Department of Radiology
Radiologists rarely meet patients face to face, but their work plays a central role in diagnosis and treatment. Every day, abdominal radiologists read and interpret scans that help doctors decide the next steps.
The Department of Radiology recognized faculty, trainees, and staff for outstanding achievements during its 2026 Annual Awards Ceremony, celebrating excellence in research, clinical care, education, and service.
The UAB Department of Radiology offers a full range of imaging services. These are the most commonly used exams.
Tanka Karki, M.D., joined the UAB Department of Radiology as an instructor in the cardiopulmonary imaging section in March 2026.
Simran Singh Cheema, M.D., joined the UAB Department of Radiology as an instructor in the cardiopulmonary imaging section in March 2026.
When it comes to women’s health, preventive imaging plays a powerful role. In the UAB Department of Radiology, we see how early detection through routine screenings can make a meaningful difference in outcomes. During Women’s Health Month, we’re highlighting three important imaging screenings every woman should prioritize to stay informed, proactive, and empowered about her health.
Mark Lockhart, M.D., MPH, professor in the UAB Department of Radiology, has been appointed to the rank of Distinguished Professor in the Department of Radiology. This prestigious designation recognizes his extraordinary contributions to academic medicine, clinical excellence, leadership, and service over more than two decades at UAB.
Anmol Dhawan, M.D., MBBS, joined the UAB Department of Radiology as an instructor in the cardiopulmonary imaging section in March 2026.
Nina Terry, M.D., retired from the UAB Department of Radiology in 2026 after more than 18 years of service, leaving behind a legacy of leadership, innovation, and dedication to education and patient care.
Cheri Canon, M.D., FACR, FSAR, FAAWR, president, UA Health Services Foundation; chief physician executive, UAB Health System; professor emerita, UAB Heersink School of Medicine Department of Radiology, recently received the 2026 SAR Gold Medal Award, the highest honor presented by the Society of Abdominal Radiology (SAR). The award recognizes outstanding and sustained contributions to abdominal radiology.
UAB Medicine’s Leadership Development Office (LDO) celebrated the graduation of 12 faculty members from the LEading, Advancing, Developing (LEAD) program for spring 2026. The cohort brought together leaders from across clinical and basic science disciplines who are committed to strengthening their leadership impact and advancing academic excellence across the institution.
UAB Medicine’s Leadership Development Office (LDO) recognized eight faculty members who graduated from cohort 8 of the SAIL (Sharing Authentically to Inspire and Lead) program for spring 2026. The program supports junior faculty as they develop authentic leadership approaches, strengthen professional networks, and navigate the unique challenges of early academic careers.
The UAB Heersink School of Medicine is pleased to announce the appointment of Mahmud Mossa-Basha, M.D., as the fourth holder of the prestigious Witten-Stanley Endowed Chair in the Department of Radiology. This appointment was formally approved by the Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama in February 2026.
Sid Gaddamanugu, M.D., served as Quiz Master for the Neuroradiology section at the International Quiz Finals held in Hyderabad, India, on Jan. 31, 2026.
American Heart Month is a time to reflect on progress in cardiovascular care and emphasize a renewed focus on prevention. Today’s heart care is deeply connected to advanced imaging, with radiology and cardiology working side by side to detect disease earlier, guide treatment decisions, and ensure patients receive the right intervention at the right time.
The UAB Center for Lung Analytics and Imaging Research (CLAIR), in collaboration with the Research MRI Core (RMRIC), has successfully performed the first Xenon-129 MRI lung imaging at UAB.
UAB Medicine’s Leadership Development Office (LDO) celebrated the graduation of the 11th cohort from the Institute for Leadership on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025.
The UAB Department of Radiology is pleased to announce the installation of two new advanced MRI systems at The Kirklin Clinic MRI Imaging Center.
Elliott Gozansky, M.D., Ph.D., joined the UAB Department of Radiology as a professor and chief in the cardiopulmonary imaging section in September 2025. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry from Emory University and later completed his Ph.D. in chemistry at Purdue University. He then received his medical degree from the University of Michigan and completed both his radiology residency and cardiothoracic imaging fellowship at the University of Maryland.
The Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) Research & Education (R&E) Foundation recently expressed its appreciation to Christopher T. Hensley, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor in the UAB Department of Radiology, for his recent service on the foundation’s grant review study sections.
Gerardo Torres-Flores, M.D., joined the UAB Department of Radiology as an assistant professor in the emergency radiology section in July 2025. With a diverse background, he brings a passion for teaching and dedication to advancing the field of radiology.
UAB Medicine’s Leadership Development Office (LDO) celebrated ten distinguished faculty members from the seventh cohort of the LEading, Advancing, Developing (LEAD) at a graduation ceremony on Thursday, Oct. 23. Facilitated by Kellie Carter, Ph.D., senior leadership development specialist, this cohort demonstrated a culture of growing leadership skills and advancing academic impact in the UAB community.
David Reisner, M.D., joined the UAB Department of Radiology faculty September 2025 as a clinical associate professor. He completed his undergraduate studies in economics at the University of Pennsylvania before earning a medical degree from Sidney Kimmel Medical College (then known as Jefferson Medical College) of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Cheri L. Canon, M.D., FACR, FSAR, FAAWR, president, UA Health Services Foundation; chief physician executive, UAB Health System; professor emerita, UAB Heersink School of Medicine Department of Radiology, has been named the latest recipient of the American College of Radiology’s Radiology Leadership Institute® (RLI) Larry R. Muroff Luminary Award.
Cathy Chen, M.D., joined the UAB Department of Radiology faculty in July 2025 as a clinical assistant professor in the breast imaging section. She completed her undergraduate studies in chemical and biological engineering at Princeton University before earning her medical degree from the University of Mississippi School of Medicine.
