News

Four surgeons from the UAB Department of Surgery are now providing specialized surgical care to patients in Mobile and Baldwin counties through UAB's partnership with Infirmary Health, which is based out of the Mobile, Alabama area. Katelin Holmes, D.O., Jillian McCabe, M.D.

Jacqueline Garonzik Wang, M.D., Ph.D., director of the UAB Division of Transplantation and co-director of the Comprehensive Transplant Institute, has recently been featured on UAB MedCast.

Tania Arora, M.D., a professor in the UAB Division of Surgical Oncology and Vice Chair of Access and Engagement in the UAB Department of Surgery, has been appointed as co-chair for two prestigious surgical society committees.

The UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine is proud to announce the winners of the 2026 Dean's Excellence Awards for Faculty, recognizing exceptional faculty members who have demonstrated excellence in teaching, research, service, access and engagement, and mentorship.

Few centers in the Southeast offer this procedure, and the national allocation system does not typically prioritize patients with colorectal metastases — meaning extended waits on the transplantation list for these patient populations.

The UAB Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery honored survivors of traumatic injury and their families, as well as first responders and healthcare professionals, at the third annual Heroes and Healers event on Friday, May 1, 2026.

Fifty-six UAB Department of Surgery staff members collectively logged more than 3.3 million steps during a four-week wellness challenge in March, organized by the department's Access & Engagement Committee.

J. Bart Rose, M.D., MAS, associate professor in the UAB Division of Surgical Oncology and chief in the Section of Hepatopancreatobiliary Disease, brought his expertise directly to patients and caregivers across the country during a live virtual Q&A hosted by the Neuroendocrine Cancer Awareness Network (NCAN).

UAB Vice Chair of Global Surgery Lily A. Gutnik, M.D., MPH, has been appointed as an associate scientist of the Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health (MHIGH). 

Alizeh Abbas, M.B.B.S., a research resident in the UAB General Surgery Residency Program, has been selected for membership in the Delta Omega Honor Society.

Mary Catherine “Cathy” Duncan, RN, who was recognized at the UAB Medicine Service Awards Luncheon for 45 years of service, will retire on May 15, 2026.

Daniel I. Chu, M.D., MSPH, FASCRS, director of the UAB Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery and Selwyn M. Vickers, M.D., FACS, Endowed Chair, has been recognized by the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation (CCF) as this year’s Healthcare Honored Hero for the 2026 Alabama/Northwest Florida Take Steps Walk.

UAB researchers review how senescent “zombie” cells contribute to skeletal muscle weakness with aging and disease, outlining emerging therapies such as senolytics and senomorphics that could help preserve muscle health and extend health span.

UAB General Surgery resident Autumn Beavers, M.D., was named the first recipient of the Legacy of Service Award at the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship of Alabama's 10th Anniversary Celebration of Service on April 11, 2026, in Birmingham, Alabama. 

UAB researchers discovered that the immune system consistently targets the same exposed region of mismatched HLA proteins following organ transplantation, and the findings could improve donor‑recipient matching and reduce antibody‑mediated rejection, helping transplanted organs last longer.

Aurelio Galli, Ph.D., D.Sc., and Angela Carter, Ph.D., have been named the school’s latest recipient of the Featured Discovery award. This recognition celebrates notable faculty research contributions and highlights the impact of their scientific advancements.

Jacqueline Garonzik Wang, M.D., Ph.D., director of the UAB Division of Transplantation and co-director of the Comprehensive Transplant Institute, is the senior author on a multi-center study reporting the first U.S. clinical experience using normothermic machine perfusion to rescue donor kidneys declined through the national allocation system.

By integrating new collaborative relationships and cutting-edge technologies UAB transplant teams are helping to redefine what is possible in organ utilization and patient outcomes.

UAB Vascular trainees delivered a standout performance at the 2026 Society for Clinical Vascular Surgery “Top Gun” competition, with Adam C. Banks, M.D., and Irina Gonzalez-Sigler, M.D., earning a second-place finish—the program’s highest result since 2013.

Bhuwan Giri, M.B.B.S., assistant professor in the UAB Department of Surgery’s Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery, has been selected by the Central Surgical Association (CSA) Foundation Board as a recipient of a 2026 CSA Foundation Award.

Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery Assistant Professor Zain Hashmi, M.D., spoke from his unique perspective as a trauma surgeon and researcher about what acting with integrity looks like for him.

UAB General Surgery resident Kaitlin Burge, M.D., has been elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Medical Society chapter at the UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine.

The Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery will host the 3rd annual Heroes and Healers event on Friday, May 1, 2026 at the UAB Alys Stephens Center. The event celebrates survivors of traumatic injury, as well as the medical care teams and first responders who saved their lives and helped them on the road to recovery.

Sergio Acuna Mancilla, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor in the UAB Division of Transplantation, has been awarded a $30,000 grant from the Americas Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (AHPBA) and the Americas Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Foundation. The award was presented at the AHPBA 2026 Annual Meeting in Miami Beach, Florida.

Rajamiyer Venkateswaran, M.D., M.S., professor in the UAB Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery and chief of heart, mechanical circulatory support, and lung transplant, received the Lifetime International Fellowship Award from the Indian Association of Cardiovascular-Thoracic Surgeons (IACTS) at its 72nd annual conference in Mumbai, India.

Frederick “Freddie” Thomas is always smiling, especially when he arrives at work and turns the hallway lights on just as the sun begins to crest over the horizon.

This National Social Work Month, social workers from across UAB have a message for the community: medical social workers are an integral part of the health system.

Department of Surgery research resident Chandler Annesi M.D., won the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma Resident Trauma Paper Competition, earning national recognition for her research on pediatric trauma care.

Six members of the UAB Department of Surgery will be honored at the upcoming Annual Service Awards Reception on Monday, March 30, 2026 – representing a cumulative 180 years of experience in the department. 

Robert H. Hollis, M.D., MSPH, the leader of the O'Neal Cancer Center Colorectal Cancer Management Team and an assistant professor in the UAB Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery, discussed key aspects of colorectal cancer as part of an educational video series produced by the O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center.