The UAB Department of Surgery is honored to congratulate five faculty members who have recently graduated from the UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine Emerging Leader Series (ELS) professional development program, which was developed by UAB Medicine's Leadership Development Office (LDO).

Matthew Trotta, M.D., PGY2, joined the UAB Department of Radiation Oncology in July 2025. He is originally from Pittsburgh. He earned his undergraduate degree in microbiology from Ohio State University and completed medical school at West Virginia University.

Muayad Alzuabi, M.D., joined the UAB Department of Neurology in September 2025.

The UAB Department of Pathology recently funded a $500 travel award to Saeed Zakakhosravi, M.S., who presented his research last month.

Tawny Fowler is a Data Verification Specialist for the Enrollment Management team. She has been a member of Admissions and Enrollment Management since 2021 and has worked at UAB since 2014. She was nominated to the 2025-2026 cohort of Medical Education Unsung Heroes by Faye Heard, senior director for Enrollment Management.

The Graduation Questionnaire (GQ) is administered by the AAMC each year to fourth-year medical students prior to their completion of medical school. The questionnaire is a national survey with participation from 155 schools. The results are reviewed closely by Department of Medical Education leadership to determine areas of success and areas of improvement within our learning environment and student experience.

UAB Division of Transplantation Professor and Surgical Director of Kidney Transplantation, Michael Hanaway, M.D., has recently been featured on UAB MedCast.

Betsy Hopson, Ph.D., MSHA, joined the Department of Urology as an assistant professor in November 2025.

As we begin a new year, the UAB Comprehensive Diabetes Center (UCDC) has compiled key conference and grant submission dates for 2026. Conferences are an opportunity for faculty, staff, and trainees to extend their professional network, continue learning, and stay up to date with trending research areas. Travel awards are often available for trainees who intend to present their research. The UCDC encourages researchers to check with the research funding pages of the following organizations for ongoing opportunities as well as reminders from the UCDC and the Diabetes Research Center (DRC) at UAB. American Diabetes Association Breakthrough T1D (formerly Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) National Institutes of Health (including NIDDK) Beatson Foundation Cayman Biomedical Research Institute UAB researchers can also subscribe to Research Matters, a weekly newsletter designed to inform the UAB research community of important updates that affect research administration, including new funding opportunities and limited submission announcements. Sign up for Research Matters. NIH Application Due Dates High-level due dates: R01 new: February 5 June 5 October 5 R01 renewal, resubmission, revision: March 5 July 5 November 5   2026 Conference Dates Boshell Research Day April 17 Auburn University Auburn, AL   International Conference on Advanced Technologies and Treatments for Diabetes (ATTD) March 11-14 Barcelona, Spain   Midwest Islet Club May 20-21 Discovery Building Madison, WI   ADA Scientific Sessions June 5–8 Ernest N. Morial Convention Center New Orleans, LA   National Lipid Association Scientific Sessions June 11–14 Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk Chicago, IL   ENDO 2026 June 13-16 McCormick Place West Chicago, IL    International Meeting on Lipid Mediators in Health and Disease August 10-12 Natcher Conference Center Washington, D.C.   26th Annual Diabetes Technology Meeting October 27-29 Hyatt Regency Crystal City Washington, D.C.  

Our faculty and trainees proudly represented us at the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) 2025 Conference, delivering impactful presentations and sharing innovative research. This event was a tremendous success, showcasing our commitment to advancing radiology and fostering collaboration within the global medical imaging community.

UAB Heersink School of Medicine is committed to fostering an accessible, inclusive learning environment for students with disabilities. Working with UAB's Disability Support Services (DSS), Heersink's Medical Student Services (MSS), and Undergraduate Medical Education (UME), students receive individualized accommodations to support full engagement in classroom and clinical experiences. Examples of these accommodations may include lecture transcription, extended testing time, and access to assistive technology devices, among others. Each accommodation is tailored to the student’s needs to reduce barriers and ensure equal access to the learning environment.

Angela M. Carter, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Division of Surgical Oncology, was selected to chair a minisymposium at Neuroscience 2025, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience (SfN) and the largest international gathering of neuroscientists. The meeting was held from November 15 to 19 at the San Diego Convention Center and brought together researchers from around the world to share advances in brain science.

