News

In 2023, UAB obtained a Lunaphore COMET™ platform, which assists researchers in the examination of many proteins and mRNA transcripts on histological tissues. The investment in this technology was made by the O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB and the Heersink School of Medicine Immunology Institute and I-4ward research focus area.

A study reveals that T cells help develop diverse anti-carbohydrate antibodies after early microbial exposure, offering new insights into immune defense, autoimmune disease, asthma and future therapeutic development.

The Southeastern Biosafety Laboratory Alabama Birmingham (SEBLAB) at UAB is one of 12 Regional Biocontainment Laboratories funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease.

UAB startup TIXiMED advances TIX100, a novel oral Type 1 diabetes therapy, into Phase 1b clinical testing. The TXNIP-targeting drug aims to protect insulin-producing beta cells and address disease progression beyond blood sugar management.

Rebecca Hall was diagnosed with leptomeningeal metastasis and was weeks from passing, until she enrolled as the first patient in a clinical trial. 

Following decades of transformative leadership and outstanding contributions from Craig Hoesley, M.D., the UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine will soon begin a national search for the next leader to advance the medical education mission as senior associate dean for medical education and chair of the Department of Medical Education.

UAB Medicine's Leadership Development Office celebrated the graduation of 18 healthcare leaders from its 12th cohort of the Institute for Leadership during a ceremony held June 24 at the Heersink Conference Center Lobby.

The investigators strongly recommend that new mothers interested in a chrononutrition approach should discuss it with their healthcare providers.

The study provides doctors and researchers with a more accurate way to identify patients at the highest risk of early relapse and may help guide earlier use of newer immunotherapies.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham startup TIXiMED Inc. has launched the next phase of clinical testing for a novel oral therapy for Type 1 diabetes, moving the treatment one step closer to potential use in patients.

Without intervention, physician Edwin Villarreal’s prognosis was 100 percent mortality; but he is alive and well after receiving treatment for an often-fatal condition, HLH. 

UAB researchers report Phase 1 trial results showing a novel immunotherapy was well-tolerated and doubled the progression-free survival time in glioblastoma patients, offering new optimism for improving survival and quality of life.

Two Heersink School of Medicine faculty members have graduated from prestigious medicine leadership fellowship programs offered by Drexel University College of Medicine. Lalita Shevde-Samant, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Pathology, has graduated from the Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) program.

The statistics are startling: more than 7 million Americans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s disease, a figure that is projected to double by 2060. In Alabama, over 103,000 people age 65 and older—nearly 12% of seniors—have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Alabama has the sixth highest Alzheimer's disease mortality rate in the nation.

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.

Solving diagnostic challenges on the frontiers of medicine is all part of the daily routine for the experts in UAB’s growing Immunocompromised Infectious Diseases program, the only one of its kind in Alabama.

The largest genetic study of NT-proBNP uncovers nine new genomic regions and reveals how common and rare DNA variations shape levels of a key heart hormone across diverse populations.

This spring, the University of Alabama System Board of Trustees awarded the rank of Distinguished Professor to nine faculty members and the rank of University Professor to five faculty members.

Heart-healthy habits like exercising, eating a healthy diet and avoiding tobacco and alcohol consumption during pregnancy can benefit both women and their babies.

With great pride and excitement, we announce the appointment of John Bridges, M.D., M.S., assistant professor, in the Division of Pediatric Rheumatology as assistant program director for the Combined Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Program, effective Oct. 1, 2026.

Carlos J. Orihuela, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Microbiology, was part of a spaceflight research project that examined why many individuals who survived pneumonia later experienced serious heart complications.

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.

Twenty-nine employees were selected for the 2026 cohort of the Developing Emerging Administrative Leaders program, which exposes promising staff members to the essential components of administrative and management positions across UAB. Meet the new class.

Answers to common questions from caregivers and other expert advice from geriatrician Andrew Duxbury, M.D., who has been treating people with dementia for four decades.

The GUIDE Model provides care coordination and management, caregiver support, and respite services. It is available at no out-of-pocket cost to patients with traditional Medicare who are not living in a nursing home or on hospice. Learn how this builds on UAB research and find out how to enroll.

A specialized training helps ICU specialists understand the complex dance of ventilator-assisted breathing as never before. Take a look behind the scenes of the first Multi-institutional Fundamentals of Mechanical Ventilation course at UAB — and see how educators are spreading the knowledge to doctors across the region.

Julienne Carstens, Ph.D., is pioneering new techniques to track tumors in four dimensions. Her lab’s spatiotemporal work could help doctors zero in on the best therapies for specific patients, pinpoint when and where cancer cells are most vulnerable to manipulation and identify any cells in the area that could assist in the kill.

Starting this fall, the Developing Emerging Administrative Leaders program will be managed by UAB’s HR Learning and Development team, continuing DEAL’s legacy as a transformative, career-accelerating experience for high-potential staff of UAB and UAB Medicine. Applications for the 2026 cohort are open now.

The University-Wide Interdisciplinary Research Center focuses on the involvement of community members, organizations and patients as partners in research and interventions with a mission to prevent disease and improve health for all.

Congratulations to the 19 faculty and staff leaders who completed UAB’s leadership development program this month. Meet the graduates and see the requirements for the 2025-2026 cohort; nominations open in June.