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This summer, Brandon Rocque, M.D., professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, presented during two sessions at the 19th Annual National Conference on Hydrocephalus, HAConnect. He was accompanied by UAB undergraduate student Mary Grace Roe. Roe, who is studying psychology, is a mentee of Elizabeth McRae, Ph.D., a pediatric clinical psychologist in the Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery.

Anastasia Smith, DrPH, MPH, has been promoted to assistant professor as a researcher and resident research educator at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery.

Andrew Edwards, M.D., professor and chair of the UAB Department of Emergency Medicine, has been selected for the Association of Academic Chairs of Emergency Medicine (AACEM) 2027 Chair Development Program.

The UAB Department of Emergency Medicine has established its first formal section, Prehospital Medicine, effective Sept. 1, 2026. The new section provides a dedicated organizational structure for the department’s long-standing leadership in prehospital and out-of-hospital emergency care. Will Ferguson, Jr., M.D., associate professor, has been appointed as the section’s inaugural chief.

On Friday, July 17, 2026, Eldad Hadar, M.D., professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery presented at the 36th Ed Benzel Cleveland Spine Review.

Although the deadline for Title II digital accessibility compliance was extended to April 26, 2027, the communications and web teams at UAB have remained committed to a proactive approach to updating documents on the web and ensuring all new documents comply with Title II guidelines. Efforts have been made to upload accessible documents that have been submitted and to offer alternatives if accessibility cannot effectively be achieved. The goal is that all content being added to the website moving forward adheres to Title II guidelines.

The 2026 Educational Research & Innovations in Clinical & Health Sciences (ENRICH) Week will take place the week of Monday, September 14, 2026. ENRICH Week is held each year, providing a place for healthcare educators to grow their teaching skills, participate in curriculum innovation, and showcase their research in health education. On September 16, Diana McNeill, M.D., MAC will give the keynote address at noon in the UAB Hospital West Pavilion Atrium.

Marissa Natelson Love, M.D., associate professor in the UAB Department of Neurology, has been selected as a recipient of the Association of Academic Leaders of Neurology (AALN) Faculty Leadership Award.

The UAB Department of Neurology is proud to recognize Aparna Vaddiparti, M.D., assistant professor, for completing the Center for Teaching and Learning’s (CTL) Essentials of Teaching program.

Kirstie Cummings, Ph.D., and HaoSheng Sun, Ph.D., have been selected for the 2026-2027 FCIDD McNulty Civitan Scientist Award.

The UAB Department of Emergency Medicine has named three faculty members to medical director roles, effective Sept. 1, 2026.

Corey Speers, M.D., Ph.D., professor and chair, Merle M. Salter Endowed Chair of Radiation Oncology in the Department of Radiation Oncology, presented the 2026 State of the Department on Tuesday, Aug. 25.

A study led by Lana Garmire, Ph.D., professor and vice chair of research in the Department of Biomedical Informatics and Data Science, was published in Nature Biomedical Engineering. The study introduces HisToSpatialCNV, an artificial intelligence tool that uses a graph neural network model to predict spatial Copy Number Variations (CNVs) directly from routine H&E pathology images, for the first time.

When Dua Khan, a Master of Science in Global Health candidate at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, told family and friends that she would be spending her summer in Birmingham, Alabama, she often heard the same question: Why Alabama? Her answer was to be the first-ever participant in the Heersink Student Mobility Program at the UAB Heersink School of Medicine.

 After three years of competing through persistent knee pain, Briarwood Christian School tennis player Madelyn Hunt finally found answers at UAB Sports & Exercise Medicine. A second opinion with orthopaedic sports surgeon Amit Momaya, M.D., revealed the source of her pain and set her on a path to recovery and a state title.

It’s almost time for the 2026 American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress in Washington, D.C.! Before you pack your bags and head to the airport, review this handy UAB Surgery guide for your conference prep.

The path to becoming an independent researcher requires more than learning how to conduct a study. Investigators must develop research and grant-writing skills, build strong mentorship and professional networks, and learn how to navigate the many steps involved in building a successful research career. The UAB Comprehensive Healthy Living Research Center’s Education & Career Development Program helps current and future researchers build skills important to their career. Through workshops, seminars, and other development opportunities, students, early-stage investigators (ESI), and established researchers can enhance their knowledge, expand their networks, and advance their careers.

