The Research Development Office (RDO) offers support and resources for faculty to find and secure research funding. This includes support for strengthening grantsmanship through training, consultation, and proposal review. On this page, find a range of resources and information to support your grant writing efforts, whether you are looking for institutional data, facilities boilerplate, or professional development oportunities.
If you have content you'd like to share, ideas for new topics to include, or interest in proposal development consultation, please reach out to the RDO at
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UAB Grant Writing Training and Resources (Professional Development Programs)
UAB’s evolving ecosystem frequently offers opportunities and resources to strength your grant writing skills. Program goals and audiences vary. Explore a selection of these programs and resources below:
- Grant Library: The CCTS seeks to provide a compendium of grant resources. This program’s goal is to share award-winning applications and relevant guidance in support of scientific discovery and excellence.
- Grant Resources: The CCTS maintains a collection of resources to further assist faculty in grant proposal development, including a robust facilities and resources document.
- Grant Writing Intensive Cohort (GRIT): Developed by SCOR and the CCTS, the Grant Writing Intensive Cohort (GRIT) offers scholars four months of highly structured weekly activities focused on specific steps in the grant application process. From NIH Specific Aims and Biosketches to training and budget plans, the GRIT cohort program will provide invaluable guidance and help keep you on track to meet your submission deadline.
- Grant Writing Skills Suite: Provided by the Collat School of Business Professional Education Program, this two-course bundle offers the introductory through intermediate skills needed for those involved in gaining funding for any nonprofit organization's mission. Strategic grant writing aligns the needs of a nonprofit with funding sources, whether those sources are foundations, government agencies, corporations, or individuals.
- Nathan Shock Center Research Development Core (RDC): · Nathan Shock Center Research Development Core: The Research Development Core (RDC) supports cutting edge biological research on the comparative biology and energetics of aging. The RDC accomplishes this goal by administering the UAB NSC Pilot/Feasibility Grants program and by providing mentorship and support for UAB NSC grantees.
- OB/GYN Research Development: UAB OB/GYN Research Development is committed to advancing excellence in women’s health research. They strive to ignite innovative cross-disciplinary collaborations and enhance our researchers' ability to secure competitive extramural funding. Their comprehensive services include expert proposal development and refinement, project management to foster effective team science, and facilitation of creative brainstorming sessions to generate groundbreaking ideas. By providing strategic management of proposal resources and cultivating an environment that nurtures scientific innovation, they aim to empower women’s health researchers.
- Research Acceleration Holistic (REACH) Program: The School of Health Professions Office of Research and Innovation (SHP-R&I) is committed to supporting our faculty’s academic research and scholarly development through structured mentoring, coaching, and grantsmanship training. The REACH program, designed to promote REsearch ACceleration through a Holistic approach, gives SHP faculty the tools to find their own unique paths to becoming fully funded scholars and researchers.
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UAB Grant Writing Coursework (Academic Programs)
Many UAB academic programs offer grantsmanship training to students, ensuring they are well trained for their careers ahead. In some cases, courses may also be a good fit for continuing education opportunities. Whether you are a current student or a staff member interested in utilizing the Educational Assistance Program, consider the following courses for building your grant writing skills:
- PSDO 700 (Heersink Professional Development Office) Pathway to Grant Submission: This course is designed to give students a basic background in topics necessary to succeed as a physician scientist in today’s academic medical environment. Topics to be covered include the NIH funding system, how to write a fellowship, record keeping, authorship and publication, conflict of interest, animal and human subjects, and finding a mentor (Open to MD-PhD, ARISE-MD, and DMD-PhD students). [2 Credit Hours]
- PSDO 701 Career Development Grant Writing Workshop: This course is designed to assist postdocs, residents, fellows, and rising junior faculty with the creation and submission of a K award or equivalent grant application. Topics to be covered include the NIH funding system, how to write a fellowship, how to submit animal protocols, and how to submit IRB forms. Individuals will be given a variety of reading assignments from which they will be expected to participate in group discussions and/or presentations. They will also be expected to prepare a fellowship application that will be submitted to an NIH Funding agency. [1 Credit Hour]
- GBS 716 (Graduate Biomedical Science) Grantsmanship and Scientific Writing: The objective of this course is to teach students how to effectively write grant proposals. This course will provide hands-on training in the preparation of a grant application and demonstrate effective strategies for assembling a successful proposal. With guidance from the faculty, the students will write a NIH style proposal on their dissertation research topic. After the proposal is complete, each grant will be reviewed in a mock NIH study section. Based on the comments from the study section, the student will revise the application and submit the proposal to his/her thesis committee as part of the qualifying examination for admittance into candidacy. [2-3 Credit Hours]
- GBS 725 Grant Writing-Crafting a Research Proposal: This course is designed to educate students on the best practices of research proposal preparation and review. Several grant mechanisms will be discussed, but the primary focus will be on preparation of NIH "F30/F31 style" proposals. These are six page research strategies focused on the research project of each student. Each week, the class will meet and discuss individual portions of the proposal (e.g. Aims, Significance, Strategy), and student will draft those sections during the intervening week. By the tenth week of the course, students will submit a complete research portion of an F30/F31 grant. These proposals will be reviewed by peers as well as by faculty members of a "live" study section to be held on the last day of class. After completion of the course, students will have substantial critiques of their proposals in hand. It is expected that students will revise these proposals and submit them to committee members as the written portion of the student's qualifying exam. Long term benefits of careful, critical grant preparation extend to many future career paths. Near term benefits of this course are to improve students' writing skills and progress into written qualifying exam. Finally, it is expected that these proposals will be submitted to one or more extramural funding agencies to support the students' training. [1-3 Credit Hours]
- CHHS 697 (School of Education Community Health Certificate Program) Community-Based Approaches to Evaluation and Grantsmanship of Health Education/Promotion Programs: This course enhances knowledge, competencies and skills required to obtain funding and to evaluate community-based health education/ promotion programs for defined health issues. The course emphasizes elements of evaluating community-based intervention activities at macrolevels including determining needs and assets, writing realistic goals and measurable objectives, incorporating quantitative and qualitative data, and evaluating behavior change at the community level. The course also focuses on grant preparation, including topics such as engaging funders, establishing grant need, planning grant activities, creating a budget, and program sustainability. [3 Credit Hours]
- RHB 795 (Rehabilitation Science SOHP). Rehabilitation Science Research Proposal: Instruction and support for writing a Rehabilitation Science research proposal. Topics to be covered include but are not limited to: developing the Specific Aims, Abstract, Narrative, Significance, Innovation, and Research Strategy sections; creating figures and tables; planning and writing the training and career development sections; developing the biosketch; understanding other grant sections and the scientific review process. [3 Credit Hours]
- AH 783 (Administration Health SOHP) Writing Effective Mixed Methods Grant Proposals: Logistics of developing competitive mixed methods grant applications for K and R type funding mechanisms; special focus on specific aims, innovation and significance, research plan, human subject protection, project team, resources, and budget; integrating multiple methods and data sources, establishing analytical rigor, and addressing reviewer feedback. [3 Credit Hours]
- NUR 759 Writing the Career Development Grant Proposal: The purpose of this course is to prepare PhD students in the foundations of writing grants for external funding. The Course addresses the grants process and proposal writing in healthcare research using the NIH predoctoral application as a template. Strategies for successful proposal preparation including development of elements required in NIH research grant proposal are covered. [1 Credit Hour]
- EPI 703 (Epidemiology SOPH) Grant Proposal Writing: To provide the student with information about grant writing and practice in preparing a grant proposal for submission. The proposal must relate to an epidemiologic topic. Human subjects issues are discussed. NOTE: Must be a doctoral student or obtain permission of instructor to enroll. [3 Credit Hours]
- PUH 703 & 704 (SOPH) Public Health Grant Writing: This course will explore approaches to writing research grants including the preparation of grant proposals and the peer review process for research grants. We will address the development of testable research hypotheses, preparing an aims page, drafting the significance, innovation and approach sections of a grant, and preparing an NIH formatted biosketch. Additionally, we will discuss assembling a team for conducting the work proposed in a grant, statistical power and sample size considerations and the peer-review process for research grants. The majority of class sessions will be led by guest lecturers who have substantial experience writing grants. Prerequisites: Students must have completed the first year of their doctoral program and obtain permission from their academic advisor. [3 Credit Hours]
- GRD 706 (Graduate School) Grants and Fellowships 101: Introduces the extramural funding process. Topics include types of awards, funding sources, components of an application, the review process, and writing effective grant proposals. One-day workshop. [1 Credit Hour]
- GRD 709 Writing Fellowships: Participants are introduced to ways to construct a biosketch, search for funding sources, how to construct a fellowship budget, and grant related administrative policies. The importance of peer review and how to respond to reviewer critiques is covered as well as training plans, teambuilding and peer-review skills. [3 Credit Hours]
- MPA 684 Grants Management: Covers the essentials of grant-writing and the management of grants. [3 Credit Hours]
- GBSC 726 Science Communication & Review: This course will familiarize students on four major components of science communication and review: 1) how to read and review scientific manuscripts, 2) how to review scientific proposals, 3) how to give effective poster presentations and elevator summaries, and 4) how to give an oral research presentation. The course will offer the opportunity for students to be fluent and effective communicators and scientific reviewers. [2-3 Credit Hours]
- EE 610 Technical Communication for Engineers: A workshop-oriented course providing students with the opportunity to produce technical memoranda, a proposal, and a conference and/or refereed journal paper and to make oral presentations related to these work products utilizing appropriate software presentation aids. [3 Credit Hours]
- GRD 727 Writing & Reviewing Research: Introduces writers to research writing “best practices,” criteria for evaluating writing, plus editing and peer review. Writers analyze and write short, strategic texts (on their own topics) in 5 research genres – critiques, annotated bibliographies, introductions, empirical, and review articles – based on peer and instructor feedback, for a draft presentation or proposal. For anyone writing course papers, theses, and/or proposals. [3 Credit Hours]
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External Resources
Many grantmaking institutions offer free training resources to support potential applicants interested in their awards. Additionally, a number of third-party organizations offer grant writing resources. External resources include:
- Article: Crafting a Sales Pitch for your Grant Proposal
- Article: More Paper out the Door: Ten Inexpensive Ways to Stimulate Proposal Development
- Article: The Art of Grantsmanship
- Article: What Do Grant Reviewers Really Want, Anyway?
- Article: Why Academics Have a Hard Time Writing Good Grant Proposals
- Video: NIH Tips for Applicants
- Website: Candid. Introduction to Proposal Writing Course
- Website: EPA Grants 101 Tutorial
- Website: NEH Virtual Grants Workshops
- Website: NIH Central Resource for Research Grants and Funding Information
- Website: Write Your NIH Application
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Institutional Data
This section contains frequently requested institutional information for grant applications. Additional information can be found in the Office of Sponsored Programs Researcher’s Toolkit.
- Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): YND4PLMC9AN7
- Employer Identification Number (EIN): 63-6005396
- DUNS Number: 063690705
- CAGE Code: 0DV74
- NIH Institutional Profile Number: 1288803
- NSF Institution Code: 0010520000
Boilerplate Library
When drafting a new research proposal, incorporating boilerplate can be a major time-saver, removing the need to recreate commonly used sections from scratch. Instead, you can extract relevant portions from existing boilerplate materials and adapt them to fit your current proposal. This repository was developed in partnership with the Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS) to consolidate boilerplate language from across UAB into one resource. Additional content can also be found in the CCTS Grant Resources. Notice outdated or missing information? Let us know at
| Title/Topic | Last Updated | Boilerplate Text | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS) | 04/01/2025 | To speed the translation of research into improved human health, the CCTS and its Partner Network are committed to increasing research capacity, accelerating research processes, developing, and supporting excellence in the research workforce while providing creative and innovative approaches to major health and health care delivery challenges. The CCTS aims to fortify the advancement of translational science through community engagement and vibrant connections within the CCTS Partner Network. The CCTS offers access to a number of resources and capacities through its co-leadership of the Clinical Trials Initiative as well as the Training Academy and the Research Commons. In its commitment to team science, the CCTS embraces a Multiple Program Director/Principal Investigator (MPI) model to oversee the implementation and strategy of the Center. The CCTS Office of the Director is helmed by Director Orlando M Gutierrez, MD, cMPI, and Co-Director Patrice Delafontaine, MD, mPI. The office further assembles leadership in a modular strategy to draw on complementary expertise and experience to realize the vision of healthy communities throughout the region. | Center for Clinical and Translation Science (CCTS), |
| CCTS Partner Network | 04/01/2025 | The CCTS Partner Network crosses institutional boundaries to improve human health and health care delivery. This innovative partnership is well integrated into the fabric of the CCTS and provides the foundation for addressing health outcomes through collaborative research and training efforts. Building on some initial relationships from the Deep South Network for Translational Research, we have significantly expanded to create new and more formal partnerships with regional institutions for mutual benefit. Regional partners are working together to facilitate and promote unique opportunities, including (but not limited to) drug discovery and development, genomics, advanced magnetic resonance imaging, population health and outcomes research. Each partner brings a unique research framework that fortifies the CCTS Partner Network as a whole and fulfills the CCTS mission of excellence. Partners include UAB (Hub), Southern Research, Auburn University, University of South Alabama, HudsonAlpha, LSU Health Services Center, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Tulane University, University of Alabama-Tuscaloosa, and Tuskegee University. Building on this culture of collaboration, the CCTS has expanded its relationship with other affiliate institutions to advance programmatic synergies (University of Mississippi (Oxford), Our Lady of The Lake, Ochsner Health). | Center for Clinical and Translation Science (CCTS), |
| Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS) Research Commons | 04/01/2025 | Through the Research Commons, investigators can access research-related services and resources available at UAB and our Partner Network institutions. The Commons provides individualized assistance to all investigators, from trainees to full professors. CCTS personnel facilitate scientific connections by directing investigators to appropriate capacities, facilitation of scientific interactions, and promotion of CCTS opportunities. Through peer-driven Panels, the CCTS offers a multifaceted approach to guide investigators in early phase project design, grant proposal development, evaluation and revision of unfunded grant proposals, implementation of research protocols, and interpretation and or dissemination of experimental results. The CCTS Research Commons is also the primary portal through which investigators can connect with important expertise including Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Research Design (BERD), informatics, clinical research services and other scientific capacities. | Center for Clinical and Translation Science (CCTS), |
| CCTS Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Research Design (BERD) | 04/01/2025 | The CCTS Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Research Design (BERD) unit is a multidisciplinary team of biostatisticians, epidemiologists, and methodologists who collaborate with CCTS researchers to provide fundamental, clinical, and translational research methodology needs. The BERD mission is to provide consultation, guidance, and expertise for study design, data management, and statistical analysis. Its goal is to gather methodological expertise as a single coordinated resource and match individual methodological skills and interests with study-specific needs to advance research. BERD achieves this goal by providing methodological training (short courses, on-line video library), study design consultation (in person clinics, online ZOOM conference), methodology review of grant applications and clinical trials (panels), and collaborations for intermural and extramurally funded research. In support of rigorous methodology and scientific reproducibility in clinical and translational research, the CCTS BERD team collaborates with investigators at any stage, from student to senior faculty, across the CCTS Partner Network, pairing expertise with study-specific needs and providing state-of-the-art study design, data management, and statistical analysis. In addition, BERD specializes in supporting studies during the critical design and initial implementation phases, ensuring a successful launch. | Center for Clinical and Translation Science (CCTS), |
| CCTS Informatics | 04/01/2025 | CCTS Informatics is responsible for providing a broad range of informatics collaborative opportunities and analytical services in support of basic and clinical research. These collaborative services extend from support for basic genomics and bioinformatics analyses to clinical informatics research for population health and outcomes research and health care informatics operations. Specifically, in support of the computational analysis needs of UAB investigators, CCTS Informatics formed the Informatics Consulting Service to provide consultation and collaborative assistance on the collection and analysis of data derived from basic biomedical research (Bioinformatics) to clinical, outcomes, public health, and health services research (Clinical and Health Informatics). Our expertise extends from traditional sequence and genomics analysis, microarray gene expression analysis, protein and RNA structural prediction, and the analysis of data from next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies, to the analysis of data derived from clinical research studies. We have extensive experience in the analysis of NGS data including data derived from whole genome and exome sequencing studies, genome methylation studies, RNASeq data, and microbiome and metagenomic analyses. CCTS Informatics currently consists of 7 Bioinformaticians (5 PhD level, 1 MS, and 1 BS); 4 Clinical Informaticians (3 PhD, 1 MSHI); an Informatics Architect who designs and implements data management and analytical frameworks for the storage and processing of all our bioinformatics data; and 5 Programmer/Analysts who support the consultation, analytical, training, and educational aims of the service. CCTS Informatics participates in the Southeastern Informatics Consortium, offering consultation services and collaborative opportunities across the CCTS Partner network. | Center for Clinical and Translation Science (CCTS), |
| i2b2 (Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside) | 08/01/2025 | i2b2 (Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside) is an NIH-funded National Center for Biomedical Computing based at Partners HealthCare System. i2b2 was developed as a scalable informatics framework designed for translational research. i2b2 was primarily designed for cohort identification, allowing users to perform an enterprise-wide search on a de-identified repository of health information to determine the existence of a set of patients meeting certain criteria. | Center for Clinical and Translation Science (CCTS), |
| REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture) | 08/01/2025 | REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture) is a secure, web application designed to support data capture for research studies, providing user-friendly web-based case report forms, real-time data entry validation (e.g. for data types and range checks), audit trails and a de-identified data export mechanism to common statistical packages (SPSS, SAS, Stata, R/S-Plus). REDCap also provides a powerful tool for building and managing online surveys. The research team can create and design surveys in a web browser and engage potential respondents using a variety of notification methods. REDCap data collection projects rely on a thorough study-specific data dictionary defined in an iterative self-documenting process by all members of the research team with planning assistance from the system owner. The iterative development and testing process results in a well-planned data collection strategy for individual studies. REDCap provides a secure, web-based application that is flexible enough to be used for a variety of types of research, provide an intuitive interface for users to enter data and have real time validation rules at the time of entry. The system was developed at Vanderbilt University but is now part of an international and multi-institutional consortium which includes The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). REDCap has been disseminated for use locally at other institutions and currently supports 7969 academic/non-profit consortium partners in 163 countries on six continents and over 2.4M projects with 3.8M research end-users; over 47.9k articles utilizing REDCap have been published. | Center for Clinical and Translation Science (CCTS), |
| CCTS Clinical Research Informatics | 04/01/2025 | CCTS Clinical Research Informatics provides access to clinical data in the UAB Health System electronic health record to support the Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW) Initiative, data access and exchange, subject recruitment and retention tools—cohort feasibility, subject identification (with IRB approval), clinical phenotype, design and implementation of clinical research studies and secondary data analyses, Targeting clinical trial opportunities, informatics research, data science for population insights and "big data" integration. | Center for Clinical and Translation Science (CCTS), |
| All of Us Research Workbench | 04/01/2025 | A national data platform for Clinical Research Informatics, the All of Us Research Workbench is a secure, cloud-based platform that offers researchers an opportunity to execute rapid, hypothesis-driven research and build new methods for the future. Registered researchers can access Registered and Controlled Tier data while its powerful tools support data analysis and collaboration. Integrated help and educational resources are provided through the Workbench User Support Hub. | All of Us UAB Medicine, |
| Electronic Medical Records & Genomics (eMERGE) | 08/01/2025 | The eMERGE Network is a group of research studies across the United States working together to study genetics and help doctors treat and prevent some common conditions. The eMERGE Network develops, disseminates, and applies approaches to research that combine biorepositories with electronic medical record systems for genomic discovery and genomic medicine implementation research. This group is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The eMERGE network currently includes sites across the United States including UAB. | Center for Clinical and Translation Science (CCTS), |
| National Patient-Centered Clinical Research Network (PCORnet) | 04/01/2025 | UAB is part of the National Patient-Centered Clinical Research Network, a national network using a common data model (CDM) that supports patient-centered research. With a goal to improve health outcomes by providing access to health data, research expertise, and patient insights PCORnet also aims to engage patients, caregivers, clinicians, and others in the design and conduct of research. | Center for Clinical and Translation Science (CCTS), |
| OneFlorida+ Clinical Research Network | 08/01/2025 | The OneFlorida+ Clinical Research Network is a collaboration among researchers, clinicians and patients in Florida, Georgia and Alabama to create an enduring infrastructure for a wide range of health research, including pragmatic clinical trials, comparative effectiveness research, implementation science studies, observational research, and cohort discovery. Network partners include the University of Florida, Florida State University, the University of Miami, the University of South Florida, Emory University in Atlanta, and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, along with the six universities’ affiliated health systems and practices. Other partners include AdventHealth (Orlando), Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare, Tampa General Hospital, Bond Community Health (Tallahassee), Community Health IT (Kennedy Space Center), Nicklaus Children’s Hospital (Miami), Capital Health Plan (Tallahassee), Bendcare (Boca Raton, Florida) and the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, which oversees the Florida Medicaid Program. | Center for Clinical and Translation Science (CCTS), |
