UAB General Surgery Resident Alizeh Abbas, M.D., recently earned third place in the ACS Advocacy and Health Policy Abstract Competition at the American College of Surgeons' 2025 Leadership & Advocacy Summit in Washington, D.C.

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide and is the second leading cause of cancer death among women in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While advances in technologies have improved our understanding of the molecular alterations that occur during breast cancer onset and progression, user-friendly tools for breast cancer data analysis are scarce. To determine effective treatment options, researchers need access to specimen data.

The UAB Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology is pleased to announce the winners and runner-up winners from the 2025 Research Symposium.

A new memorial in the lobby of UAB Beacon Recovery serves to not only honor the memory of one of the clinic’s own, but to serve as a reminder of hope for those navigating their own journeys toward recovery.

The spring meeting of the Alabama Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) was held this past weekend in Gulf Shores, AL.

The UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine recognized 15 faculty members for their outstanding contributions to research, education, and clinical care at the Spring 2025 Endowed Chairs and Professorships Reception.

The David E. Wells Memorial Symposium, a longstanding tradition in the UAB Department of Microbiology, will be held this year on May 21. The event will feature three student presentations and the David E. Wells Memorial Lecture given by Anne Moscona, M.D., Sheri L. Morrison Professor of Immunology, Departments of Microbiology and Immunology, Pediatrics and Physiology and Cellular Biophysics at Columbia University.

Two UAB Medicine leaders have been recognized for excellence in perioperative services. Jeff Simmons, M.D., MSHQS, vice president of UAB Health System and lead physician for community practices; and Brooke Vining, MNA, CRNA, MSHA, vice president of Clinical Operations, are among 31 people named to the Becker’s Hospital Review list of “Perioperative Service Leaders to Know in 2025.” 

The Department of Pediatrics is pleased to announce Anisha Haldar and Lindsey Hitchcock as the awardees of the 2025 Russell Cunningham Memorial Research Program.

Five faculty members in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery have been recognized as 2025 Castle Connolly Top Doctors, a prestigious honor that celebrates physicians nationwide for clinical excellence and peer recognition.

On February 22 and April 12, members of the Health Pros for the ASO Giving Society gathered for concerts and receptions in support of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra (ASO). Health Pros for the ASO is a giving society made up of medical professionals across all disciplines and roles who support the ASO and seek to preserve it for future generations. As benefits of their support, members of the giving society are invited to attend an ASO concert and enjoy a reception.

The UAB Pancreatobiliary Disease Center (PDC) is honored to welcome new staff and faculty to support patients across the Southeast and beyond.

The UAB Heersink School of Medicine is proud to announce the recipients of the 2024/2025 Multi-PI Awards, each funded with $150,000 per year for two years. These awards recognize outstanding collaborative research efforts aimed at addressing critical health challenges.

Holden Thorp, Ph.D., editor-in-chief of Science, will deliver the keynote address at the UAB Heersink School of Medicine 2025 commencement ceremony.

In every medical school class, students stand out not only for their academic excellence but for their integrity, compassion, and unwavering commitment to uplifting those around them. For the UAB Heersink School of Medicine Class of 2025, James Stallworth is one such student. A four-time Class President and future urologist, Stallworth has shaped not only his own path but also the journey of his peers throughout his medical school years.

Commencement ceremonies connect today’s graduates to centuries of academic tradition. One of the most recognizable symbols is academic regalia—the cap, gown, and hood. At the UAB Heersink School of Medicine, these garments reflect pride in achievement and a longstanding commitment to academic excellence.

Tapan Mehta, Ph.D., M.S., vice chair of research within the UAB Department of Family and Community Medicine, was one of four faculty members honored with the 2025 UAB Graduate Dean’s Excellence in Mentorship Award in recognition of his exceptional contributions as both a steadfast mentor and inspiring educator. 

UAB Comprehensive Diabetes Center (UCDC) scientist Kirk Habegger, Ph.D., is featured in the Diabetes Spotlight in the May 2025 issue of Diabetes, the flagship research publication of the American Diabetes Association (ADA). 

UAB General Surgery Residency hosted its annual Resident Research Day on April 14, 2025.

On April 28, 2025, Jasmine Thum, M.D., M.S. assistant professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery and Department of Biomedical Engineering, hosted a peripheral nerve education course for trainees at UAB. The event offered residents in-depth lectures and anatomic demonstrations of peripheral nerve anatomy, pathology, diagnostic techniques and surgical approaches.

UAB Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery Assistant Professor Sasha Still, M.D., joined UAB MedCast to discuss how aortic disease presents itself in women and potential avenues for treatment specialization.

At UAB, we are proud to be home to one of the most comprehensive brain tumor programs in the region and part of the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center—Alabama’s only NCI-designated cancer center.

Two UAB Comprehensive Diabetes Center (UCDC) members are winners of the 2025 Dean's Excellence Awards for Faculty from the UAB Heersink School of Medicine.

Four faculty and staff members from the UAB Department of Surgery were recognized at the annual UAB Service Awards, which celebrates employees for their long-term dedication to UAB.

One night, Abigail Boone went to bed as her usual energetic self—a mother, a wife, a violinist, and an avid runner. By morning, her world would be turned upside down. What began as an achy leg escalated into a terrifying experience that left her barely able to move.

Harrison Walker, M.D., professor in the UAB Department of Neurology, was recently appointed as the Susan and Rodney Barstein Endowed Faculty Scholar in Parkinson’s Disease. The position was established by an endowed gift to UAB from Susan and Rodney Barstein, whose goal is to support innovative research in Deep Brain Stimulation to improve therapy for patients with Parkinson’s disease.

The UAB Department of Pathology hosted its third annual Staff Retreat on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. The day-long event featured an array of speakers and team activities.

When you go to the doctor, the first thing you’re asked is, “Do you have a family history of X?” Do you know the answer?

UAB Division of Plastic Surgery Professor R. Jobe Fix, M.D., has completed 35 years of service at the UAB Department of Surgery, combining patient care and commitment to medical education.

Executive Vice Chair of Surgery Gregory Kennedy, M.D., Ph.D., begins his term this month as President of the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT).