Akanksha Malepati, a third-year medical student in the M.D. program at the UAB Heersink School of Medicine, is deeply engaged in ophthalmologic research that spans both systemic disease and pediatric trauma. With a sharp focus and a personal connection to her work, she brings a high level of commitment to every research endeavor she undertakes.

According to the 2025-2026 rankings released in July, UAB Medicine ranked nationally in five adult specialties and high performing in seven other specialties including diabetes and endocrinology.

A new study led by UAB Comprehensive Diabetes Center Associate Scientist Fernando Bril, M.D., provides the first evidence that MASLD prevalence is beginning to decrease in adults with diabetes in the U.S. for the first time in decades. However, this good news is overshadowed by the significant increase observed in liver fibrosis.

Alzheimer’s disease doesn’t impact all communities equally, and understanding why may be one of the most urgent questions in public health today. Chad Murchison, Ph.D., assistant professor in the UAB Departments of Neurology and Biostatistics, is helping unravel that mystery not through a microscope but through data.

A recent study authored by UAB researchers in the departments of Neurology, Medicine, and Epidemiology analyzed a decade of data to reveal that lack of access to stroke-related clinical trials may limit access to innovative treatments in geographic regions with high stroke burdens. Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability, affecting more than 795,000 people annually, with age-adjusted mortality rates varying widely by state.

We proudly celebrated the 2025 Radiology Awards at our All Hands meeting in July. With the whole department tuned in, it was a wonderful an opportunity to recognize the outstanding individuals who make the Department of Radiology such a remarkable place to work and grow. We are fortunate to have an incredible team whose talent, collaboration, and commitment elevate everything we do.

Jonah Barrett, a medical student working under the guidance of Jordan Perchik, M.D., assistant professor in the abdominal imaging section, recently co-authored a research study published in Academic Radiology titled “Documenting Disclosure: Limited Reporting of Generative AI Usage in Radiology Research Manuscripts.”

Hassan Ghomrawi, Ph.D., MPH, associate professor and vice chair for research and innovation in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), has been named treasurer of the Orthopedic Research Society's Strategies in Clinical Research section.

After a national search, Mark Dransfield, M.D., has been appointed chair of the UAB Department of Medicine, effective Sept. 1, 2025.

Four new fellows are set to join the UAB Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery this August as part of the 2025-2026 Trauma and Surgical Critical Care Fellowship.

Kristy Broman, M.D., MPH, an assistant professor in theUAB Department of Surgery’s Division of Surgical Oncology and a member of the UAB Institute for Cancer Outcomes and Survivorship, recently joined UAB MedCast alongside colleagues John Dubay, M.D., Ph.D., and Venkatesh Krishnasamy, M.D., to discuss percutaneous hepatic perfusion (PHP) for metastatic uveal melanoma.

What if a virtual reality headset could help detect rare forms of autism? That question led six biomedical engineering seniors at UAB to design a groundbreaking diagnostic tool and win first place among more than 60 teams at the university’s Senior Design Expo.

Michael Patton, Ph.D., a student in Heersink’s Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), recently defended his doctoral dissertation, an achievement that moves him one step closer to becoming a physician-scientist. His work with the Hugh Kaul Precision Medicine Institute (PMI), under the mentorship of Matt Might, Ph.D., director for PMI, and William Byrd, Ph.D., associate director for PMI, played a central role in his Ph.D. journey.

Adeyi Oyedele, M.D., FRCPC, Division Director, Anatomic Pathology, will serve as section head of Gastrointestinal Pathology and director of the GI fellowship program, effective July 15.  

As summer winds down, many people are packing in one last trip before the season ends. Whether you're headed to the beach, mountains, or visiting family across the country, one thing can quickly turn a relaxing trip into an uncomfortable experience: the pressure that can build in your ears and sinuses during travel.

The UAB Department of Surgery’s Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery is committed to training and equipping the next generation of trauma surgeons through theTrauma and Surgical Critical Care Fellowship.

Falone Amoa, M.D., M.S., a PGY5 and Ph.D. candidate in the UAB Department of Pathology, has recently been named a Society of '67 Kinney Scholar by the Association for Academic Pathology (AAPath). This award is for pathology residents and medical students who demonstrate the potential for leadership in academic pathology. Amoa is 1 of 5 residents and 8 medical students selected from across the United States. 

UAB Department of Surgery Assistant Professor Kimberly Kopecky, M.D., MSCI, has been featured in the “What's Brewing with Berman” video series from the Society of Surgical Oncology's president, Russell Berman, M.D., to further discuss her project on eliciting patient values.

The Department of Pediatrics is pleased to announce the appointment of Jamie Aye, M.D. associate professor in the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and Blood & Marrow Transplantation, as director of the Developmental Therapeutics (DVL) Program within the Division of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Blood & Marrow Transplantation (BMT) at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB).

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pediatrics welcomed five new faculty members in the month of July. Please join us in making them feel at home!

Dry eye, a symptomatic eye condition characterized by poor tear production, affects nearly 16 million adults in the United States

After 17 years as a faculty member of the UAB Department of Urology, James E. Bryant, M.D., will be retiring from his post on Sept. 1, 2025. He will transition to a professor emeritus in the department and continue his work at the Birmingham VA Hospital.

The Department of Pathology is thrilled to announce a new faculty member joining our team August 1.

It was a persistent cough that never seemed to go away – which made a church trip to the Holy Land a bit more trying for Trinity United Methodist Senior Pastor Rev. Brian Erickson in February of 2016.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with two medical institutions in India–the Pravara Institute of Medical Sciences University (PIMS-DU; Loni, Maharashtra) and Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed to be University Medical College (BVDU; Pune, Maharashtra).

After a national search, Mahmud Mossa-Basha, M.D., has been named chair of the UAB Department of Radiology, effective November 1, 2025. 

The UAB Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) spinal cord injury (SCI) clinical and research team had strong representation at the 53rd Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) held in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The UAB Department of Urology welcomed Kazumi Taguchi, M.D., Ph.D., as an associate professor in June.

UAB’s Civitan International Research Center (CIRC) is a world leader in research and treatment of intellectual and developmental disabilities. With more than 100 scientists, clinicians, and research staff from around the globe, the center is united by a single mission: improving the well-being and quality of life of individuals and families affected by neurodevelopmental disorders. 

Rajamiyer Venkateswaran, M.D., MBBS, M.S., a professor in the UAB Department of Surgery’s Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery and chief of heart, mechanical circulatory support and lung transplant service, presented at the Heart Failure Foundation conference in Bengaluru, India, this month.