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Members of the UAB Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology were honored Thursday, June 11, at the 2026 Graduation and Education Awards. The annual event served to recognize exemplary residents, faculty, and fellows in the department for the 2025-2026 academic year.
On June 6, 2026, Heersink School of Medicine’s Equal Access Birmingham (EAB) hosted its third annual EAB on the Green golf tournament. Golfers of all levels gathered at Highland Park Golf Course for a day of games, prizes, and fundraising for an impactful cornerstone in the Birmingham community.
Douglas Anderson, M.D., M.S., associate professor in the UAB Division of Transplantation, has been appointed to the Ethics and Conflict of Interest Committee of the Society of University Surgeons (SUS).
Carrie Atcheson, M.D., MPH, FASA, was recently elected to two prominent statewide bodies: the Board of the Medical Association of the State of Alabama (MASA) and the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners (ALBME) as censor-at-large.
The UAB Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine proudly celebrated its graduating class during a memorable ceremony on May 29, recognizing excellence in clinical care, education, leadership, and service.
The Department of Microbiology recently bid farewell to a respected colleague and friend who has served the department steadfastly in multiple capacities for more than a decade. Julie Decker, program manager III in the Department of Microbiology, retired on June 1 after 13 years with the Department of Microbiology and more than 25 years with UAB at large.
For the International Medical Education (IME) office at the UAB Heersink School of Medicine, 2025 marked a defining year. What began as a collection of global programs has matured into an office-led effort that strengthens the school while building international partnerships and creating meaningful value across UAB.
Faris Zaibaq, a student in the M.D.-Ph.D. program at Heersink School of Medicine, has focused his extracurricular work on how city design shapes daily life in Birmingham. Together with his collaborators, he helped launch Better Birmingham, a community initiative focused on improving access across the city, particularly in transportation and housing.
The UAB Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences hosted its 27th Annual Research Symposium on Friday, June 12, at the UAB Altec/Styslinger Genomic and Data Sciences Building, bringing together leading voices in vision science for a full day of education, discussion, and innovation.
Martha Tankersley, associate vice president of the UAB Comprehensive Transplant Institute, has been named a recipient of the second quarter 2026 UAB Values in Action Program (VIP) Award, one of the university’s highest employee recognitions honoring individuals who exemplify UAB’s shared values of collaboration, integrity, respect, and excellence.
Kelly Chapman, BSN, RN, CWOCN, a certified wound, ostomy and continence nurse in the Division of Trauma & Acute Care Surgery and the team-lead and supervisor of the UAB inpatient wound care team, was named the inaugural Certified Nurse of the Year by the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing Certification Board (WOCNCB).
John Choi, M.D., Ph.D., a professor in the Division of Laboratory Medicine and director of the Flow Cytometry Laboratory, is retiring from the Department of Pathology, effective June 30, 2026.
At UAB, a dedicated Granulomatous Mastitis Clinic is providing new hope for patients navigating the complex and often frustrating diagnosis of idiopathic granulomatous mastitis.
The UAB Department of Pathology is pleased to announce the establishment of a dedicated Head and Neck Pathology Fellowship Program within its Surgical Pathology Fellowship Program. The fellowship will welcome its inaugural fellow in July 2026 and represents an exciting expansion of subspecialty pathology training opportunities at UAB.
Maria Grant, M.D., professor and Eivor and Alston Callahan, M.D., Endowed Chair in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, has been awarded a four-year, $2.67 million R01 grant from the National Institute of Health (NIH) to continue research combining her dual expertise in endocrinology and ophthalmology.
The UAB Comprehensive Diabetes Center and Diabetes Research Center members showcased their latest scientific findings at the American Diabetes Association (ADA) 86th Scientific Sessions, June 5-8, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans.
When founders took the stage at the gBETA Prosper HealthTech Showcase in June, they weren't simply pitching ideas. They were presenting solutions forged through weeks of rigorous mentorship, customer discovery, commercialization planning, and entrepreneurial training.
