The UAB Department of Surgery is honored to announce the appointment of Aurelio Galli, Ph.D., D.Sc., and Karin Hardiman, M.D., Ph.D., to the roles of Vice Chair of Basic Research and Associate Vice Chair of Basic Research, respectively.

“In this new era of research, collaboration and innovation are more important than ever. By having Drs. Galli and Hardiman at the helm of our departmental research efforts, we can continue to pioneer new basic and translational therapies – from the bench to the bedside – that make a difference in the lives of our patients,” says the Fay Fletcher Kerner Endowed Chair of the UAB Department of Surgery Herbert Chen, M.D.

About Dr. Aurelio Galli

Dr. Aurelio Galli, who also serves as the director for Gastrointestinal Biology Research in the UAB Department of Surgery, seeks to understand the neurocircuits involved in substance use disorders and how the environment, HIV infection, and diet regulate this devastating disease.

He also leads the UAB Department of Surgery’s Center for Inter-systemic Networks and Enteric Medical Advances (CINEMA), which focuses on how interactions between environmental factors and genetic predispositions, like gastrointestinal diagnoses coupled with anxiety, are related to enteric inter-systemic disorders (ESD).

Most recently, he, along with Angela Carter, Ph.D., have begun to examine both the role of HIV as well as the individual’s microbiome and the novel ways in which they can directly regulate the propensity of amphetamine use disorders.
Dr. Galli's currently holds four simultaneous, active R01 research grants – a rare feat among researchers.

Dr. Galli serves as council member of the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, and in the leadership of the Center for Addiction and Pain Prevention and Intervention.

Renowned for his research on brain function and behaviors, he has been recognized as a Distinguished Professor in the UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine and as the Champ Lyons Endowed Chair in General Surgery.

In his spare time, Dr. Galli spends his time practicing as an award-winning Brazilian jiu-jitsu champion.

About Dr. Karin Hardiman

Dr. Karin Hardiman, holder of the Honorable Luther J. Strange III Family Endowed Professorship in Surgical Sciences Research, began her tenure at UAB in 2019, after eight years at the University of Michigan.

As a surgeon-scientist, Dr. Hardiman runs an R01-funded translational research laboratory studying treatment resistance in rectal cancer, which also seeks to improve treatment and outcomes for patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer.

Through her clinical practice, Dr. Hardiman has first-hand experience with the successes and toxicities of current treatment regimens for patients and actively studies how tumor genetics play a key factor in tumor progression and response to therapy. She actively operates at both Birmingham VA and University hospitals.

In addition to her primary research, she also performs clinical and translational studies that aim to improve outcomes for cancer survivors.

She also serves in a host of leadership roles across the UAB campus including: program co-director of the Future Surgeons and Scientists Investigating Oncology (FUSSION) program, associate director in the UAB Physician Scientist Development Office (PSDO), and assistant program director for resident research in the UAB General Surgery Residency Program.