On Thursday, Nov. 20., the Heersink School of Medicine honored 20 faculty members at the Fall 2025 Endowed Chairs and Professorships Reception. This event recognizes Heersink faculty who have made major contributions to research, education, and clinical care.

Gregory Davis, M.D., M.S.P.H., Division Director, Forensic Pathology, was installed as the 2025-2026 president of the American Society for Clinical Pathology during the annual meeting on November 17-20 in Atlanta, Georgia.

UAB Medicine’s Leadership Development Office (LDO) honored 33 graduates of the Emerging Leaders Series (ELS) fall 2025 Cohort 4 during a ceremony held on Thursday, Nov. 12. The cohort completed a multi-session program designed to strengthen leadership capability for emerging leaders across the enterprise.

Erin Eun-Young Ahn, Ph.D., a professor in the Division of Molecular and Cellular Pathology, has been named a 2025 Termeer Scholar. The Termeer Scholars Program provides mentoring, networking, and coaching for academic researchers, with the goal of helping them translate bench science into real-world impact for patients. 

The Department of Pathology is thrilled to announce four faculty’s new appointments to endowed positions. Oyedele Adeyi, M.D., FRCPC, has been named the second holder of the C. Bruce Alexander Endowed Professorship in Pathology. Selvarangan Ponnazhagan, Ph.D., has been named the second holder of the Jay M. McDonald, M.D., Endowed Chair in Laboratory Medicine. Lalita Shevde-Samant, Ph.D., has been named the second holder of the Endowed Professorship in Experimental Cancer Therapeutics. Thomas Winokur, M.D., has been named the second holder of the Robert W. Mowry, M.D., Endowed Professorship in Pathology.

The UAB O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center announced its latest O’Neal Invests grant awardees, of which two faculty from the Department of Pathology are included. O'Neal Invests funds UAB investigators initiating new cancer-related projects to do key preliminary work to enable competitive extramural applications.

Members from the Department of Pathology gathered to celebrate esteemed milestones amongst colleagues on November 12 to recognize awards and distinctions from the past year. The event was held at the UAB West Pavilion Conference Center to honor outstanding professional service to UAB and the department.

Meet Adam Wende, Ph.D., Professor in the Division of Molecular and Cellular Pathology in the Heersink School of Medicine Department of Pathology. His work has been funded by the American Heart Association, Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF), and most recently the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the NIH.

Two physician-scientist trainees in the Department of Pathology participated in the UAB Global Health Symposium on October 29 and 30. Chiamaka Umah, M.D., PGY3, and Falone Amoa, M.D., M.S., a PGY5 and Ph.D. candidate in the laboratory of Upender Manne, Ph.D., M.S., participated in a range of engaging sessions to gain insights into innovative applications of artificial intelligence across diagnostics, health systems, disease surveillance, and more.

Chronic granulomatous fungal sinusitis is a rare, debilitating infection characterized by an enlarged mass in the nasal cavity or sinuses, facial pain and swelling, eye bulging, vision problems, headache and nasal congestion. While most cases are found in subtropical regions of Sudan, India, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia caused by Aspergillus flavus, a pathogenic fungus, cases have recently been identified in the Southeastern United States caused by Curvularia, an emerging pathogen.

Sometimes it’s difficult to make time for hobbies outside of work. Doing so, however, can reduce stress and improve mental and physical health. The Department of Pathology’s Committee for Access and Engagement is on a mission to provide a welcoming environment that fosters the professional and personal development of faculty, staff and trainees. This month, several members from the committee shared some of their favorite hobbies, and why they find them meaningful.

UAB Medicine’s Leadership Development Office (LDO) celebrated seven distinguished faculty members from the seventh cohort of the Sharing Authentically to Inspire and Lead (SAIL) program at a graduation ceremony on Tuesday, Oct. 21. The program, facilitated by Celeste Morgan, Ph.D., CDMS, senior leadership development specialist, is designed to help early-career faculty strengthen their leadership skills, refine their academic identities, and chart clear, sustainable paths toward long-term success.

The Department of Pathology is thrilled to announce the winners of its inaugural 2025 Chair’s Excellence Awards. These awards celebrate faculty members in the Department of Pathology who exude clinical, research and educational excellence. This year’s winners are Hua Guo, M.D., M.S., Chair’s Award for Clinical Excellence, Ming He, M.D., Ph.D., Chair’s Award for Research Excellence, and Valeria Dal Zotto, M.D., Chair’s Award for Educational Excellence. Winners are chosen by Cristina Magi-Galluzzi, M.D., Ph.D., Robert and Ruth Anderson Endowed Chair.

A recent study published in Redox Biology by researchers from the UAB Department of Pathology revealed that too much of a good thing, specifically excessive antioxidants, can lead to heart damage. Traditionally, antioxidants and reducing agents have been found to protect cells. The new study “Reductive stress induces unresolved ER stress and proteotoxic cardiomyopathy” authored by Sini Sunny, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow, and Rajasekaran Namakkal-Soorappan, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Division of Molecular and Cellular Pathology, challenges this notion with their findings.

Joanne Murphy-Ullrich, Ph.D., Professor Emerita, Division of Molecular and Cellular Pathology, recently received a patent coin to honor her hard work and dedication as a UAB inventor. The patent coin recognition program is led by the UAB Harbert Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Beginning this past spring, UAB researchers who are named on a full patent will receive a ceremonial coin stamped with their name and patent number.

Several members from the UAB Department of Pathology ran on October 11 in Equal Access Birmingham's (EAB) 10th Annual Heart + Sole 5K Run, promoting health and wellness in the Birmingham community. All proceeds from the fundraiser support EAB operations and the EAB Clinic to provide medications and medical services for patients. This year was the run's first time returning in person since before the pandemic. 

The 2025 Tri-State Pathology Conference took place October 4-5 at the New Orleans Marriot in Louisiana, hosted by the Louisiana Pathology Society, in conjunction with the Mississippi Association of Pathologists and the Alabama Association of Pathologists. 

The UAB HSF Robert B. Adams Cytology Laboratory opened recently in Montgomery, Alabama, as part of the Department of Pathology’s Community Practice Pathology Program (CPPP). This laboratory space was donated by the Adams family and renovated by the Department of Pathology. Its opening has been seven years in the making.

The UAB Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) hosted the Southeastern Medical Scientist Symposium (SEMSS) on September 27-28 at the UAB Marnix E. Heersink Institute for Biomedical Innovation. SEMSS is a student-run conference designed to bring together both current and aspiring physician-scientists from around the southeastern United States and beyond to share research and build community.

Girish Melkani, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Pathology, has been named the latest recipient of the school’s Featured Discovery award. This recognition celebrates notable research contributions made by faculty and highlights the impact of their scientific advancements.