Shu Chen, Ph.D., Ona Faye-Petersen Endowed Professor in the Division of Neuropathology, and Anupam Raina, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow in the Chen lab, co-authored a manuscript that was recently selected as an “Editors’ Pick” by the Journal of Biological Chemistry. The paper, titled, “Skin-derived α-synuclein strains from PD, DLB, and MSA induce distinct intracellular pathology and neurodegeneration,” was selected by the editors for its exceptional contribution to the field.

The human intestine is home to trillions of microscopic organisms, including hundreds of species of bacteria. In most people, these bacteria co-exist peacefully and contribute to a mutually beneficial relationship, with both human and bacteria deriving important benefits from the other. In certain individuals, however, specific bacteria are believed to provoke inflammation that characterize diseases such as Crohn’s disease.

University of Zambia General Surgery Resident Kebby Mazyamuna, M.D., recently shared his experience as an international scholar visiting the UAB Department of Surgery and shadowing multiple surgeons across all oncology specialties. 

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pediatrics is proud to announce that Daniel Cooper, M.D., resident in the Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Program, has been selected as the 2026-2027 Med-Peds Chief Resident.

A pioneering initiative at UAB is transforming care for patients with tracheostomies. Spearheaded by Harishanker Jeyarajan, M.D., associate professor in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, UAB’s first dedicated Tracheostomy Management Clinic was born out of a growing need for consistent, specialized care for patients with complex airway conditions.

Glenn Peters, M.D., professor emeritus in the UAB Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, reflects on a long career marked by leadership roles, mentorship, and the continued success of the department.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pediatrics is proud to announce that Samantha Weaver, DNP, CRNP, assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Neurology, has been appointed co-director of Children’s of Alabama’s Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) Clinic.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pediatrics is proud to announce that Elizabeth Sullivan-Ingram, D.O., fellow in the Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, has received the Pediatric Fellow Attendance Award.

Gail Cassell, Ph.D., former chair of the Department of Microbiology, has pledged an annual gift to support the Peter Burrows, Ph.D., Distinguished Alumni Lecture Series. The series will be a standing feature at the department’s annual faculty retreat and will feature a distinguished alumnus, who will be awarded the honor of Peter Burrows, Ph.D., Distinguished Alumnus.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Associate Professor and UAB Spinal Cord Injury Model System Project Director Rachel Cowan, Ph.D., was selected to serve a second term in the UAB Faculty Senate. 

J. Bart Rose, M.D., MAS, the director of the UAB Pancreatobiliary Disease Center and an associate professor in the Division of Surgical Oncology, discussed key aspects of pancreatic cancer, including risk factors, common symptoms, diagnostic evaluation and available treatment options, as a part of an educational video series produced by O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center.

John W. Poynor, M.D., a graduate of the University of Alabama School of Medicine class of 1966, established a connection to the UAB Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery that would lead him to a legacy of giving, one that his wife, Nancy, continues to this day.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pediatrics is proud to recognize Scott Turner, DNP, assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Neurology, on his election as a Fellow of the American Headache Society (AHS).

Joel Funk, M.D., joined the UAB Department of Urology as a professor in September 2025.

UAB Medicine’s Leadership Development Office (LDO) celebrated the graduation of the 11th cohort from the Institute for Leadership on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025.

For many families, an autism diagnosis is the gateway to critical early support such as speech therapy, occupational therapy and applied behavior analysis. That diagnosis is guided by criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), the nationally recognized framework clinicians use to diagnose autism spectrum disorder and other neurodevelopmental conditions.

Joseph Crivelli, M.D., assistant professor in the UAB Department of Urology, recently participated in the AUA/SBU Academic Exchange Program in São Paulo, Brazil, benefiting from shared knowledge and experiences with colleagues in Brazil and supporting the program's goals to foster a closer alliance between the AUA and SBU (Sociedade Brasileira de Urologia).

The UAB Department of Surgery Faculty Exchange Program hosted its latest cohort of participants in 2025 – featuring visits to partnering institutions across the United States.