Online Exclusives

In May 2025, after more than 30 years at The University of Iowa, John Engelhardt, Ph.D., packed up his laboratory and traveled 881 miles to Birmingham to begin a new chapter in advancing cystic fibrosis (CF) and drug development research at UAB. For Engelhardt, the move wasn’t just about his personal success—it was about building something transformative for translational medicine while creating new opportunities for the team he has mentored and worked alongside for decades.

For fourth-year medical student Leopold Nkengbeza, art and medicine are two sides of the same calling. From illustrating complex surgical procedures to contributing to the Volker Hall mural, he uses creativity to make medicine more accessible and meaningful.

Roy Kracke, M.D., helped lay the foundation for what would become the UAB Heersink School of Medicine and one of the nation’s leading academic medical centers. A new feature in UAB Medicine magazine explores Kracke’s enduring legacy, from establishing Alabama’s first four-year medical school to the dedication of Kracke Plaza outside the Altec/Styslinger Genomic Medicine and Data Sciences Building.

How dedicated guidance shaped Brenton Bicknell’s path to medicine and research