The Department of Medicine's brightest research minds came together on May 7, 2026, at the Altec/Styslinger Genomic Medicine and Data Sciences Building to honor its culture of innovation and discovery at the annual DREAM Council Awards Reception. Dozens of individuals were recognized for their scientific achievements across multiple categories, including announcements of two honorees for career excellence awards and four who received career development awards.

21 Department of Medicine employees were honored at the UAB Medicine Annual Service Awards, which celebrate individuals who reached a service milestone of 25 years or more in 2025.

Congratulations to the following:

Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine team celebrates the spring recipient of
the DOM STAR Award for Staff Excellence, Carmen Nail (front row, third from left).Carmen Nail, program coordinator in the UAB Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care, has been named the Spring 2026 DOM STAR for Staff Excellence award recipient.

Kenneth Long, M.D., Ph.D., presents his research at the 2026 Trainee Research SymposiumOver 100 researchers across the Department of Medicine (DOM) shared their original research with faculty judges at the 42nd Trainee Research Symposium (TRS) on March 4, 2026.

TRS is the DOM’s major research day, where all department trainees and staff scientists are invited to present a poster describing their basic, clinical, or population research. The event is organized by the DOM Research Excellence Advancement and Mentoring (DREAM) Council.

The Department of Medicine is thrilled to introduce its 2026 Wellness Council committee. The 35-member group includes faculty and staff volunteers from all mission areas and the department’s 10 divisions. Members will meet monthly to advance wellness initiatives across the council’s focus areas.

Thank you to the following individuals for their dedication to wellness and service within the department:

Balloons are dancing, roses are blooming, and chocolates are calling. Valentine’s Day is tomorrow, and love is in the air.

Many of us have a common love — medicine. Whether it was a lifelong dream or a path we stumbled upon, that love has led us to meaningful places and purposeful careers.

We asked faculty, trainees, and staff: What made you fall in love with medicine? Here is what they said.

DOM Cultural Connections Food Fair participants celebrate a successful evening of food, tradition, and community.Our love for food is rarely just about eating. Food connects us to stories, memories, tradition and community.

UAB Heersink School of Medicine celebrated its annual Argus Awards, where medical students recognized outstanding faculty, courses and course directors across multiple categories. The DOM was represented in nine categories.

Congratulations to the following 2025 Argus Award recipients:

COERE team celebrates Winter recipient of the DOM STAR Award for Staff
Excellence, Madeline Gibson, MPH (sixth from left). The Department of Medicine is pleased to recognize Madeline Gibson, MPH, deputy director of the Center for Outcomes and Effectiveness Research and Education (COERE) in the Division of Infectious Diseases, as the Winter 2025 recipient of the DOM STAR Award for Staff Excellence.

Nearly 100 providers from the Department of Medicine have been recognized as UAB Medicine’s Top Ambulatory Providers for 2025.

Pictured: Staff from the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology celebrate Katie Green (back row, center) on her selection as the Fall 2025 DOM STAR Award winner for staff excellence. The Department of Medicine is thrilled to recognize Kathryn “Katie” Green, administrative assistant in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, as the Fall 2025 recipient of the DOM STAR Award for Staff Excellence.

On Wednesday, May 21, Department of Medicine employees gathered in the Margaret Cameron Spain Auditorium to hear Wellness Council co-chairs Kaitlyn Waugaman, MPH, RDN, LDN, and Josh Stripling, M.D., share updates on the council’s progress. The duo announced the newly selected 23-member council, who will serve a two-year term and meet monthly to advance ongoing projects and initiatives.

Last year, the Department of Medicine launched its Faculty Development program to provide comprehensive support and resources for faculty at all stages of their careers.

The UAB Cystic Fibrosis Research Center lab celebrates Liping Tang's (front center) recognition as a 2025 Summer DOM STAR Awardee for Staff Excellence. The Department of Medicine is pleased to recognize Liping Tang, lab manager of the Gregory Fleming James UAB Cystic Fibrosis Research Center in the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, as a recipient of the Summer 2025 DOM STAR Award for Staff Excellence.

The Department of Medicine is proud to recognize Elizabeth “Lisa” Forte, MBA, as the recipient of the 2025 Spring DOM STAR Award for Staff Excellence. Lisa is a clinical research administrative manager for the STI Program in the Division of Infectious Diseases. In her role, Lisa is responsible for creating budgets, strategizing grant submissions, and overall program organization. Her team praises her for her meticulous nature and consideration.

Members from the Division of General Internal Medicine and Population Science join Pilar Rincon (fourth from left) to celebrate her selection as a Summer 2025 DOM STAR Awardee for Staff Excellence. The Department of Medicine is pleased to recognize Pilar Rincon as a recipient of the 2025 Summer DOM STAR Award for Staff Excellence.

The Department of Medicine is thrilled to celebrate Tanya Sloane as a recipient of the Winter 2024 DOM STAR Award for Staff Excellence.

The Department of Medicine is pleased to recognize Ellen Lazarre, CRNP, as a recipient of the 2024 Winter DOM STAR Award for Staff Excellence.

Cindy Joiner, PhD, MPH, RN, Associate Professor of Medicine, has accepted a new role as Vice Chair for Research Operations and Development, effective October 1, 2024. In this capacity, Dr. Joiner will lead research operations and administration for the Department of Medicine (DOM). She will develop processes, programs, and initiatives to create a successful research environment.

The Department of Medicine (DOM) is dedicated to promoting and supporting innovative research conducted by its talented investigators. To achieve this goal, the DOM offers a variety of awards to recognize and reward excellence in research. These awards serve to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of our scientists, as well as to promote their work and bring attention to their important contributions to the field. Through these awards, the department encourages continued growth and innovation in medical science.

written by Sarah L. Minor, MS

Corey Cates, facilities coordinator II in the Department of Medicine chair’s office, recently learned more about lab design safety by attending the “Guidelines for Laboratory Design: Health and Safety Considerations” course, a weeklong program hosted by the Harvard School of Public Health. The course featured expert-led sessions and tours of cutting-edge laboratories at both Harvard and MIT. The course provided Cates with a comprehensive understanding of the logistical challenges involved in lab renovations, decommissioning, and relocations—key areas in his facilities management career. With this new knowledge, he feels more confident collaborating with the various stakeholders in these processes.

written by Andy Currie

Chloe Taub, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine and Population Science, received a 2024-25 Dissemination and Implementation (D&I) Science Pilot Award for her project, "Remotely-Delivered Stress Management for Breast Cancer Survivors Living in High Disadvantaged Neighborhoods."

written by Sarah L. Minor and Andy Currie

Arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is the preferred method for vascular access in the United States hemodialysis patients, but high failure rates persist due to our poor understanding of the mechanisms that cause an AVF to fail to mature.

written by Sarah L. Minor

Oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) rates are rising among people living with HIV, and Bansal is determined to find out why by exploring how chronic HIV infection influences appears to drive development of cancer caused by human papillomavirus infection, despite antiretroviral treatment.

written by Sarah L. Minor

Imagine a cancer treatment that’s as unique as you are. Katia Khoury, M.D., assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Hematology and Oncology, recently published findings from a new “sequential therapy approach” to breast cancer investigations in Nature Medicine. The innovative trial design is at the forefront of personalized cancer care.