Members of the UAB Department of Pathology gathered for an outgoing reception for residents and fellows on June 5. Faculty, staff, and trainees came together to celebrate at the Marnix E. Heersink Conference Center with dinner and an awards ceremony. A welcome by Chad Siniard, M.D., Residency Program Director, followed by opening remarks from Cristina Magi-Galluzzi, M.D., Ph.D., Robert and Ruth Anderson Endowed Chair in Pathology, and a presentation by 2026 C. Bruce Alexander Lecturer, Samuel Borak, M.D., an assistant professor in the Community Practice Pathology Program. The Leonard H. Robinson Award for Resident Education in Anatomic Pathology was presented by Gian Piero Carames, M.D., to Melad Dababneh, M.B.B.S. The Shu T. Huang Award for Excellence in Laboratory Medicine Education was presented by Anne Hylander, D.O., to Katayoun Fomani, M.D., Associate Professor, Laboratory Medicine. Brandi McCleskey, M.D., presented Excellence in Education Awards to various faculty members: ANATOMIC PATHOLOGY Subject Matter Expertise and Effective Communication: Oyedele Adeyi, M.D., FRCPC Enthusiasm for Education: Valeria Dal Zotto, M.D. Encourages Active Learning: Frida Rosenblum, M.D. LABORATORY MEDICINE Subject Matter Expertise: Vishnu Reddy, M.D. Enthusiasm for Education and Effective Communication: Megan Amerson-Brown, Ph.D., CIC, MLS Dr. Adeyi presented the Roger Denio Baker Prize in Anatomic Pathology to Dr. Gian Piero Carames. This award, established in Dr. Baker’s name, is presented to the resident demonstrating excellence in anatomic pathology. Roger Denio Baker became the medical school’s first full-time faculty member on December 1, 1944, and the first departmental chair appointed by Dean Roy D. Kracke. Dr. Ona Faye-Petersen presented the Outstanding Trainee Teaching Award to Ryan Bragiel, M.D. The PEARL Award endowed by former resident and UAB Heersink School of Medicine MSTP student, Dr. Stephen Brossette, recognizes a resident who demonstrates excellence in patient care, education and research in laboratory medicine. This award was presented by Dr. Siniard to Amy Theriault, D.O. Dr. McCleskey acknowledged this year’s outgoing chief resident for Education and Outreach, Alyssa Lee, M.D., and announced incoming chief in the same role, Nicholas Eisele, D.O. Dr. Adeyi acknowledged this year’s outgoing chief resident for Anatomic Pathology, Dr. Gian Piero Carames. and announced incoming chief, Dr. Ryan Bragiel. Dr. Siniard acknowledged Dr. Anne Hylander as outgoing chief of Clinical Pathology, and announced incoming chief Edward Chung, D.O. Neda Wick, M.D., presented the Recognition of Excellence Awards to various junior residents: Innovation and Quality Focused and Enthusiasm for Education and Learning: Huda Haq, M.D. Quality Patient Care: Meagan Drury, M.D. Demonstrating Initiative and Collaborative Team Spirit: Rachel Chang, D.O., M.S. Effective Communication: Alex Wilson, M.D. Dr. Siniard presented this year’s RISE-ING Stars Awards to Mayowa Adekiitan, M.D., PGY1 Joshua Morse, M.D., Ph.D., PGY1. Nicholas Eisele, D.O., PGY2, Edward Chung, D.O., PGY3, Imran Ajmal, M.D., PGY4, and Alyssa Lee, M.D., M.S., PGY4. The following outgoing residents were presented with certificates of completion: Falone Amoa, M.D., M.S. Imran Ajmal, M.D. Sofia Canete-Portillo, M.D. Gianpiero Carames, M.D. Ana Franchini Fer, M.D. Kyle Joseph, D.O., M.S. Alyssa Lee, M.D., M.S. Nicholas Paul, D.O., M.A. Caroline Polska, M.D. Amy Theriault, D.O. Fellow certificates were presented by the following faculty in each respective program: Daneil Dye, M.D., presented the Forensic Pathology Fellow certificate to Michael Webber, D.O. Dr. Rosenblum presented the Cytopathology Fellow certificate to Mohamed Zedan, M.D. Dr. Reddy presented the Hematopathology Fellow certificates to Nkechi Arinze, M.D., and Michael Robinson, D.O. Dr. Fomani presented the Transfusion Medicine Fellow certificate to Deepak Kumar, M.D. Dr. Adeyi presented the Surgical Pathology Fellow certificates to Sabesan Balasinkam, M.D., and Haneen Salah, M.D. Dr. Adeyi also presented the GI Pathology Fellow certificates to FNU Kiran, M.D., and FNU Raja, M.D. Dr. Magi-Galluzzi presented the GU Pathology Fellow certificate to Gopal Kumar, M.D. Andrea Kahn, M.D., presented the Women’s Health Fellow certificate to Meghan White, M.D. Dr. McCleskey presented the Research/Clinical Fellow certificate to Dr. Falone Amoa.