| Shared Health Research Information Network (SHRINE) | 04/01/2025 | SHRINE is a web-based platform that connects i2b2 instances and facilitates queries of available data at multiple institutions to compile insights on large groups of well-characterized patients. Investigators may use i2b2/SHRINE to determine the aggregate number of subjects at participating institutions who meet a given set of criteria (e.g., demographics, diagnoses, medications, and selected laboratory values). This information can provide the collaborative basis for clinical study feasibility and population-based research. | Center for Clinical and Translation Science (CCTS), |
| TriNetX Research Network | 08/01/2025 | TriNetX Research™ is a suite of real-world data and analytics solutions for use in conducting observational and outcomes research. TriNetX Research combines longitudinal clinical data from its global health research network with powerful, state-of-the-art analytics on a single self-service platform. | Anne Russell, |
| Alabama Genomic Health Initiative (AGHI) | 04/01/2025 | The Alabama Genomic Health Initiative is aimed at preventing and treating disease, including certain types of cancer, heart problems, and genetic disorders. The program will also provide pharmacogenetic analysis to evaluate how participants may respond to certain medications. In collaboration with the the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology in Huntsville, UAB Medicine will provide genomic testing, interpretation, and counseling free of charge to residents in each of Alabama’s 67 counties. The AGHI also includes a major focus on research, through which data from test results will be used to advance scientific understanding of the role that genes play in health and disease. The AGHI is one of the nation’s first statewide efforts to harness the power of genomic analysis in helping identify those prone to diseases for genomic abnormalities. AGHI Leadership includes members from UAB, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology and Tuskegee University, nationally recognized institutions that are leaders in bioethics and genomic medicine. | |
| ACT Network | 08/01/2025 | ENACT expands on the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) Consortium cohort discovery platform, ACT, allowing researchers and students at CTSA hubs to carry out electronic health record (EHR)-based studies on any disease or condition within a network of over 142 million patients. This innovative platform, ENACT, emerged through collaboration among members of the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences’ (NCATS) CTSA consortium. The project received financial support from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences. | Center for Clinical and Translation Science (CCTS), |
| Systems Pharmacology AI Research Center (SPARC) | 04/01/2025 | SPARC aims to advance the use of artificial intelligence (AI), patient digital twins and systems pharmacology in drug discovery through research innovation and multi-disciplinary collaborations. SPARC, in partnership with the Heersink School of Medicine (HSOM) and the Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences (CCTS), will advance the use of AI, systems biology, and quantitative pharmacology in drug discovery through research innovation and interdisciplinary collaborations. The center will focus on developing new AI-based approaches in informatics, data science, and clinical trials across multiple fields, including genomics, precision health, and medicine while accelerating drug discoveries to address various clinical conditions. | Jake Y. Chen, PhD, Center Director, |
| Clinical Research Unit (CRU) | 04/01/2025 | The CRU provides clinical services for investigator initiated clinical studies and Phase II and III clinical trials and the Phase I Unit provides services for Phase I clinical trials. The nursing staff support a wide range of clinical research including, but not limited to aging, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, hepatic disease, obesity, pain, psychiatry, reproductive health, nutrition, and various cancers. These units are supported by two nurses’ stations and a pneumatic tube station to allow for quick transport of specimens to the hospital lab as well as receipt of some pharmaceuticals. The CRU is located on the west wing of JT 15 and has five examination rooms besides an infusion suite with six infusion chairs. In addition, the west wing has storage space for equipment and/or supplies that are specific to investigator needs. If inpatient care is required, the CRU has access to inpatient beds located on the 8th floor of UAB Hospital. Inpatient utilization focuses on studies requiring hospitalization of participants for proper study activities, ranging from 24 hour sample collection protocols to studies for which participant safety is best served by an inpatient setting. Pankit Vachhani, MD, is the Medical Director of the CRU, and Joshua Vernon, RN serves as the Nurse Manager for the CRU. The nursing staff includes four full-time nurses, one part-time nurse, and seven nurses who work on an as needed basis. CRU nurses have extensive research experience with the infusion of research medications, monitoring of participants, collection of PK, PD, PG, and biomarker samples, data collection, and use of scientific research equipment. All nurses complete required hospital competencies, human subjects training, certification on pharmacokinetics and Good Clinical Practice (GCP) training. | Center for Clinical and Translation Science (CCTS), |
| Child Health Research Unit (CHRU) | 04/01/2025 | The CHRU was developed to provide a platform to improve our understanding of child health and childhood disease pathogenesis, and to accelerate the development of new treatments for diseases that are manifested in childhood. The CHRU is a partnership between Children’s of Alabama, one of the largest and busiest centers for child health care and the third largest free standing pediatric hospital in the US, the UAB Department of Pediatrics and the CCTS. Its mission is to provide outpatient research space to pediatric investigators that enable the conduct of scientifically rigorous clinical and translational research. The CHRU facilitates the execution of safe and age-appropriate clinical research protocols in a flexible fashion to accelerate our understanding and treatment of childhood diseases. The CHRU expanded in 2017 to a 2,547 square-foot facility to include a reception/registration area, triage room with scales and stadiometer, six well-equipped exam rooms, office and conference space, workspace with monitors & locked storage, lab space with centrifuge and freezer for short-term storage and an equipment storage room. Additional space is available to support primarily for ambulatory patients with special needs (e.g., respiratory conditions, such as asthma and cystic fibrosis) and it includes four outpatient beds (suitable for long-duration PK studies), a specimen processing laboratory, a state-of-the-art biospecimen storage facility with real-time monitoring and specimen-tracking capabilities, a nasal potential difference laboratory. Specialized equipment housed for CFTR clinical science are also housed in the satellite CHRU, including two sweat iontophoresis devices (each compatible with the Macroduct collection system), two sweat evaporimeters (Cyberderm RG), a carbon monoxide monitor, a Lung Clearance Index measurement device (EcoMedics) for use by the nitrogen washout technique, nasal and exhaled nitric oxide measurement (EcoMedics), two spirometers with calibration equipment (NSpire), the “Bento Box” isolation device for live nasal imaging of mucociliary transport in patients with acute respiratory disease, an EKG machine, a Code cart, and general laboratory supplies. | Center for Clinical and Translation Science (CCTS), |
