News

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Department of Pediatrics is proud to announce that Alyssa Goldman, D.O., PGY-2 resident in the Department of Pediatrics, has been recognized with the Rud Polhill Award for Outstanding Resident in Pediatric Emergency Medicine.

Congratulations to the 25 faculty promoted effective October 1, 2026!

Kennon Ulicny, D.O., assistant professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Department of Pediatrics’ Division of Pediatric Hospital Medicine, has been named associate program director of the Pediatric Hospital Medicine Fellowship.

UAB’s new Clinical Trialist Development Program (CTDP) has selected 24 Heersink applicants for its 2026-2027 cohort. The program will provide these candidates with training, mentorship, and salary support to lead industry-sponsored clinical trials. It will also supply them with a 20% protected time allowance, allowing them to dedicate more time to research.

Randy Cron, M.D., Ph.D., professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Department of Pediatrics Division of Pediatric Rheumatology, has been named 2027-28 chair of the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) Rheumatology Subboard.

Ambika Ashraf, M.D., professor, will be stepping down from her role as Division Director of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, effective September 28, 2026. This decision will allow her to spend more time with family.

Twenty-three Heersink School of Medicine faculty were recognized Sept. 22 for their appointment to endowed chairs and professorships during a special reception.

For the 17th consecutive year, Children’s of Alabama has been ranked among the nation’s best children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Department of Pediatrics welcomed three new faculty members in the month of September. Please join us in making them feel at home!

Researchers showed how neuroblastoma cells change as the cancer spreads, helping them grow, survive treatment and escape the body’s immune defenses. 

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and Children’s of Alabama have been named a Team Telomere Center of Excellence for Telomere Biology Disorders (TBDs). The designation recognizes the institutions’ commitment to providing comprehensive, coordinated care while advancing research, education, collaboration and advocacy for patients and families affected by these rare conditions.

The funding will be used for specific initiatives, including direct engagement with families and youth, mental and behavioral health support, and support for children and adolescents with special healthcare needs. 

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Department of Pediatrics is proud to announce that Namasivayam Ambalavanan, M.D., has been named Executive Vice Chair for Research.

The UAB Medicine Leadership Development Office (LDO) recently recognized 14 individuals in its ninth cohort of Sharing Authentically to Inspire and Lead (SAIL). The fall 2026 graduates received their certificates on Sept. 1.

For high school students interested in leadership, health care and making a difference in their communities, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Adolescent Youth Advisory Board (YAB) offers an opportunity to do all three.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Department of Pediatrics is proud to announce that Kent Willis, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Neonatology has received a National Institutes of Health (NIH) R03 Small Research Grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to study how immune responses early in life may contribute to chronic lung disease later in adulthood.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pediatrics welcomed twelve new faculty members in the month of August. Please join us in making them feel at home!

UAB expert provides professional insight on daycare illnesses and tips on how to reduce the spread of germs. 

Between grant applications, manuscript revisions, and managing a research team, working as a scientist can be demanding. On top of these commitments, many researchers are also caring for young children, aging parents, partners, or family members with health challenges.

This year, City of Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin joined employees at UAB and Children’s of Alabama to celebrate the five-year anniversary of the NICU Bookworms program and recognize all that has been accomplished since its establishment.

Taylor Wallen, M.D., an assistant professor in the UAB Department of Surgery, and Krystal Rivera, a Ph.D. candidate, published “Plasma Regulates Homeostatic Pulmonary Endothelial Signaling to Mitigate Vascular Leak Following Polytrauma and Hemorrhagic Shock” as co-first authors in the journal Shock last month.

On February 6, 2026, at the annual State of School address, I outlined an ambitious vision for advancing our research and discovery, clinical care, and medical education missions.

For the past nine years, Sandy Pilgrom has been a dedicated member of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Department of Pediatrics. As a Patient Services Coordinator II, Pilgrom brings more than 30 years of medical billing revenue cycle experience to her role, including nearly 20 years with the University of Alabama Health Services Foundation (UAHSF).

A multidisciplinary team consisting of University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) physicians and Children's of Alabama respiratory therapists and nurses in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Children's of Alabama has become a national leader in reducing unplanned extubations, demonstrating how sustained teamwork,...

As children head back to daycare this school year, many parents are preparing for an inevitable part of the experience: runny noses, coughs and stomach bugs. While frequent illnesses can be frustrating, they are also a normal part of childhood and help strengthen a child’s developing immune system.

The UAB Department of Pediatrics has announced the residents selected as Pediatric Underserved and Global Health (PUGH) Scholars for the 2026-2027 academic year.

After recently stepping down as division director of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Division of Pediatric Neurology, Leon Dure, M.D., professor of pediatric neurology, is beginning a new chapter in his career, with plans to expand his international work while pursuing new approaches to pediatric neurological care closer to home.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Department of Pediatrics is proud to recognize three residents as recipients of the 2025-2026 Best Resident Educator Awards. Presented by the Pediatrics Clerkship, the annual awards recognize residents who make a meaningful impact on medical students through teaching, mentorship and support during their Pediatric Clerkship Rotations. 

The Department of Pediatrics is excited to welcome the newest cohort of Pediatric Residents Interested in Medical Education (PRIME) Scholars, a longitudinal program that equips pediatric, Med-Peds, genetics and child neurology residents with the skills to become excellent clinical teachers and medical education leaders.

Two UAB experts offer guidance on best practices for introducing technology to young teenagers.