Early detection of breast cancer saves lives. Yet myths and misconceptions often prevent people from getting the screenings they need. Stefanie Woodard, D.O., associate professor and chief of breast imaging in the Department of Radiology, helps separate facts from fiction.
Rani Al-Senan, Ph.D., joined the UAB Department of Radiology in August 2025 as an associate professor in the Division of Physics and Engineering. He completed his undergraduate studies in radiological sciences at King Saud University in Saudi Arabia. He then earned his master’s degree in medical physics from the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. He obtained his doctorate in medical physics from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
The Department of Radiology has eight faculty members who have earned promotions and one who was awarded tenure for 2025. These achievements represent significant milestones in their academic careers and highlight their unwavering dedication to advancing research, educating the next generation, and serving our patients and community.
Nathalie Correa, Ph.D., joined the UAB Department of Radiology as an assistant professor in the Division of Physics and Engineering in August 2025.
After a national search, Mahmud Mossa-Basha, M.D., has been named chair of the UAB Department of Radiology, effective November 1, 2025.
Academic medical centers (AMCs) are among the United States’ most active hives of biomedical innovation thanks to their often robust research enterprises. Increasingly, AMCs like the Heersink School of Medicine play a central role in another realm of innovation: the biomedical/biotech start-up space.
The UAB O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center recently announced five winners of the O’Neal Invests grant awards, two generously funded by the Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama (BCRFA).
The UAB Medicine Leadership Development Office recently recognized eight individuals in its sixth cohort of Sharing Authentically to Inspire and Lead (SAIL). The spring 2025 graduates were honored at a ceremony on April 8.
Suzanne Lapi, Ph.D., vice chair of research, director of the UAB Cyclotron Facility, co-leader of the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center Experimental Therapeutics program, Emmet O’Neal II Endowed Professor in lung cancer research, and professor in the Division of Advanced Medical Imaging Research with the UAB Department of Radiology, has been appointed to the rank of Distinguished Professor in the UAB Heersink School of Medicine.
Desiree Morgan, M.D., vice chair of faculty affairs and professor in the abdominal imaging section in the Department of Radiology, was appointed as University Professor in the UAB Heersink School of Medicine.
Each year, the UAB Service Awards celebrate the dedication of employees who have achieved service milestones of five years and beyond. Employees with 20-plus years of service were additionally recognized at a Service Awards reception on April 8. The Department of Radiology proudly celebrated two faculty members honored this year for their remarkable commitment to UAB- with 25 and 30 years of service.
November 2024 marked 20 years since the establishment of the Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute (EMBI) at UAB. The institute was made possible by a generous gift from the McKnight Brain Research Foundation (MBRF), matched by the university, to support research in cognitive aging and age-related memory loss. Ronald Lazar, Ph.D., professor in the UAB Department of Neurology, has been director of the institute since 2017.
The AI in Medicine and Nursing Symposium, hosted by the UAB Heersink School of Medicine, UAB Medicine, UAB School of Health Professions, UAB School of Nursing, and Maastricht University Faculty of Science and Engineering, concluded successfully, bringing together leading experts, researchers, and industry representatives to explore the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in health care.
Eight faculty members recently graduated from UAB Medicine’s LEading Advancing Developing (LEAD) Fall 2024 leadership development program. The program, presented by UAB Medicine’s Leadership Development Office (LDO), recognized its graduates at a ceremony on Oct. 24, 2024.
The Department of Radiology is pleased to announce that, effective October 1, 2024, Siddhartha Gaddamanugu, M.D., will assume the role of program director, Neuroradiology Fellowship, succeeding Vee Prattipati, M.D.
W. Scott Jennings, CPA, MBA, executive administrator of the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Radiology, has been named the 2024 Will Ferniany Academic Medicine Leadership Award recipient.
The Marnix E. Heersink Institute for Biomedical Innovation held a symposium titled "Generative AI for Healthcare: Progress or Peril" with multiple speakers, all innovators in the field of health care, on Tuesday, Sept. 12.
Ryan Godwin, Ph.D., instructor in the Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine and the Department of Radiology, and Sandeep Bodduluri, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Medicine and Instructor & Advisor for AI Programming for the Marnix E. Heersink Institute for Biomedical Innovation, have partnered to instruct the institute’s new graduate certificate course, Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Medicine.
In honor of Pride Month, the Heersink School of Medicine Office for Diversity and Inclusion is sharing the initiatives implemented in the UAB Department of Radiology to create a welcoming environment for LGBTQ+ patients, students, and faculty members.
Sixteen remarkable faculty members have been named winners of the 2023 Dean’s Excellence Awards for Faculty.
Desiree E. Morgan, M.D., FSER, professor in the Department of Radiology, has been awarded the senior faculty 2023 Dean’s Excellence Award in Teaching.
Anupam Agarwal, M.D., dean of the Heersink School of Medicine, welcomed faculty members and their families to the Endowed Chairs and Professorships Reception on April 25.
The Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama System recently approved the establishment of the Emmet O’Neal II Endowed Professorship in the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB. This endowed professorship, funded from the bequest of O’Neal Industries in memory of Emmet O’Neal II, will support lung cancer research. O’Neal Cancer Center Senior Scientist Suzanne Lapi, Ph.D., has been appointed as the first holder of this endowed professorship.
Medical Student Research Day celebrates the research accomplishments of medical students and provides them with the opportunity to present their projects to fellow students and faculty.
Eighteen faculty members across Heersink School of Medicine’s departments have received 2022 Dean’s Excellence Awards in recognition of excellence in the areas of teaching, research, service, mentorship, and diversity.