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Reed Dimmitt, M.D., professor in the Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, has been elected the president-elect for the Board of Directors of the Bell Center. Dr. Dimmitt has served on the Bell Center Board of Directors for four years and has been a longtime supporter of the center.

Richard Whitley, M.D., professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases, has been named the recipient of the 2020-2021 Rotary Vocational Service Award by the Rotary Club of Birmingham. This award is given each year to a non-Rotarian person in recognition of excellence in a vocational service that is recognized beyond the territory of the club.

Aubrey Coleman, M.D., PGY-3 Resident, is this year’s recipient of the Carolyn Ashworth, M.D. Pediatric Primary Care Award.

Congratulations to Anthony Staples, D.O., graduating Sleep Medicine Fellow, for his outstanding performance on the sleep medicine in-service exam.

Lauren Nassetta, M.D., associate professor in the Division of Pediatric Hospital Medicine, has been named the director of the Professional Development Office (PDO). Her role as director became effective June 1, 2021.  

Congratulations to our UAB Pediatric Fellowship Class of 2021. Thank you to all who helped us celebrate the graduates at a reception in their honor on May 20th.

Please see below where they will be going after completing fellowship training.

Adrianne Marbury, MPA, program manager in the Division of Adolescent Medicine, has been selected to serve on the Core Leadership Team for the Birmingham Women’s Initiative.

Cary Cavender and Byron LaiThe UAB Department of Pediatrics welcomes two new faculty members who have recently joined the department. Please join us in making them feel at home! 

Cary Cavender, M.D., professor in the Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition

Byron Lai, Ph.D., MS, assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine

Katie Six and Lece WebbThe 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.

Ariel Salas, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Neonatology, is among three recipients of the 2021 Travel Award grant for Early Career Investigators from the International Pediatric Research Foundation (IPRF) and the journal, Pediatric Research.

Stephen Russell, M.D., professor in the Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics, has been named to the 2021-2022 class of the Harvard Macy Institute Art Museum-based Health Professions Education Fellowship.

Ginny Karle, M.D., professor in the Division of Neonatology, has retired after 28 years serving the UAB Department of Pediatrics, Children’s of Alabama and the greater Birmingham community.

Drs. Margaret Marks and Jessica SchmittSeveral faculty and trainees from the Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes presented at the Pediatric Endocrinology Society (PES) meeting held virtually April 30 through May 3, 2021.

Two posters presented by members of the division received Presidential Poster Awards and were highlighted in the Presidential Poster Session on April 30.

Traci Jester, M.D., associate professor of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, has been selected to serve as chair of the Pediatric Affairs Committee of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation. The Pediatric Affairs Committee is a subcommittee of the National Scientific Advisory Committee for the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation. The committee is responsible for identifying and creating resources to assist with the educational needs of children and adolescents living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Rylie Hightower, BSN, was named one of 10 recipients of the 2021 UAB Samuel B. Barker Award for Excellence in Graduate Studies. This award, named for Dr. Samuel Booth Barker the first graduate dean at UAB, is given each spring to graduate students who represent the highest level of student achievement in the UAB graduate program.

Amy CaJacob, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, has been named the clinical director for the division.

Marjorie Lee White, M.D., professor in the Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, has been elected chair elect for the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Simulation and Innovative Learning Methods (SILM).

L to R: Snehashis Hazra and Vivek ShuklaSnehashis Hazra, M.D., Third Year Fellow, and Vivek Shukla, M.D., Second Year Fellow, Neonatology, received fellow research awards from the Society of Pediatric Research (SPR) as part of the Pediatric Academic Society (PAS) meeting. These awards are given by the Society for Pediatric Research to honor fellows who are engaged in clinical and basic research and to encourage trainees to pursue careers in academic pediatrics.

Aman Wadhwa, M.D., instructor in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, has been accepted into the Transdisciplinary Research on Energetics and Cancer (TREC) Training Workshop 2021 fellowship cohort. The TREC 2021 fellowship cohort consists of an array of researchers from a variety of backgrounds including basic, clinical and population cancer research.