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The UAB Department of Pediatrics welcomed one new faculty member in the month of May. Please join us in making them feel at home! 

Daphne Arnold, LICSW, PIP, associate professor in the Division of Pediatric Pulmonology

Veronica Sanders, a student working the lab of Matthew Alexander, Ph.D., associate professor in the Division of Pediatric Neurology, has been named a UAB Honors College Presidential Honors Fellowship for the summer of 2022.

L to R: Elizabeth Gunn and Meghan HarrisonThe Chu Family has generously donated funds to Children's of Alabama and the Department of Pediatrics to support educational initiatives. A portion of this donation has been set aside for the pediatric fellows to fund scholarships for fellows who apply. Candidates were selected on a competitive basis. These awards will provide funds for tuition, books and fees related to their educational endeavors.

The Dixon Foundation supports the Dixon Pediatric Fellowship training program for fellows who intend to pursue an academic career with a research emphasis (ranging from basic and translational science to education or QI-centric research) in approved pediatric subspecialties.

L to R: Marsha Reid and Stephanie PerryAfter more than 23 years of service to the UAB Department of Pediatrics, Marsha Reid, director of Clinical Operations, will be retiring on May 31, 2022. 

L to R: Fred Goldman and Joe ChewningIt is with great appreciation the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology announces the retirement of Frederick Goldman, M.D., professor in the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and the director of the Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) Program at Children's of Alabama effective April 1, 2022. Dr. Goldman will remain a member of the division in a part-time capacity until September 30, 2022.

The Pediatric Fellowship office is seeking applications for the Chu Family Educational Scholarship for Fall 2022. Candidates will be selected on a competitive basis and upon a Review Committee’s analysis of the written application. For the academic year starting in July 2022, one to two candidates will be selected to receive a $5,000 scholarship for their chosen educational endeavor.

The Department of Pediatrics is now seeking applications for the Dixon Fellowship Training Program for the 2022 academic year. Candidates will be selected on a competitive basis and upon a Review Committee’s analysis of the written application. As part of this prestigious award, recipients benefit from salary support and an additional $5,000 per year discretionary funds to support research and continuing education activities. 

Birmingham Teen Health Week promotes healthy behaviors in adolescents and demonstrates the need for supporting and understanding the importance of adolescent health in our communities.

L to R: Stephanie Perry, Margie McNair, Adrianne Marbury, Robin Geurs and Patricia OverstreetThe Department of Pediatrics would like to introduce the inaugural Department of Pediatrics Staff Recognition Awards. These awards were created to honor staff members throughout the department for their contribution and commitment to the department's mission. Our staff are essential to making our department run, and this is an opportunity to show our appreciation.

Nora Switchenko, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Neonatology, has been selected for the first cohort of Pilot Project grantees for the Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health.

L to R: Ann Klasner, Dan Reiff, Mary Silverberg, Alan Rogol, Zaki Yazdi, Kathryn Six and Michael StalveyThe UAB Department of Pediatrics hosted the 7th Annual Pediatric Science Day Thursday, March 3, 2022 as an opportunity to illustrate research activities in the department and support collaboration between young investigators. Presentation topics included clinical research, basic/translational research, clinical case reports, and quality improvement. 

Justin Schwartz, M.D., associate professor in the Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, was announced as this year’s recipient of the CARES (Commitment to Autism Research, Education, and Service) Award at the 21st Annual Alabama Autism Conference during the event on Feb. 25, 2022.

The Russell Cunningham Memorial Research Program is an eight-week summer internship and research program for first-year Heersink School of Medicine Students. Based on the applications, two students will be selected and will work with faculty mentors from the Department of Pediatrics. Faculty mentor responsibilities include:

Kent Willis, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Neonatology, received the SSPR Young Faculty Award at the Southern Society for Pediatric Research (SSPR) Annual Meeting in New Orleans last weekend.

Top L to R: Gregory Friedman and Robert Russell, and Anna Hoppmann Bottom L to R: Spencer Poore, Vivek Shukla, Aman Wadhwa and Tennille WebbChildren’s of Alabama and the Kaul Pediatric Research Institute (KPRI) are pleased to announce the 2021 awards. The major goal of the KPRI grant program is to allow investigators to obtain data that will advantage applications for additional extramural funding. This will bring new knowledge to the care of children, leverage the investment of the KPRI, and allow projects to be competitive for the very best science on the national stage. A second, but important, goal is to ensure that a dedicated funding source is available to unique segments of the pediatric research, education, and quality improvement enterprise.

Scott James, M.D., associate professor in the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, has been selected for the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) Leadership Institute: Community of Leaders.

Stacy Tanaka, M.D., M.S., joins the UAB Department of Urology as professor and chief of pediatric urology.

The Stanford Medicine Center for Improvement (SMCI) have announced three awards for the best improvement publications in 2021. Vidit Bhargava, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Critical Care, is the first author on the paper selected for the Best Publication focused on a Pediatric Population Award.

Michele Kong, M.D., professor in the Division of Pediatric Critical Care, has been elected to the Jefferson County Board of Health.