, to support speech therapy specifically for Parkinson’s disease patients, one patient feels that he has not only enhanced his speech but also improved his life.

At the UAB Heersink School of Medicine, research is more than academic enrichment—it’s a pathway to discovery, mentorship, and clinical clarity. For third-year medical student Maddie Bald, engaging in research has been a transformative experience that shaped her understanding of patient care and ultimately guided her toward a future in Otolaryngology.

The UAB Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy is expanding its podiatric surgical services and introducing a new podiatric fellowship – the first of its kind in Alabama.

The UAB Department of Surgery was represented at the recent annual meeting for the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES), which was held in Long Beach, California.

The UAB Department of Microbiology will welcome Barney Graham, M.D., Ph.D., as its keynote speaker for the 37th Bertram M. Marx Endowed Lecture on Monday, April 28, 2025, at 3 p.m. in Cudworth 102. He will present, “RSV and a New Era of Vaccinology.”

The UAB Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, alongside the Division of Endocrine Surgery, is pleased to host the 2025 UAB Endocrinology Update Conference on Saturday, August 23 beginning at 8 a.m. at the Hilton Birmingham at UAB. 

April 14 marks the 12th annual Pathologists’ Assistant (PA) Day, led by the American Association of Pathologists’ Assistants. PAs are often responsible for the efficient and effective operation of the anatomic pathology service and play a critical role in the delivery of healthcare services in both surgical pathology and autopsy by determining patients’ pathologic diagnoses.

 As a lab manager, Khadija Seck oversees daily lab operations and helps coordinate experiments in the Habegger Lab.

The UAB General Surgery Resident Hannah Ficarino Sheffer, M.D., and Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery Assistant Professor Robert Hollis, M.D., MSPH, recently published their study, “Defining opportunities to improve perioperative ostomy care and education,” in the Annals of Surgery Open.

As flowers bloom and temperatures climb, spring brings in allergy season for many. When sneezing, itchy eyes, or sinus pressure strikes, knowing whether to see a general allergist or an ENT (ear, nose, and throat) allergist can be confusing.

The UAB Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology welcomed Rui Zhang, Ph.D., to the faculty as an assistant professor in February 2025.

The University of Alabama System Board of Trustees has approved the formal establishment of the Division of Global and Rural Health within the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine. The resolution was passed during the Board of Trustees Meeting on April 4, 2025.

The UAB Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology is thrilled to announce the employees recognized this month in our Let’s S.H.I.N.E. Psychiatry Rewards and Recognition Program! These outstanding team members have gone above and beyond, exemplifying our department’s values through their dedication, compassion, and hard work.

Goo Lee, M.D., Ph.D., an associate professor in the Division of Anatomic Pathology, will serve in the roles of interim section head of gastrointestinal (GI) pathology and GI fellowship director, effective Monday, April 14. Lee assumes the role from his predecessor, Sameer Al Diffalha, M.D., Vice Chair for Outreach and associate professor in the Division of Anatomic Pathology, who has served in these capacities since 2017. 

Erin DeLaney, M.D., associate professor and vice chair of clinical affairs and quality for the UAB Department of Family and Community Medicine, has been announced as the inaugural holder of the Neil E. Christopher, M.D., Endowed Chair in Family and Community Medicine. 

UAB Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery Associate Professor Rondi B. Gelbard, M.D., has been selected by the Organ Donation and Transplantation Alliance to serve as Chair of the National Donation Leadership Council (NDLC). Gelbard, a recognized contributor to the National Donation Leadership Council since 2019, began her term at the first of the year and will remain in that role until December 2026.

Daniel Chu, M.D., MSPH, and Paige Porrett, M.D., Ph.D., were elected as active members to the American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI). They will be formally inducted at the national meeting in Chicago on April 25.

The UAB Department of Pathology recently funded travel awards to four trainees, Dr. Ashleigh Riegler, Ezgi Sari, Courtney Swain and Resha Rajkarnikar, who will present their research at national meetings this year.

Three new faculty members have joined the leadership team at the Children's of Alabama Pediatric Simulation Center. Sarah Bingham, M.D. Jaycelyn Holland, M.D. and Lauren Robinson, M.D., all serve as assistant professors in the Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine.

PPN Updates: Youth boards tackle substance use, mental health & autism awareness.

Cynthia Wozow, D.O., assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine, recently attended the invitation-only ACGME Summit on Fostering Disability-Inclusive Health Care in Resident Education.

Mark Law, M.D., professor in the Division of Pediatric Cardiology, has been named the second holder of the Lionel M. Bargeron Jr., M.D., Endowed Chair in the Division of Cardiology.

The Heersink School of Medicine held its annual Scholarship Dinner, celebrating donors and the impact of scholarships on medical students. Key speakers, including Christina Grabowski, Ph.D., and Dean Anupum Agarwal, M.D., emphasized the importance of financial support in alleviating student debt and enhancing educational experiences. Scholarship recipients shared how these funds have enabled them to focus on their studies and pursue their career goals.

Shi Wei, M.D., Ph.D., Division Director, Women's Health, has been named section head for bone and soft tissue pathology, effective April 1. Wei assumes the position from Gene Siegal, M.D., Ph.D., Robert W. Mowry Endowed Professor, who recently retires on December 31, 2024, after 34 years of service in the UAB Department of Pathology. 

Several members from the UAB Department of Pathology participated in the annual Birmingham Kidney Walk and Celebration on April 5 at Samford University’s Track and Field Complex.

As international events like the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games and 2025 Invictus Games put adaptive sports into the spotlight and, locally, the University of Alabama Women’s Wheelchair Basketball team recently earned a fifth consecutive national championship, a team spearheaded by UAB hopes to have a big impact on the health of these athletes.

Haifa Alsharif, Ph.D., a postdoctoral scholar in the UAB Comprehensive Diabetes Center (UCDC), won first place for her poster presentation at the UAB Department of Medicine’s 2025 Trainee Research Symposium (TRS).

The UAB Department of Surgery welcomes Rajamiyer Venkateswaran, M.D, MBBS, M.S., renowned surgeon, researcher, and health system leader from the United Kingdom as a Professor in the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery and the Chief of Heart, Mechanical Circulatory Support, and Lung Transplant.

Angel Pine, communications intern for the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery, was recently honored with four awards from the Public Relations Council of Alabama (PRCA) for her outstanding work in public relations.

Savanah Kirchner, communication specialist for the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery, recently served as a guest speaker for an Intro to Public relations class on the University of Alabama at Birmingham campus.