The Heersink School of Medicine is proud to announce the 2025 recipients of its 1R01 Award. Securing extramural research funding is a very competitive process, and this award is a testament to these investigators’ groundbreaking research and dedication to advancing biomedical science.

Dr. Stefanie Robel, associate professor in the UAB Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology (CDIB), is a recipient of the Landis Award for Outstanding Mentorship 2024.

Heersink School of Medicine introduced four new research focus areas in 2022. Of these focus areas, Brain Health and Disease Across the Lifespan aims to improve understanding of brain development, aging, health, and disease.

UAB has committed to a significant leap forward in biomedical research by approving the Center for Integrative Structural Biology during the June 2024 University of Alabama System Board of Trustees meeting.

UAB Heersink School of Medicine has awarded four grants for the 2023/2024 Heersink Multi-Investigator Program Awards, which are each funded with $150,000 per year for two years.

Bradley Yoder, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, has ranked No. 8 of over 800 principal investigators in the fields of anatomy and cell biology, according to the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research report for 2023. Yoder achieved this ranking after securing over $4.2 million in National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding.

The Heersink School of Medicine Office for Diversity and Inclusion hosted the annual Women in Medicine and Science Promotion Reception April 11, which recognized women faculty promoted at the end of 2023. The honorees and their guests were greeted by Heersink leadership to celebrate their remarkable achievements.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine saw great success in acquiring research funding in 2023, making significant strides in securing resources to advance human health through biomedical discovery.

In the intricate landscape of cellular biology, a group of dedicated Heersink investigators is unraveling the mysteries of protein glycosylation, particularly focusing on the enigmatic world of sialylation. Led by Susan Bellis, Ph.D., the Glycobiology group at UAB delves deep into the significance of sialic acid modifications and their profound impact on cellular behavior. As we sat down with Bellis, she shared valuable insights into the group's pioneering work and its pivotal role in shaping our understanding of glycobiology.

The UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine is pleased to announce the newest cohort of James A. Pittman Jr., M.D., Scholars.

Bradley Yoder, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, introduces the Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) Group.

On Friday, Nov. 17, 2023, students from Heersink School of Medicine gathered to celebrate faculty, courses, and course directors at the annual Argus Awards Ceremony.

Anupam Agarwal, M.D., dean of the Heersink School of Medicine, welcomed 13 esteemed faculty members, their families, and Heersink School of Medicine leaders to the Wallace Tumor Institute on Nov. 14 to honor the new endowed chairs and professorships for their contributions to modern medicine and medical education.

Braden McFarland, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology and co-director of the UAB Undergraduate Cancer Biology Program, was recently awarded a $1.6 million R01 grant from the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health to study the role of human gut microbes in mouse models of glioblastoma.

In the last several years, UAB Medicine and Heersink School of Medicine have worked to bring leadership development to faculty and staff through the UAB Medicine Institute for Leadership and Momentum in Medicine programs.

HaoSheng Sun, Ph.D., has been recognized as a 2023 Freeman Hrabowski Scholar. This program is an extension of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI).

Over one million Americans are living with Type 1 diabetes (T1D). According to Beyond Type 1, the number of those with T1D is steadily climbing at 2.9% per year, versus the population growth of 0.8% per year.

UAB holds its administrative professionals in the highest regard. April 26, 2023, is Administrative Professionals Day – allowing us to recognize and celebrate our administrative professionals while also highlighting the administrative resources offered by UAB. Most recently, the Developing Emerging Administrative Leaders (DEAL) program was established to offer development opportunities for current administrative professionals through training experiences and networking, to assist administration with their career paths and plans of advancing within UAB and UAB Medicine.

UAB Heersink School of Medicine has awarded three grants for the latest annual Multi-Investigator Program Award cycle. The 2022/2023 AMC21 Multi-PI Awards, which provide grant funding of $150,000 per year for two years, were awarded to Javier Neyra, M.D., Carlos Orihuela, Ph.D., and Anna Thalacker-Mercer, Ph.D.

Medical students honored their outstanding mentors, professors, courses, and course directors at the annual Argus Awards Ceremony on Friday, Jan. 6.