A recent grant award in the Department of Neurology serves to help investigators analyze how a group of brain cells may be responsible for changes to neural circuits that lead to the movement disorder dystonia.

Monica Pasala, M.D., PGY1, joined the UAB Department of Neurology in June 2024. Get to know Dr. Pasala better with three quick questions!

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.

The UAB Department of Neurology welcomed Sarah Letang, Ph.D., to the faculty as assistant professor in February 2025.

Seasonal allergies are known for causing congestion, sneezing, and itchy eyes, but for many, they also cause migraines. As the weather changes and pollen fills the air, people prone to migraines often notice their headaches becoming more frequent or intense.

The Center for Neuroengineering and Brain-Computer Interfaces (CNBCI) under the University of Alabama at Birmingham Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine hosted its third annual NeuroGateways Symposium on April 10-11 at the UAB Alumni House.

Chronic stress can increase inflammation in the brain, which can impact sleep, cognition and memory and potentially increase one’s risk for neurodegenerative diseases.

The Killion family of Birmingham has given a $10 million gift to UAB to create the Wayne Killion Endowment for the Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics and to rename the center the Killion Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics.

A new endowed scholar position in the UAB Department of Neurology has been established thanks to a generous gift. The Susan and Rodney Barstein Endowed Faculty Scholar in Parkinson’s Disease, named in recognition of donors Susan and Rodney Barstein, serves to support a faculty member in the Department of Neurology whose specific focus is Parkinson’s disease.

L. Burt Nabors, M.D., William Austin Brown Endowed Professor, Vice Chair for Research, and Director of the Division of Neuro-Oncology in the UAB Department of Neurology, has been appointed to the rank of Distinguished Professor in the Department of Neurology.

Four members of the UAB Department of Neurology will be honored among 300 UAB employees for 20-plus years of service at a reception on April 8 at Hill Student Center: Randall L. Foster (35 years), Martina Bebin, M.D., MPA (30 years), Nita A.

Neuroscience is actively researching immunotherapies and neuroprotective compounds that could eventually help mitigate the impact of chronic stress on inflammatory states. However, prevention remains the primary focus for now.

Via virtual submissions, UAB Medicine now offers remote second opinions from specialized care experts on diagnoses and treatment options.

Stress is a natural part of life, but when does it shift from a temporary challenge to a long-term burden on our bodies, specifically as it concerns brain health? The key differences between stress and chronic stress lie in their duration, intensity, and overall impact on well-being.

Khurram Bashir, M.D., Distinguished Professor, director of the Division of Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis, and vice chair for education, has been named the First Holder of the Burton Multiple Sclerosis Endowed Research Professorship in Neurology.

Erum Khan, M.D., PGY1, joined the UAB Department of Neurology in June 2024. A native of Bharuch, Gujarat, India, Khan completed her medical degree at B.J.

The UAB Department of Neurology welcomed Rebecca Brown, M.D., Ph.D., as an associate professor in November 2024.

Claire Goode, D.O., PGY1, joined the UAB Department of Neurology in June 2024. A native of Birmingham, Goode completed her undergraduate education at Auburn University with a degree in biomedical sciences and her medical degree at Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine in Auburn, Alabama.

Brittney Davis, PharmD., assistant professor in the UAB Department of Neurology, recently received a five-year, K23 grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the NIH to study sex-specific pharmacogenomic and metabolomic factors related to adverse effects of anticoagulants, commonly known as blood thinners. The award amount is $818,838 starting in September 2024.

The UAB Department of Neurology welcomed Muhammad Bilal Tariq, M.D., to the faculty as an assistant professor in July 2024.

Rachel Smith, Ph.D., is collaborating with researchers across UAB on the two-year project, which will focus on the intracranial neural networks responsible for major depressive symptoms in epilepsy patients. 

The UAB Department of Neurology was recently approved by the Association of Postdoctoral Programs for Clinical Neuropsychology (APPCN) as a match site for a neuropsychology fellow. The approval marks the restarting of the neuropsychology fellowship in the department.

The UAB Department of Neurology welcomed Joao Pereira, Ph.D., to the faculty as an assistant professor in July 2024.

UAB was among the first medical centers in the country to obtain a MEG, having done so originally in 2001; however, evolving technology has created a need for replacing the old technology with a new one.

November is National Epilepsy Awareness Month, and the Epilepsy Genomics Clinic at UAB is reimagining how to treat epilepsy in adults with an innovative approach.

This is a step toward an understanding of the brain that ultimately describes the mechanistic basis of human cognition and behavior.

Leveraging the existing Alabama Trauma and Statewide Stroke systems, UAB and ADPH have created a model for a more integrated and effective system of emergency stroke care.

Results suggest that, rather than stimulating both sides of the brain using DBS, unilateral right DBS may avoid DBS-related declines in verbal fluency and response inhibition in patients with movement disorders like Parkinson’s disease.

Blazer Bridge Fund provides financial support to innovative ideas and inventions by the UAB community, encouraging advanced discovery. 

UAB Medicine has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus with the added distinctions of Target: Stroke℠ Honor Roll Elite Plus and Target: Type 2 Diabetes™ Honor Roll.