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. 

The Department of Pediatrics is proud to introduce Zach Garmon, a valued staff member of the Pediatric Administration team! 

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.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pediatrics is pleased to welcome the new class of Pediatric Residents Interested in Medical Education Scholars Program (PRIME) Scholars!

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pediatrics is pleased to announce the Pediatric Underserved and Global Health (PUGH) Scholars program for the 2025-2026 academic year. The PUGH Scholars Program is a longitudinal opportunity for UAB pediatric residents to receive focused education and hands-on experience in global and undeserved health during three-years of residency training.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pediatrics has announced the appointment of three faculty members to serve on the Pediatrics Appointment, Promotion and Tenure Committee (APTC).

  The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pediatrics David Askenazi, M.D., professor in the Division of Pediatric Nephrology, was recently recognized with the Nephrology Kidney Collaborative (NKC) Founder’s award at this year’s Pediatric Academic Society Membership dinner.

The UAB Heersink School of Medicine Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine is proud to announce its spring 2025 cohort of REINVENT Grant awardees.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pediatrics is pleased to announce the 2025-2026 Founders’ Fund recipients.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pediatrics congratulates Melinda Chance, M.D. on receiving the 2024-2025 Spring Research Roundtable & Fellow Core Conference Attendance Award!

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pediatrics is pleased to announce that Drs. Amelia Hartje, Michael Padgett, Suzannah Patterson, Maddie Southall, Jemma Thompson and Danielle Windom are our 2025-2026 McDonald Scholars!

The Division of Pediatric Hospital Medicine is excited to announce that Andrew Watson, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Hospital Medicine, will assume the role of inpatient complex care (Teal Team) medical director.

Smita Bhatia, M.D., MPH, a pediatric oncologist and distinguished professor in the UAB Department of Pediatrics, received the inaugural UAB Department of Surgery Mentorship Award. The award recognizes her for her role in supporting the success of faculty members, especially in the area of research.

Heersink’s thriving start-up 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 start-up space.

The UAB Department of Pediatrics welcomed two new faculty members in the month of June. Please join us in making them feel at home!

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

UAB Comprehensive Diabetes Center (UCDC) researchers have contributed to the Frontiers in Endocrinology Research Topic on Disease-Modifying Approaches in Type 1 Diabetes.

The Department of Pediatrics announces with great pleasure and gratitude the appointment of Mark Law, M.D., professor in the Department of Pediatrics, to the permanent position of division director of Pediatric Cardiology.

Smita Bhatia, M.D., MPH, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, has been named the recipient of the 2025 American Cancer Society (ACS) Professor Award. This award is the most prestigious grant made by ACS and recognizes professors who have made seminal, high-impact contributions to cancer research across a wide range of disciplines, including fundamental, clinical, psychosocial, behavioral, health policy, and epidemiologic fields. It provides $400,000 in funding for five years and can be extended for another five years.

Last week, we honored our UAB Pediatric Residency graduating class of 2025! This class has been an absolute joy, and we are thankful and grateful to them. May they continue life-long learning and strive for greatness!