| CCTS Biorepository | 04/01/2025 | The CCTS Biorepository, also in the Shelby laboratories, provides access to standard operating procedures for biobanking and a full spectrum of long-term specimen storage options for studies using the CCTS. We currently have 967 sq ft of dedicated freezer storage space available for long-term biospecimen storage. Storage capacity includes an array of 16x -80°C and 7x liquid nitrogen cryogenic freezers. Specimen storage at both ultralow (-80oC) and cryogenic (LN2/-190oC) temperatures are available. All cryogenic freezers are equipped with automatic LN2 filling valves. Freezers are inventoried to the individual tube level using the Biospecimen Management module of OnCore. All freezers throughout the CCTS SPAN Biorepository are centrally monitored for alarms with call lists in the event of a freezer malfunction. In addition, every freezer has an independent NIST-certified temperature probe monitored by an on-line temperature monitoring system Temptrak (Cooper-Atkins) that provides escalating text/email/phone notifications in the event of a malfunction or an out of range temperature value. In addition to physical sample management, the CCTS has established a link with the UAB i2b2 instance where available specimens are linked to available EHR data through the MRN. UAB Investigators can search for specimens in an aggregate basis associated with clinically revenant parameters to enable scientific investigation and enhance our capacity to serve our populations. The CCTS Biorepository would act as an honest broker to connect the recruiting study team with the requesting investigator. This process connects investigators but does not obligate sample sharing; rather it connects investigators to determine whether they would like to pursue a collaborative relationship that may involve biospecimens. | Center for Clinical and Translation Science (CCTS), |
| CCTS Community & Scientific Action Board | 04/01/2025 | The mission of the Community and Scientific Action Board (CSAB) is to provide guidance to the Center for the Study of Community Health (CSCH) and the Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS) for all community engaged research activities and program development and to provide similar guidance and support to other university centers and programs requesting such support. The CSAB is a new entity formed from merging the Jefferson County Community Participation Board (JCCPB) and the One Great Community (OGC) of the CCTS into one entity. | Center for Clinical and Translation Science (CCTS), |
| CCTS Community Engagement Institute (CEI) | 04/01/2025 | Building on a tradition of broadly-engaged teamwork, the CCTS has created the Community Engagement Institute to foster dialogue among scientists, citizens and stakeholders alike to identify pivotal health priorities in the region. The CEI platform now integrates several discussion forums and special events to bring people together to explore issues in health outcomes and support regional collaboration and best practices. Attendees represent numerous community- and faith-based organizations, non-profits, social, civic & health care groups and neighborhoods as well as academic researchers and trainees, to take part in conversations about issues facing communities in the Deep South. | Center for Clinical and Translation Science (CCTS), |
| The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) | 04/01/2025 | The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), one of three autonomous institutions within The University of Alabama System, is the only four-year public university in the state’s largest metropolitan area. As a comprehensive urban university, UAB enrolls over 20,000 students from across the U.S. and internationally. Students pursue studies in 140 programs across 12 academic divisions, leading to bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and professional degrees in fields such as social and behavioral sciences, liberal arts, business, education, engineering, and health-related disciplines including medicine, dentistry, optometry, nursing, and public health. UAB comprises 11 academic colleges and schools in both health sciences and other academic areas. The UAB Academic Health Center includes the Schools of Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Optometry, Public Health, Health Professions, the Graduate School, and the Lister Hill Library of the Health Sciences. The academic campus features the College of Arts and Sciences, the Collat School of Business, the Schools of Education and Engineering, the Graduate School, and the Mervyn Sterne Library. In 2023, all six of UAB’s health-related schools ranked among the top 20 public institutions in NIH funding, with UAB overall ranking 6th in clinical trials expenditures among public institutions. The university boasts 241 endowed chairs and professorships and is ranked among the top quarter of all U.S. colleges and universities by The Princeton Review.It is a pillar of employee excellence, being named a top 10 employer in the South. Since its founding in 1969, UAB has expanded from 15 blocks to over 100 blocks, with more than 245 buildings providing over 11 million square feet of space. As the largest single employer in Alabama, UAB has an economic impact exceeding $7.15 billion annually. As of 2023, the university employed over 26,614 people, including a faculty of 3,265. In the fall of 2024, UAB’s student enrollment reached 20,905 across undergraduate to doctoral levels. UAB’s research enterprise is globally renowned and as a state-affiliated institution, UAB ranks 11th in nationally federal research support among public universities. In 2023, UAB set a record with $744.5 million in research funding, including $413.7 million from the NIH. UAB Hospital, with 1,207 licensed beds, is among the 20 largest hospitals in the U.S. and the only Adult Level 1 Trauma Center in Alabama. It serves over 1.6 million patients annually and has eight medical specialties ranked in the nation’s top 50 by U.S. News & World Report, which also named it the best hospital in Alabama. UAB provides a supportive scientific environment with state-of-the-art facilities, highly qualified staff, and a collaborative spirit. This infrastructure minimizes administrative burdens and enhances the success of its investigators’ projects. | Office of Marketing and Communications, |
