Elliott Gozansky, M.D., Ph.D., joined the UAB Department of Radiology as a professor and chief in the cardiopulmonary imaging section in September 2025. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry from Emory University and later completed his Ph.D. in chemistry at Purdue University. He then received his medical degree from the University of Michigan and completed both his radiology residency and cardiothoracic imaging fellowship at the University of Maryland.
Learn more about his journey and what inspires his work below.
Can you share your professional background and experiences prior to joining our institution?
Gozansky: After my Ph.D. training, I served as a postdoctoral fellow at the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, where I studied HIV-related protein–DNA interactions from 1997 to 2000. I then worked at a small biotech start-up in Boston for just under a year before joining the University of Texas Medical Branch, where I became the director of clinical MRI research in the Department of Radiology. In 2003, I made a major career shift and began medical school. After completing residency and fellowship, I accepted my first faculty position in 2013 at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, where I later became fellowship director. In 2019, I joined NYU as a faculty member and went on to serve as the director of cardiothoracic radiology at Bellevue Hospital.
What inspired you to pursue a career in this field?
Gozansky: I found my way into imaging while studying diffusion-weighted NMR spectroscopy, and my research interests expanded during my postdoctoral work to include cardiac MRI. In medical school, I tried to keep an open mind about my career path, but my classmates knew I was destined for radiology. The ability to look inside the body noninvasively continues to fascinate me every day.
What aspects of your new role here are you most excited about?
Gozansky: I am truly excited to take on a leadership role where I want to be transformational in implementing ideas that I have developed over the years.
What is your primary area of expertise within your field, and what sparked your passion for it?
Gozansky: Within cardiothoracic radiology, I’ve developed a particular interest in aortic pathology. While at UPMC, many in my group moved away from this area, and because I didn’t mind the meticulous work it requires, I focused on honing my expertise. I remain very comfortable with this pathology and enjoy collaborating with surgeons to provide excellent clinical care.
What are your goals for making an impact through both your teaching and patient care in this role?
Gozansky: I would like to lead the cardiothoracic section to be the next fellowship training powerhouse. I want our group to become a fellowship destination, and I hope to inspire our own residents to pursue cardiothoracic fellowship training.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Gozansky: The warmth and welcoming that everyone has shared with me daily warms my heart and makes me proud to be a new member of the UAB family.