Three esteemed leaders in the field of prostate care are joining the UAB Department of Urology in 2025, bringing heightened expertise and a specialized subset of services to patients across Alabama and beyond.

When joining the UAB Medicine Leadership Development Office’s (LDO) Institute for Leadership Cohort 7 in Fall 2023, Marissa Keppley, MBA, who currently serves as Executive Administrator in the UAB Department of Urology, didn’t anticipate how transformative the experience would be, not just for her professional skill set, but for the relationships it cultivated.

What if the sugar we consume, or even the sugar our own bodies produce, could increase the risk of cancer? That’s the question driving groundbreaking research by Hyeyoung Nam, Ph.D., instructor in the UAB Department of Urology, who was recently honored with a Department of Defense (DoD) Concept Award for her study, “The Polyol Pathway Promotes Renal Cancer Tumorigenesis via Glucose-mediated Lipogenesis.”

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

Hyeyoung Nam, Ph.D., professor in the UAB Department of Urology, has been published in Science Advances alongside corresponding author, Sunil Sudarshan, M.D. and colleagues Richard L. Kirkman and Suman Karki, Ph.D. Their study, “HDAC7 promotes renal cancer progression by reprogramming branched-chain amino acid metabolism,” offers new insight into how kidney cancer cells grow and spread.

Gift from UAB Urology leaders establishes endowed professorship. In 2012, urology care, research, and training at UAB entered a new era when the Division of Urology became a department. 

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 UAB Department of Urology recognized its 2025 residency graduates at its annual graduation and awards ceremony on Friday, June 20. 

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.

Testosterone plays a crucial role in men’s health, influencing everything from energy levels and mood to muscle mass, bone density, and sexual function. Understanding the causes, symptoms, and treatment options is the first step toward reclaiming health and well-being.

Brejjette Aljabi, M.Ed., class of 2026 medical student in the Heersink School of Medicine, recently won Best Podium Presentation in the Renal Cancer Podium Session at the Southeastern Section of the American Urological Association Annual Meeting. The meeting was held March 12-15, 2025, in Nashville, Tennessee.

The UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine recognized 15 faculty members for their outstanding contributions to research, education, and clinical care at the Spring 2025 Endowed Chairs and Professorships Reception.

Adam Baumgarten, M.D., MBA, assistant professor in the UAB Department of Urology, Departmental Value Officer, Associate Residency Program Director, and Director of Medical Student Education, has been selected to join the 2025–2026 Leadership Class of the American Urological Association (AUA) Institute for Leadership & Business. Representing the Southeastern Section, Baumgarten is a part of a nationally recognized program designed to shape the future leaders of urology.

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases reports that chronic kidney disease affects more than one in seven adults in the United States, an estimated 35.5 million Americans. Additionally, the risk of developing kidney disease increases with conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure.

Kidney stones are more than just a painful setback—they can be avoided. Studies show that with a few simple lifestyle and dietary changes, you can significantly lower your risk of developing these painful stones.

Soroush Rais-Bahrami, M.D., FACS, will be traveling to Japan to participate in the American Urological Association/Japanese Urological Association (AUA/JUA) Exchange Program from April 1 through April 20. Rais-Bahrami will spend the majority of the three-week program in Kyoto before traveling to Fukuoka for the JUA Annual Meeting on April 17-19.

The UAB Department of Urology is pleased to announce the establishment of The John R. Burns, M.D. and Dean G. Assimos, M.D. Endowed Professorship, thanks to a generous gift of $500,000 from Drs. Assimos and Burns.

The 2025 Annual Meeting of the American Urological Association (AUA) is April 26-29 in Las Vegas, Nevada at The Venetian Convention & Expo Center.

Thomas Chi, M.D., MBA, professor and chair of the UAB Department of Urology, has been named named Anton J. Bueschen, M.D., Endowed Chair of Urologic Surgery and Research.