Herbert Chen, M.D., the Fay Fletcher Endowed Chair of the UAB Department of Surgery, gave the 2026 State of the Department presentation earlier this week, spotlighting achievements from the past year and reflecting on the 80 year history of the department.

UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine medical students Thanushri Srikantha, Neil Chaudhary, and Alison Levine were awarded among the best projects of the 2025 UAB Medical Student Research Day (MSRD).

Robert Hollis, M.D.,MSPH, an assistant professor in the Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery and leader of the colorectal cancer management team in the O’Neal Cancer Service Line, was recently featured on a national medical education podcast episode focused on the modern management of diverticulitis for hospitalists and frontline clinicians.

The UAB Department of Surgery is proud to highlight the outstanding research achievements of faculty, trainees, and researchers over the past quarter.

Angela Carter, Ph.D., assistant professor in the UAB Division of Surgical Oncology, has been selected to receive an O’Neal Invests Catalyst Award from the UAB O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center.

For December, the UAB Department of Surgery is featuring Dr. Lacey Swenson in its monthly Access & Engagement Committee spotlight.

UAB General Surgery Residency Program resident Alizeh Abbas, M.D., has been selected as a recipient of the UAB Office of Postdoctoral Education Travel Award.

Thanushri Srikantha, a participant in the UAB Department of Surgery Short-Term Research Experiences Advancing Medical Students (STREAMS) program, has earned national recognition for her summer research under the mentorship of Demario  Overstreet, Ph.D.

UAB Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery Assistant Professor Demario Overstreet, Ph.D., has been awarded substantial funding through the National Institutes of Health for his innovative research program, titled “Contemporary human models of postoperative pain: A biopsychosocial investigation in general surgery.” 

Margaux Mustian, M.D., MSPH, an assistant professor in the Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery, is one of the fall 2025 graduates of the UAB Sharing Authentically to Inspire and Lead (SAIL) program.

The UAB Department of Surgery is excited to welcome two new faculty members in the month of November 2025: Drs. Eliot Gagne and Lauren Theiss Gleason.

The UAB Department of Surgery was honored to recognize the second-annual awardees of the Moore-McDougal Staff Excellence Awards in Surgery on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, at the annual Surgery Staff Town Hall.

Numerous members of the UAB Department of Surgery were recognized as new fellows of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) at the 2025 Clinical Congress in Chicago, Illinois.

Melodie Pierre is a Clinical Research Coordinator I in Dr. Daniel Chu’s lab, where she supports ongoing clinical and translational studies aimed at advancing outcomes in colorectal surgery.

Abhishek Parmar, M.D., an associate professor in the UAB Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery, has been invited to join the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) Continuing Education Committee and to serve as the co-director of the SAGES Train the Trainer Program. 

The beginning of August marks the new step in the training process for our incoming fellows and an exciting new chapter for our graduating trainees.

From its vibrant culinary scene to its stunning Appalachian foothills, Birmingham is gaining recognition as both a medical hub and a city where life outside the hospital thrives.

Robert Hollis, M.D., MSPH, assistant professor of the UAB Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery, and Ridley Brown, BSN, RN, oncology navigator at the O'Neal Cancer Center, have been featured in the UAB MedCast episode: “What is the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC) and why does it matter?”

The UAB Division of Gastrointestinal (GI) Surgery has received reaccreditation for an additional three years as a fellowship program specializing in advanced GI surgery, minimally invasive surgery (MIS), and abdominal wall surgery.

Christina Lundeen, BSN, RN, a clinical care coordinator in the UAB Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery, has been named a 2025 Patient Experience Hero by UAB's Office of Patient Experience and Engagement.