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The Department of Medicine is committed to promoting and supporting cutting-edge research conducted by its talented investigators. To that end, the department offers a variety of awards to recognize and reward research excellence. These awards not only serve to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of our scientists, but also to promote their work and bring attention to their important contributions to the field. Through these awards, the department aims to encourage continued growth and innovation in medicine and to improve patient outcomes.. 

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.

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.

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 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 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, 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.

The Department of Medicine is excited to celebrate Olivia Krantz as the recipient of the DOM STAR Award for Staff Excellence for Fall 2024!

written by Sarah L. Minor, MS

African Americans are significantly less likely to receive goal-concordant end-of-life (EoL) and serious illness care due to systemic and individual racism and a misunderstanding of and respect for cultural differences. To address these disparities, Ronit Elk, MD, professor of medicine in the Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care, is leading an innovative NIA R01 project training program, “African American Communities Speak to Health Care Providers” using a Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach. In partnership with Community Advisory Boards in Birmingham and the Bronx, they will create culturally aligned and racially just care practices informed by the community’s cultural and religious values, as well as their experiences with racism.

Andrea Cherrington, M.D., MPH, will serve as the Director of our new Division of General Internal Medicine and Population Science, effective October 1, 2024. She is currently Professor of Medicine, Associate Professor of Public Health, the Triton Endowed Professor in Health Equity Research, and Interim Director of the Division of Preventive Medicine. 

Professor Lisa Willett, M.D., MACM, will serve as Executive Vice Chair (EVC) for the Department of Medicine, effective July 1, 2024.

Dr. Willett adds this role to her current service as Vice Chair for Education and Faculty Development. As EVC, she will serve as the lead faculty partner to the Chair and Interim Chair, reporting directly to them.

Kondal Kyanam, M.D., will serve as Interim Director for the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, effective July 1, 2024, when Douglas R. Morgan, M.D., M.P.H., will step down as Division Director and become Director of Global Health Programs for the division. Dr. Kyanam is Associate Professor of Medicine and Director of Endoscopy at UAB Medicine. He also directs the division’s Advanced Endoscopy Fellowship and Advanced Endoscopy at the Birmingham VA Medical Center.  

Brittany Martin Recieving Her DOM STAR Award for Staff Excellence.
The Department of Medicine is delighted to celebrate Brittany Martin, clinical research administrator in the Department of Medicine’s Division of Infectious Diseases, as the latest winner of the DOM STAR Award for Staff Excellence. 

Written by: Sarah L. Minor, MS

As a high-performing investigator, Associate Professor Ellen Eaton, M.D., MPH, in the Division of Infectious Diseases, received funds from the DOM Research Awards Program (RAP) to use at her discretion to enhance her research. While grant funding has become increasingly restrictive in its uses, the RAP funds provided Eaton with an opportunity to address three main concerns with one innovative event—bring people together in person who had felt isolated during the pandemic, serve the community, and cultivate partnerships with local non-profits. “The DOM Research Award allowed me to support a research faculty, staff, and trainee ‘Meet and Greet’ where our research team, trainees, and collaborators gathered after work to create harm reduction kits for our community.”

Written by: Sarah L. Minor, MS

Pictured L to R: Drs. Anupam Agarwal, Patricia Molina, Jennifer and David Pollock, and Orlando GutierrezThe Cardio-Renal Physiology and Medicine (CPRM) team has every reason to celebrate! In their first decade, CRPM has demonstrated extraordinary success, securing over $50.6 million in research funding, leading to 192 publications and over 500 citations. Their oustanding work has also been recognized with over 140 national honors and awards, including three Pittman Scholars, three Endowed Professorships, and two Max Cooper Awardees.

Written by: Kiara Harris

Vibrant. Active. Energetic. Sarah Hazen’s loved ones use these three words to describe her.

L to R: Shane Wiley, MBA, Andrea Cherrington, M.D., Interim Director of Preventive Medicine, Chriss Florkiewicz, M.Ed., Anitra Baylor and Doug Royal, MBA The Department of Medicine is pleased to celebrate Christina Florkiewicz, M.Ed., as the distinguished recipient of the DOM STAR Award for Staff Excellence in the Winter 2023 quarter.

2023 was a whirlwind of groundbreaking discoveries, prestigious awards, and initiatives for the Department of Medicine’s Research Domain. From unraveling the genetic mysteries of osteoarthritis to reimagining cancer care, our investigators have pushed the boundaries of knowledge to make meaningful contributions to human health.

Julie Kanter, M.D., Co-Director of the Lifespan Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center, Director of the UAB Adult Sickle Cell Clinic

As an FDA decision approaches and medical communities brace for potential advancements, Julie Kanter, M.D., Co-Director of the Lifespan Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center and Director of the UAB Adult Sickle Cell Clinic, sheds light on the intricate process of implementing new gene therapy treatment for Sickle Cell Disease (SCD).

Martin Rodriguez, M.D., is the Interim Director of the Division of Infectious Diseases (ID), effective September 24, 2023. 

Dr. Rodriguez is the Paul W. Burleson, M.D., Endowed Professor of Medicine and Director of Clinical Activities in the Division. An outstanding teacher and physician, he has received many awards including the 2023 President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. He also plays other key roles including Co-director of the UAB Undiagnosed Diseases Program and Director of the Tinsley Harrison General Medicine Service.

Erica Stringer-Reasor, M.D., Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology and Oncology and Director of the Breast Cancer Program at the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB, will serve as Vice Chair for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Department of Medicine, effective November 1, 2023.

In academic medical centers across the nation, the research environment is increasingly complex. While conducting research that generates exciting discoveries can be considered a reward unto itself, department leaders have a responsibility to recognize principal investigators for exceeding expectations in their research.

J. Martin Rodriguez, MD, FACP, FIPSA, will serve as the Director of our Division of Infectious Diseases, effective September 1, 2024. Currently the Paul W. Burleson, MD, Endowed Professor of Medicine, he will be recommended for appointment to the C. Glenn Cobbs Endowed Chair of Medicine in his new role. 

The Department of Medicine is pleased to celebrate Tim Fram, Research Manager in the Division of Infectious Diseases, as the distinguished recipient of the DOM STAR Award for Staff Excellence in the Fall 2023 quarter.

Fram joined the Division of Infectious Diseases in 2017 and currently serves as a lab manager for Nathan Erdmann, M.D., Ph.D; Paul Goepfert, M.D.; and Anju Bansal, Ph.D.

The footprint of kidney disease research at UAB just expanded through two awards from the NIH

written by Andy Currie, Maria White, and Carolyn Walsh

Pictured above, L to R: Drs. Anupam Agarwal, Orlando Gutierrez, and Amanda Hyer AndersonThe UAB-UCSD O'Brien Center for Acute Kidney Injury Research has joined the newly formed O’Brien Kidney Consortium as one of its seven National Resource Centers. The $4.4 million U54 grant recognizes the Center’s 15-year legacy of exceptional research in acute kidney injury, or AKI, a health issue that affects more than 13 million people in the U.S.