News

Li’an Williams, a Medical Scientist Training Program student in the laboratory of Lalita Shevde-Samant, Ph.D., Endowed Professor in Experimental Cancer Therapeutics in the Division of Molecular and Cellular Pathology, was recently named a recipient of the 2026 O’Neal NextGen Scholar Award.

Members of the UAB Department of Pathology attended a department wellness outing at Oak Mountain State Park on Saturday, May 16. Colleagues, alongside their families, enjoyed one another's company over an outdoor picnic. 

Shi Wei, M.D., Ph.D., Hazel Gore, M.B.B.S., Endowed Professor in Women’s Health and director of the Division of Women’s Health, was recently recognized by Wiley for his 2024 article “Best practices for achieving consensus in HER2-low expression in breast cancer: current perspectives from practicing pathologists” as a top viewed article in the journal Histopathology.

Roy Kracke, M.D., helped lay the foundation for what would become the UAB Heersink School of Medicine and one of the nation’s leading academic medical centers.

This month, we’re spotlighting Md Saimoon Rahman, a graduate student from Bangladesh who is working on his thesis in the Wende Lab in the UAB Division of Molecular and Cellular Pathology.

Glioblastoma is the most common and aggressive type of brain tumor in humans, with an average survival of approximately 15 months despite current treatment options. A major barrier to effective treatment is the highly invasive nature of glioblastoma cells, which infiltrate the surrounding brain and drive tumor formation.

Camilla Margaroli Bell, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Division of Molecular and Cellular Pathology, and Taru Dutt, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Division of Laboratory Medicine, recently received funding from Insmed for their project, titled, “Microbial determinants and host signatures enable early risk stratification in non-tuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD)”.

For the first time in its history, the UAB Department of Pathology is leading three of the most prestigious pathology organizations- all at one time.

Jianhua Zhang, Ph.D., a professor in the Division of Molecular and Cellular Pathology, recently received a Heersink School of Medicine Bridge Funding Award. This program aims to improve the success of research faculty experiencing gaps in funding by providing continuing research support.

The UAB Department of Pathology is pleased to announce a new faculty member joining our team, effective May 4.

Casey Weaver, M.D., Leonard H. Robinson Endowed Chair in Pathology and professor in the Division of Anatomic Pathology, was named Distinguished Professor in Pathology by the University of Alabama Board of Trustees on April 29.

Two faculty members in the Department of Pathology are recipients of the UAB Presidential Bridge Funding Award. This program aims to sustain research continuity, retain talent, and provide strategic support to faculty during transitions in federal funding cycles, administrative delays, or evolving research priorities.

 Bmal1 has been revealed as an unexpected driver of diabetic vascular calcification, linking circadian signaling to arterial stiffening and cardiovascular risk and opening new therapeutic avenues.

Paul Benson, M.D., Autopsy Section Head and professor in the Division of Anatomic Pathology and Nicholas Eisele, D.O., PGY2, Chief Resident of Education and Outreach, were recipients of the 2026 pilot award from the Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health.

This year April 19-25 is Medical Laboratory Professionals Week, an annual celebration of medical lab professionals and pathologists who play a vital role in health care and patient advocacy led by the American Society for Clinical Pathology. This week’s theme is Lab Story: To Infinity and Beyond for our Patients!

The UAB Department of Pathology hosted its fourth annual Staff Retreat on Wednesday, April 22, which happened to be held on Administrative Professionals Day. The event featured an array of speakers and team activities.

  UAB Comprehensive Diabetes Center (UCDC) researchers joined experts from around the country to present diabetes-related research at the 17th Annual Boshell Research Day on April 17.

Vascular calcification is a major contributor to cardiovascular mortality in diabetes and is driven in part by osteogenic reprogramming of vascular smooth muscle cells. Diabetes is also associated with vascular rhythm disruption, but how circadian regulators contribute to vascular calcification is poorly understood. 

UAB researchers discovered that the immune system consistently targets the same exposed region of mismatched HLA proteins following organ transplantation, and the findings could improve donor‑recipient matching and reduce antibody‑mediated rejection, helping transplanted organs last longer.

April 14 marks the 13th annual Pathologists’ Assistant (PA) Day, led by the American Association of Pathologists’ Assistants. PAs are often responsible for the efficient and effective operation of the anatomic pathology service and play a critical role in the delivery of healthcare services in both surgical pathology and autopsy.

The UAB Department of Pathology, in the Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine, is ranked number 12 for the most funds awarded to a United States pathology department by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 2025.

A rise in research funding within UAB’s Department of Family and Community Medicine highlights its expanding research impact.

Cristina Magi-Galluzzi, M.D., Ph.D., Robert and Ruth Anderson Endowed Chair in Pathology, was installed as the 2026-2027 president of the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology (USCAP) during the annual meeting in San Antonio, Texas, effective April 1, 2026.

The Department of Pathology is thrilled to announce a new faculty member joining our team, effective March 31.

The United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology (USCAP) hosted its 115th annual meeting March 21-26 at the González Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas, where several members of UAB Pathology presented various topics of research.

Gene Siegal, M.D., Ph.D., a professor emeritus in the Division of Anatomic Pathology, was recently named an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Fellow for 2025.

The UAB Department of Pathology is pleased to announce the successful completion of this year's residency match program where we filled all seven of our open positions for 2026. Please join us in welcoming the following individuals to our team:

Two trainees in the Department of Pathology received first place for their poster presentations at the 42nd Annual Trainee Research Symposium hosted by the Department of Medicine.

When a patient undergoes an organ transplant, failure to match the donor and recipient can lead to the recipient's immune system attacking the new organ, a process triggered by a specific HLA (human leukocyte antigen) protein.

In March, several of our colleagues were recognized for their years of service working at UAB and the Department of Pathology. The UAB Service Awards honor employees at each five-year milestone who have completed five or more years of service to UAB.