The Heersink School of Medicine could not provide groundbreaking research, world-class medical training, and nationally recognized patient care without its incredibly hardworking and talented faculty and staff. We believe that recognizing exceptional individuals within our organization is crucial to expressing our gratitude to them as well as our value in their work. We celebrate our faculty and staff both through internal awards and by recognizing their external honors.

The annual ArtBLINK Gala returned to the UAB Kirklin Clinic Feb. 4 and raised more than $900,000 for the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center.

UAB is an ever-expanding community, and growth begins with leadership. That is why we are so proud that, from February 1-June 30, 18 new full-time faculty members joined the Heersink School of Medicine, and a number of existing faculty members assumed new leadership roles. Two examples of these dedicated, engaging, innovative and inspiring individuals who bring fresh ideas and perspectives to our school are Herbert Chen, M.D., FACS, and J. Victor Garcia-Martinez, Ph.D.

In March 2023, UAB celebrated the Medical Alumni Association’s 50th Annual Medical Alumni Weekend, the 70th Anniversary of Birmingham Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the 15th Anniversary of UAB Comprehensive Diabetes Center. These milestones serve as an excellent opportunity to look at where we started and a reminder to look forward to all we wish to achieve.

In fall 2023, the Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine opened the doors of its Heersink Family Active Learning Center to students, heralding a new era of teaching and learning for UAB medical students.

Elizabeth Jackson, M.D., MPH, director of the Cardiovascular Outcomes and Effectiveness Research Program, graduated from The Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine® (ELAM®) program in April 2023.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) COVID-19 Caregiving Affected Early-Career Research Scientists (CARES) Retention Program was established in 2021. Its purpose is to support early-career researchers who experienced a decline in their scholarship and research output due to caregiving responsibilities during the pandemic’s peak. CARES aims to prevent these researchers from leaving academic research by providing funding for additional support.

The Department of Medical Education mourns the recent passing of Robin Lester, Ph.D., Course Director for the Neuroscience Module. Dr. Lester was a pillar of innovative education within the Heersink School of Medicine, and his loss will be felt throughout our department.

Merida Grant, Ph.D., director of the Trauma-Related Disorders Clinic, and Rebecca Rampe, Psy.D., director of the Initial Psychotherapy Practicum Psychology Clinic and the Developmental Trauma and Traumatic Grief Clinic, are conducting research to learn more about treatment options for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other trauma-related disorders.

The UAB Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, alongside the Division of Endocrine Surgery, is pleased to offer the 2023 Endocrinology Update Conference on Saturday, August 19 beginning at 8 a.m. at the Hilton Birmingham at UAB.

Heersink School of Medicine’s newest series, Innovation in Action, takes you behind the scenes of some of UAB’s most innovative clinics, programs, and patient-centered services in the School of Medicine. Get started with us as we closely examine the UAB Medicine Cardiovascular Institute.

Molly Wasko, Ph.D., MBA, UAB University Professor and associate dean for Research, Innovation and Faculty Success in the Collat School of Business., has partnered with the Marnix E. Heersink Institute for Biomedical Innovation to instruct its new graduate certificate course, Leadership & Ethics of AI in Medicine.

Jianmei Leavenworth, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Neurosurgery and Department of Microbiology, and Satoru Osuka, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Neurosurgery, introduce the Brain Tumor Research in Progress Forum.

On Wednesday, May 24, The All of Us Research Program at UAB Medicine hosted an enrollment event for physicians at The Kirklin Clinic.

Braden McFarland, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology and co-director of the UAB Undergraduate Cancer Biology Program, was recently awarded a $1.6 million R01 grant from the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health to study the role of human gut microbes in mouse models of glioblastoma.

The Department of Medical Education lost a significant member of its family with the passing of Shawn Harmon, M.D., Ph.D., Clerkship Director of Montgomery Pediatrics. Dr. Harmon's colleagues and students share memories of their friend and describe the impact he leaves behind.

The Department of Medical Education mourns the recent passing of John Taylor, Director of Medical Education Information Services. Please join us in remembering and honoring the legacy John leaves behind.

Alan T. N. Tita, M.D., Ph.D., director for the Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health (MHIGH) and associate dean for Global and Women’s Health, recently visited South Africa to attend the International Maternal Newborn Health Conference (IMNHC) 2023 and visit the facilities of the Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI).

In this installment of MHIGH's Partner Profiles series, Dr. Isabel Scarinci shares about her life and work in global health.

The Strategic Research Retreat event, held in February 2023, featured presentations from the task force leaders of the four Research Focus Areas that the Heersink School of Medicine announced in September 2022: Disruptive Technology Empowering Precision Health (D-TECH), Infection, Inflammation, Immunity and Immunotherapy (I-4ward), Brain Health and Disease Across the Lifespan, and Health Equity. We spoke with the theme leads about the main Research Retreat takeaways and the next steps for implementation.

In honor of Pride Month, the Heersink School of Medicine Office for Diversity and Inclusion is sharing the initiatives implemented in the UAB Department of Radiology to create a welcoming environment for LGBTQ+ patients, students, and faculty members.

Extended research has been conducted to understand how Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) can remain in the body for many years without causing any symptoms of the disease, only to suddenly become active and cause an explosive outbreak of tuberculosis (TB).

The one-day conference included talks on common running injuries and treatments, performance optimization, nutrition, mental health and more.

Representatives from the Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Service (CBCHS), a partner of the Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health, recently visited UAB’s campus. 

As leaders from Heersink School of Medicine's House Staff Council complete their terms, they reflect on their time of service, the projects they are proud to take part in, and the future of House Staff Council leadership.

The Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health hosted guest seminar speaker German Henostroza, M.D., on June 6, 2023. 

Camerron M. Crowder, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Neurobiology, has been awarded the 2023 Provost’s Awards for Faculty Excellence in Undergraduate Research.

After a national search, Brian R. Davis, Ph.D., has been named the director of the UAB Gregory Fleming James Cystic Fibrosis Research Center (CFRC), effective July 1.

In May 2023, rising MS4 student Laura Minton Garton received travel scholarships from the Alabama Academy of Radiology and the UAB Caduceus Club for an advocacy trip to Capitol Hill.

Chere Stewart, M.D., is one of four faculty to earn the 2023 Dean's Excellence in Teaching Award. In this article, she reflects on her background in Heersink School of Medicine and on her current role as clerkship director.