The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery is pleased to announce that Associate Professor Jianmei Leavenworth, M.D., Ph.D., has been promoted to professor.

Leavenworth’s promotion is reflective of nearly a decade of contributions to UAB since joining the department in 2016 as an assistant professor from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute at Harvard University. In addition to her role in neurosurgery, she also serves as assistant program director at the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, where she has helped shape the academic and research missions of both programs.

Her promotion recognizes her commitment to advancing the department’s scientific profile and also her impact as a mentor and leader. Leavenworth has built a nationally recognized research program in cancer immunology, particularly in the study of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), one of the most challenging forms of brain cancer. She has also reached an impressive career milestone with 50 publications indexed on PubMed, underscoring the depth and influence of her work.

As a professor with tenure, Leavenworth will continue to advance her research in tumor immunology and oncolytic virotherapy while furthering her contributions to education and patient-focused innovation at UAB. Her promotion marks the department’s ongoing commitment to excellence in neurosurgical research and academic leadership.