Kirk Habegger, Ph.D., Professor of Medicine in the UAB Department of Medicine Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, has received funding from Eli Lilly and Company to continue investigation of glucagon receptor activation in incretin-based obesity therapies.

Julius E. Linn Jr., M.D., who died Aug. 4, 2025, at age 84, devoted five decades of his professional life to advancing medical communication and preserving Alabama’s cultural heritage. His death marks the end of a remarkable career at The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) that bridged the worlds of scientific research, medical publishing, and historical preservation.

With the growth of clinical research and trials at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and to meet the evolving needs of investigators and study teams, two longstanding support programs—the UAB Department of Medicine’s Clinical Research Enterprise (CRE) and the Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS) Clinical Research Support Program (CRSP)—have merged to form the Clinical Research Support Enterprise (CReSt).

Joseph Johnson, M.D., associate professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), has been awarded a Pilot and Feasibility Study grant from the UAB Comprehensive Arthritis, Musculoskeletal, Bone and Autoimmunity Center (CAMBAC). His study, titled “Immunologic Phenotyping of Fracture-Related Infection Patients at Risk for Treatment Failure,” seeks to improve clinical outcomes for patients with fracture-related infections (FRIs) through early immunologic intervention.

Amy Warriner, M.D., professor in the Department of Medicine, has been named the 2025 recipient of the Brewer-Heslin Award for Professionalism in Medicine.

After six years of pain, fatigue, and unanswered questions, Army veteran Jason Hall finally found hope through UAB’s Undiagnosed Diseases Program, which identified his condition and provided life-changing treatment within days. Today, Hall has regained his strength, mobility, and independence—and encourages others to keep searching for answers.

Bassel El-Rayes, M.D., professor in the division of Hematology and Oncology, has been named the latest recipient of the school’s Featured Discovery Award. This recognition celebrates significant research contributions made by faculty and highlights the impact of their scientific advancements.

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.

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.

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

In the face of a bacterium that easily resists common antibiotics, members of UAB established testing to identify it in human disease. Mycoplasma, that is. Mycoplasmas are the smallest free-living organisms. They can cause drug-resistant bacterial infections that target various parts of the body, including respiratory and urinary systems and genitalia. Mycoplasmas commonly cause lung infections and often require a special antibiotic to treat the bacterium. Most antibiotics weaken bacteria by penetrating their cell walls. Mycoplasmas, however, don’t have cell walls to weaken.

Heersink’s thriving startup culture is producing creative solutions to improve health care outcomes. Academic medical centers (AMCs) are among the United States’ most active hives of biomedical innovation thanks to their often robust research enterprises. Increasingly, AMCs like the Heersink School of Medicine play a central role in another realm of innovation: the biomedical/biotech startup space.

Meet some of Heersink’s outstanding new faculty members. Each issue, we introduce you to several of the exceptional new faculty that have joined the Heersink School of Medicine. These outstanding recruits—just a few of the many new faces we welcome to our faculty each year—bring with them a wealth of expertise, impressive research portfolios, and a commitment to excellence in shaping the future of medicine and health care.

The UAB Medicine Institute for Leadership, the flagship program of the UAB Medicine Leadership Development Office, recently celebrated the graduation of its 10th cohort.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham startup TIXiMED, Inc., has successfully completed a Phase 1 single ascending dose study of the drug TIX100 in humans, marking a key milestone in the development of a first-of-its kind oral therapy for Type 1 diabetes (T1D).

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.

Ananda Basu, MBBS, MD, FRCP, M.D., has been appointed as an associate director of the UAB Comprehensive Diabetes Center (UCDC) and will play an integral role on the center’s leadership team.

A new study led by Ananda Basu, M.D., used novel non-radioactive, stable glucagon tracers for the first time to characterize glucagon metabolism in humans with and without Type 1 diabetes, providing tools for further exploration into pancreatic alpha cell function in both Type 1 and 2 diabetes and other metabolic disorders.

The UAB Pancreatobiliary Disease Center (PDC) hosted the second annual Hops & Hope Fair on Saturday, May 31, 2025 at Cahaba Brewing Company.