The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery held its annual Chief Resident Graduation Dinner on Friday, June 20, 2025, at The Florentine, bringing together residents, their families and faculty members for a night of celebration, recognition and reflection.

As summer activities ramp up, so does the risk for traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery Assistant Professor Elizabeth Liptrap, M.D., was recently featured during WBRC's “Ask The Doctor” segment to share expert advice on preventing traumatic brain injuries during the summer months. 

Marshall Holland, M.D., MS, assistant professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery, served as an invited speaker at the Facial Pain Association’s (FPA) annual meeting this month, marking the organization’s first in-person gathering since before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Marshall Holland, M.D., MS, assistant professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery, recently served as a visiting professor at the University of Minnesota Department of Neurosurgery, where he delivered a grand rounds lecture on a novel application of spinal cord stimulation for modulation of the autonomic nervous system and restless legs syndrome (RLS).

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) welcomes new faculty member Jenn Coker, Ph.D., MPH, FASIA effective May 30, 2025. Dr. Coker is joining the department as associate professor and co-director of the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center.

Congratulations to our newest class of graduating residents on their completion of the UAB Heersink School of MedicineDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation residency program. Our 2025 graduates are Cynthia Francis, M.D., Vinayak Memula, M.D., Darien McNeill, M.D., and Jason Schroeder, M.D.

Two distinguished, recently retired faculty members, Peter Anderson, D.V.M., Ph.D., a professor in the Division of Molecular and Cellular Pathology, and Gene Siegal, M.D., Ph.D., Robert W. Mowry Endowed Professor, Division of Anatomic Pathology, have achieved emeritus status in the Department of Pathology. The decision was made by the University of Alabama Board of Trustees on June 6.

UAB Comprehensive Diabetes Center (UCDC) researchers have contributed to the Frontiers in Endocrinology Research Topic on Disease-Modifying Approaches in Type 1 Diabetes.

The UAB Heersink School of Medicine is pleased to announce the appointment of Corey Speers, M.D., Ph.D., as the second holder of the prestigious Merle M. Salter, M.D. Endowed Chair of Radiation Oncology. This appointment was formally approved by the Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama System in June 2025.

For many patients, it takes time to regain full consciousness after a brain injury, and some develop a disorder of consciousness (DOC). Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Assistant Professor Rachel Teranishi, M.D., a brain injury specialist, explains in this UAB MedCast why up to 40% of DOC cases are misdiagnosed and outlines what providers need to know about assessment, treatment, and long-term recovery.

The Department of Neurobiology is pleased to announce the appointment of Ashley Tarrant, MPH, as JHS Administrative Director II.

Members of the UAB Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology were honored Thursday, June 12, at the 2025 Education Awards. The annual event, which was held at The Fennec, served to recognize exemplary residents, faculty, and fellows in the department for the 2024-2025 academic year. 

Barnita Haldar, M.D., Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine, has been awarded the 2024 Relay for Life Champion of Mission Award by the American Cancer Society (ACS).

The Cardiovascular National Innovation Center (CNIC) recently hosted its 9th Annual Cardiovascular Bioengineering Symposium, an immersive, three-day event that united world-leading scientists, engineers, and clinicians on the front lines of heart failure treatment and cardiovascular regeneration.

The UAB Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology (CDIB) has launched a new article series titled Meet the Minds of CDIB. The series spotlights the diverse faculty who power the department’s groundbreaking research. Through candid interviews, it gives readers a closer look at the career paths, passions, and real-world impacts of the researchers shaping the future of medicine.

The UAB Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences recently hosted its 26th Annual Research Symposium at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, bringing together leading voices in vision science for a full day of education, discussion and innovation.

UAB Heersink School of Medicine is pleased to announce several new individuals joining the Department of Medical Education team. Four new staff members have started their roles since May, and a new staff member will join us at the end of June. The department also has a few members who are departing for other opportunities. Please join us in providing a warm welcome to these new additions and well wishes to those who have been pivotal to our team for many years.

Dylan Carpenter, MSN, RN, CWOCN, PCCN, MEDSURG-BC, a certified wound, ostomy and continence nurse in the Division of Trauma & Acute Care Surgery, recently received two prestigious awards at the Wound, Ostomy and Continence (WOCNext) Conference 2025 in Orlando, Florida.  

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT), also known as Osler-Weber-Rendu syndrome, is a rare, but serious, genetic disorder that causes abnormal blood vessels to form throughout the body. These abnormal vessels bypass much smaller blood vessels, or capillaries, creating direct connections between arteries and veins known as arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). This can lead to serious health issues, including internal bleeding and complications in vital organs like the lungs, brain, spine, liver and gastrointestinal tract.

Thirteen medical students from the UAB Heersink School of Medicine and one resident physician spent their Memorial Day serving runners and honoring fallen heroes during the 45th annual Cotton Row Run on Monday, May 26, 2025, in downtown Huntsville.

As the 2024–2025 Alabama Albert Schweitzer Fellowship draws to a close, seven UAB Heersink School of Medicine students—Andee Beierle, Caroline Davies, Ben Honan, Kavita Kantamneni, Salem Khalaf, Leanne D. Jeong, and Faris Zaibaq—are being recognized for completing their service years, spearheading projects that improved health and well-being across Alabama. Through hands-on work in education, advocacy, and access, these future physicians addressed pressing health care needs while developing leadership skills and experience with community engagement that will shape their medical careers.

Chronic illnesses don’t take Saturdays off, and neither does the team at the UAB O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center Infusion Clinic. After experiencing a staggering 44 percent increase in patient encounters since 2020, this 84-bay infusion clinic turned to a dedicated team of multidisciplinary clinicians to pioneer Saturday infusion services. This highly trained team is ensuring that patients with cancer and other chronic diseases have access to critical treatments like chemotherapy and immunotherapy on the weekends, keeping them in the hands of trusted specialists and out of emergency rooms.

Twelve UAB employees recently graduated from the Emerging Leaders Series (ELS) spring 2025 leadership development program. The program, presented by the UAB Medicine Leadership Development Office (LDO), recognized its third cohort of graduates at a ceremony on June 5.

Just as we care for our overall health, our voices deserve the same attention. Vocal health is essential for those who rely on their voices and want to communicate clearly and comfortably.

Corey Speers, M.D., Ph.D., joined the UAB Department of Radiation Oncology as professor and chair in May 2025. Speers reflects on his first month in his new role and what he looks forward to as he helps shape the future of UAB Radiation Oncology.

The UAB Department of Microbiology is happy to welcome graduate students who have recently joined UAB Microbiology labs for their training.

Each year, rabies kills thousands of people worldwide, and it remains a silent threat right here in Alabama. Often transmitted through the bite or scratch of an infected animal, this viral disease is almost always fatal once symptoms appear. Yet, with timely action and widespread vaccination, rabies is entirely preventable. Researchers in the UAB Department of Microbiology are working to understand the viruses and other pathogens at a molecular level, supporting new advances in diagnosis, treatment, and public health preparedness.

On June 10, 2025, Sight Savers America (SSA) honored Jeffery L. Haddox as the recipient of the 2025 Hall W. Thompson Hero For Sight Award at UAB Callahan Eye Hospital alongside the installation of this year’s Hero For Sight Tribute Wall art piece. 

The Department of Pediatrics announces with great pleasure and gratitude the appointment of Mark Law, M.D., professor in the Department of Pediatrics, to the permanent position of division director of Pediatric Cardiology.

Krystal Lee Rivera, a Ph.D. candidate in the UAB Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, and mentee of Jillian Richter, Ph.D., presented an abstract last week in Boston at ShockCon, the annual conference of the Shock Society.