When patients in rural or underserved communities need mental health care, access to a psychiatrist can be difficult. Project ECHO Depression at UAB was created to help bridge that gap by equipping primary care providers with the knowledge and support they need to manage common mental health conditions close to home.

Badari Birur, M.D., professor in the UAB Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, has assumed the role of Medical Director of the UAB Center for Psychiatric Medicine (CPM).

Each August, Neurosurgery Awareness Month provides an opportunity to reflect on the role our specialty plays in medicine and in the lives of patients around the world.

The Zhang Lab has achieved an exceptional milestone with 12 abstract presentations accepted for the American Heart Association (AHA) 2026 Scientific Sessions, highlighting the breadth, productivity, and scientific impact of the laboratory’s research program. The 2026 Scientific Sessions will take place Nov. 6-9, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois.

Five new faculty members joined the UAB Department of Surgery in August: Dr. Peter Abraham, Dr. Samantha Lloy, Dr. Jennifer Pappalardo, Dr. Anji Wall, and Dr. Taylor Wallen. We invite you to learn more about them and help us extend a warm UAB welcome!

The Department of Pathology at UAB makes thousands of diagnoses for patients each year. Of an estimated 150,000 annual visits to UAB Hospital, 90% of patients require some form of pathology service. Timely and accurate diagnoses are critical to determine the best treatment options, and yet reaching those diagnoses can be a very delicate and complex process. Cristina Magi-Galluzzi, M.D., Ph.D., Robert and Ruth Anderson Endowed Chair in Pathology, alongside skilled clinicians in the Department of Pathology, showcases the journey of a pathology specimen to reach diagnosis.

The Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF) awarded the 2026 Asian American Pioneer Medal to Louise Chow, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus in the UAB Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics. Presented during the annual forum on the Stanford University campus from Aug. 7–9, the Pioneer Medal honors scientists who have advanced groundbreaking research and inspired future generations of Asian Americans to pursue STEM endeavors.

Five Heersink faculty members have been named recipients of UAB’s Faculty Development Grants. These grants, funded through the UAB Faculty Senate in collaboration with the UAB Office of the Provost, offer support to early-career instructors, assistant professors, and mid-career associate professors to aid in the development of manuscripts, publications, presentations, grant applications, future research initiatives, creative works, scholarly activity, and more. The Faculty Development Grant Program is designed to provide funding for new projects that typically lack other sources of support.

Between grant applications, manuscript revisions, and managing a research team, working as a scientist can be demanding. On top of these commitments, many researchers are also caring for young children, aging parents, partners, or family members with health challenges. These competing demands can jeopardize years of progress, interrupting research during a narrow and consequential period for publishing, generating preliminary data, and competing for independent funding. The UAB Heersink School of Medicine Caregiving Affected Early-Career Research Scientists (CARES) Intramural Funding Program is helping early-career researchers stay on track by providing “extra hands.”

After suffering a fractured radius during the 2025 season, Birmingham Legion FC midfielder Sebastian Tregarthen turned to UAB Sports & Exercise Medicine for treatment and a personalized rehabilitation plan. Now back on the pitch, Tregarthen reflects on his journey, the team that helped him return, and what he learned about trusting the recovery process.

Saulat Sajjad Sheikh, M.B.B.S., assistant professor and surgical director of the liver transplant program in the UAB Division of Transplantation, has been selected to serve as a member of the core small group faculty for the 2026-2027 Harvard Macy Institute Program for Educators in Health Professions.

The UAB Department of Urology has recently expanded its comprehensive urologic and fertility care services at UAB Medicine Hoover Primary & Specialty Care, offering patients evaluation and treatment for a wide range of conditions, including men’s health, prostate and urinary concerns, cancer, and family planning. The location also brings male and female infertility services together, giving couples access to coordinated fertility care in one setting.

Behind every biomedical breakthrough that reaches a patient is a story of translation done right. The communications team sat down with Palaniappan Sethu, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, to discuss the new Undergraduate Certificate in Translation of Biomedical Innovation to Clinical Practice and how it will give students the tools to carry ideas the full distance, from unmet need to patient impact.