UAB Department of Pediatrics Professor Ambika Ashraf, M.D., has co-edited a comprehensive textbook highlighting the latest research findings and clinical guidance for managing diabetes in children and adolescents.
Buse Baykoca-Arslan, M.D., first-year fellow in the Division of Pediatric Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine, has received the 2025-2026 Spring Pediatric Research Roundtable and Fellow Core Conference Attendance Award.
For more than a decade, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Department of Pediatrics has been helping residents do more than learn medicine, it has been teaching them how to improve it.
Brittney Knott, a doctoral candidate and a researcher in the laboratory of Paige Porrett, M.D., Ph.D., will give an oral plenary presentation at the 31st International Congress of the Transplantation Society on September 23, 2026, in Sydney, Australia.
Bhuwan Giri, M.B.B.S., an assistant professor in the UAB Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery, has been awarded the Career Development Award from the Research Foundation of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons(ASCRS) for his project entitled, “GDT Cell Dysregulation in Bile Acid-Mediated Progression of Colitis-Associated Cancer (CAC).”
The UAB Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine has been recognized among the 10 most-viewed anesthesiology residency programs in the country, according to Becker’s Ambulatory Surgery Review, citing data from the American Medical Association (AMA) Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database Access (FREIDA) program search tool. Out of 179 anesthesiology residency programs nationwide, UAB earned a spot in the top 10, placing the department in the top 6 percent in terms of medical student interest.
Emma Hobby, Ph.D. student in the UAB Graduate Biomedical Sciences program, neurosciences theme, is earning international recognition for her innovative research in Alzheimer’s disease.
For many patients, the idea of brain-focused treatment can sound intimidating, but advances in technology have made Central Nervous System stereotactic radiosurgery a safe, efficient, and minimally invasive option.
Anya McDaniel, UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine second-year student, has been selected as a national recipient of the Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Carolyn L. Kuckein Student Research Fellowship. The award will fund McDaniel’s second year of research in the UAB Department of Surgery on a collaborative project between Angela M. Carter, Ph.D., and Karin M. Hardiman, M.D., Ph.D., which McDaniel joined last summer as a participant in the department's Short-Term Research Experiences Advancing Medical Students (STREAMS) program.
On June 4, the Department of Pathology hosted its ninth annual C. Bruce Alexander Lecture in Pathology Education featuring Samuel Borak, M.D., an assistant professor in the UAB Community Practice Pathology Program. Borak delivered the lecture "Academic medicine in the community practice setting and the ever changing landscape of pathology."
The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Department of Pediatrics is proud to announce that Tamera Coyne-Beasley, M.D., MPH, professor in the Division of Adolescent Medicine, has begun her term as the 138th president of the American Pediatric Society (APS), one of the most prestigious academic pediatric organization in North America.
The UAB Department of Surgery is honored to recognize the outstanding research contributions from its faculty, trainees, and staff.