| UAB Office of Research | 08/01/2025 | In support of the research endeavors of a dynamic institution, the administration reporting to the Office of the Vice President for Research develops and improves processes and services that promote research and scholarship by faculty, staff, and trainees, that foster an environment of integrity in research and scholarship, that improve the quality of research, and that enhance economic development. The Office of Research also works with the University, school administrations, and city and state leaders to establish new programs and research directions that promote and enhance the UAB's contribution to new knowledge and the growth of the economies across the city and the state. Units include the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP), Research Development Office (RDO), The Office of Research Safety and Security, Conflict of Interest Review Board (CIRB), Institutional Review Board (IRB), Animal Resources Program (ARP), Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC), The Research Technology and Communications Office, Material Transfer Office (MTO), Export Control, Southeastern Biosafety Laboratory Alabama Birmingham (SEBLAB), Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) and the Office of Sponsored International Programs (OSIP). | Research Development Office, |
| University-Wide Interdisciplinary Research Centers | 08/01/2025 | The UWIRC program serves to catalyze cross-cutting research and discovery while adding to the generation of new scientific knowledge and its applications to benefit society. University-wide thematic centers provide a framework for research and training (including cancer, aging, neuroscience, infectious diseases, substance use disorders, maternal health, nutrition, diabetes, and many more). These multidisciplinary centers are open to all investigators with interests consistent with the mission of the given center. The centers assist in coordinating thematically oriented efforts for extramural grants and contracts, in developing center-associated core facilities and in integrating enrichment programs that are important trainee resources. Approximately every five years, each UWIRC was selected through a competitive selection process. To be designated a UWIRC, centers require sponsorship from at least three UAB schools, substantive interdisciplinary faculty involvement; contribution to the intellectual environment in order to enhance faculty and student recruitment, development, and retention; an extramural financial base to support center and core activities; internal and external review processes to ensure quality and productivity; and leadership in the integration of research and service including community outreach or partnerships. Through a competitive review process, the Deans of sponsoring Schools and the Provost provide modest funds for research cores, pilot and feasibility studies and selective enrichment activities. | Research Development Office, |
| Heersink School of Medicine (HSOM) | 08/01/2025 | As the largest School within the University of Alabama at Birmingham, one of the South's premier research universities, the Heersink School of Medicine (HSOM) is dedicated to the education of physicians and scientists in all of the disciplines of medicine and biomedical investigation. The school provides medical education and internship opportunities for students throughout the world. Its comprehensive approach to teaching future physicians covers all facets of medicine, including medical education, research, and patient care -- delivered in one of the most technologically advanced medical facilities in the country. The school is made up of over 800 students, more than 1100 residents, and over 1800 faculty members in 28 academic departments. | Heersink School of Medicine, |
| Department of Medicine | 08/01/2025 | The department is driving medical education, accelerating discovery, and delivering competent and compassionate patient care. It offers clerkships, residencies, fellowships, and professional development for students. The department ranks #17 in the nation in NIH research and has award-winning scientific discovery programs. Research focuses range from whether pig kidneys can alleviate the transplant shortage to how to encourage healthy lifestyles in disadvantaged communities. | Heersink School of Medicine, |
| Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology | 08/01/2025 | Since its formation in the 1950s, the UAB Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology has represented excellence in patient care, research, and teaching. Faculty members have contributed substantially to the understanding of rheumatic diseases, including their pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, and current diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, and anti-viral and anti-tumor immunity. In addition, they have trained clinicians, educators, and researchers who have impacted academic and clinical rheumatology. With a vision to become the best Rheumatology center in the world for the combination of basic and clinical research, education, and patient care for rheumatic diseases, the Division remains committed to its mission to better understand arthritis and related conditions in order to improve diagnosis and treatment, with the ultimate goal of cure or prevention of these diseases. | Heersink School of Medicine, |
| Division of Nephrology | 08/01/2025 | The Division of Nephrology is committed to clinical excellence and providing high quality, multidisciplinary care. Division faculty conduct cutting-edge laboratory research and clinical trials to develop new therapies. Its Fellowship program is dedicated to training of physicians in Nephrology and to the pursuit of academic or scholarly contribution of our Fellows and graduates in clinical, basic and translational research. Research in the Division includes basic science studies, translational research including all phases of clinical trials, and outcomes research. | Heersink School of Medicine, |
| Division of Preventive Medicine | 08/01/2025 | The Division of Preventive Medicine (DOPM) is dedicated to medicine and public health through research, teaching, and dissemination and translation of knowledge for improved health outcomes. From its inception in 1967, the DOPM has played a core role in the many groundbreaking trials contributing to the knowledge of medical and health systems, behavioral aspects of disease, epidemiology, prevention, control, and disease outcomes. As a research-oriented division, it serves as the home for preventive medicine activities within the Department of Medicine. | Heersink School of Medicine, |
| Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine | 08/01/2025 | The department employs leading faculty, residents, fellows, and staff while offering graduate and post-graduate education for students. The department is divided into seven divisions based on subspecialties. Ranking consistently among the top in funding from the NIH, the department’s primary research areas include free radical biology, inflammatory diseases, acute lung injury, cardio protective effects of alcohol, and mechanisms and treatment of pain. | Heersink School of Medicine, |
| Department of Biomedical Informatics and Data Science (DBIDS) | 08/01/2025 | The UAB Department of Biomedical Informatics and Data Science (DBIDS) envisions sharing data between biomedical research and patient care resulting in greater knowledge and improved health for people everywhere. Informatics research, training, and practice activities are prominent throughout many schools of the University of Alabama at Birmingham. DBIDS was established in the School of Medicine to accelerate and enhance these activities within the school and coordinate with relevant activities in other schools. To this end, DBIDS is the de facto home for an informatics faculty, drawn from multiple clinical and basic science departments, who collaborate with other biomedical researchers and each other, to apply informatics solutions to biomedical research and healthcare tasks as a means to understanding fundamental challenges. This understanding, in turn, serves as the basis for their research into developing new informatics methods and tools for addressing future tasks. The department is currently establishing undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate educational programs to train the next generation of informatics practitioners and researchers. DBIDS continues to establish undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate educational programs to train the next generation of informatics practitioners and researchers in a dynamic manner. | Heersink School of Medicine, |
| Department of Biomedical Engineering | 08/01/2025 | The department is jointly affiliated with the Heersink School of Medicine and School of Engineering, fostering the highest levels of research while offering a world-class education. The department offers bachelors, fifth-year, two-year masters, and doctoral degree programs. It ranked fourth nationally in research funding from the NIH. Key research areas include biomedical imaging, implants and devices, cardiac electrophysiology, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine. The department is housed in the Altec/Styslinger Genomic Medicine and Data Sciences Building along with the Marnix E. Heersink Institute for Biomedical Innovation Conference Center. The 175,000-square-foot building unites researchers, equipment, and staff from the Hugh Kaul Precision Medicine Institute, the Department of Biomedical Informatics and Data Science, and various translational scientists. | Heersink School of Medicine, |
| Department of Family and Community Medicine | 08/01/2025 | The department is a recognized leader in the fields of clinical care, premedical education, practice-based research, and student health services. The department provides education programs and curricula for medical students including residencies, fellowships, and preceptorships. It also coordinates practice-based research on a local, regional and national scale. Key research areas include health outcomes and chronic disease, lifestyle medicine, health, mental health, and brain health. | Heersink School of Medicine, |
| Department of Genetics | 08/01/2025 | The department is committed to genetics and genomics research, education, and clinical care. The faculty focuses on performing laboratory and clinical research, providing consultation services, and offering state-of-the-art genetic diagnostic testing. The department offers undergraduate, graduate, and clinical training, and seminars for students. The key research focus is along the continuum from fundamental studies to preclinical investigations, to bench-to-bedside translation, to clinical practice and community implementation. | Heersink School of Medicine, |
| Department of Microbiology | 08/01/2025 | The department is home to a highly collaborative research community committed to excellence in research, service, and teaching. Its faculty participate in teaching classes to undergraduate, graduate, and medical students and serve in leadership roles in the undergraduate Immunology Program. The department ranks #8 in NIH funding and is amongst the best microbiology departments in the country. Key research areas include microbial pathogenesis, immunology, virology, structural biology, and cancer. | Heersink School of Medicine, |
| Department of Neurology | 08/01/2025 | The department is home to eight comprehensive divisions and seven centers. The faculty offer residences and fellowships to train students in balancing clinical duties, time for study, and research activities. The department’s experienced neurologists offer patients advanced neurological care. Key research topics include cerebrovascular ultrasound as well as neuroimaging and neuro-interventional procedures, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, motor neuron disease, and brain tumors. | Heersink School of Medicine, |
| Department of Pathology | 08/01/2025 | The department advances pathology through clinical and translational research and shapes the future of treatment through precision medicine. Faculty in this department train graduate students, residents, and fellows to ensure their success as leaders in the field. Key research areas include fundamental mechanisms of disease to the identification of biomarkers and the development of novel therapeutics using innovative pre-clinical animal models of disease, analytical techniques, and bioinformatics and genomics. | Heersink School of Medicine, |
| Department of Pediatrics | 08/01/2025 | The department is dedicated to improving the health of children; discovering and applying important new knowledge to improve the outcomes for pediatric disorders. Comprised of 19 Subspecialty Divisions each with an educational, research and clinical focus. The faculty of the UAB Department of Pediatrics at Children's of Alabama provides an extensive spectrum of medical expertise and health care services, from primary care to subspecialty services. The faculty educates patients, families, and health care providers to become future leaders in children’s health. Currently there are over 241 faculty in general pediatrics and subspecialty divisions. The faculty of the Department of Pediatrics records more than 272,000 outpatient visits, including approximately 73,100 patients seen through the pediatric emergency medicine division. The Department of Pediatrics has a major commitment to research and consistently ranks in the top 20 among all departments of pediatrics in the country in NIH funding. | Heersink School of Medicine, |
| Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology | 08/01/2025 | The department advances understanding of psychiatric disorders and facilitates translational integration of research findings to develop innovative and novel clinical interventions. Faculty train residents and fellows to transform them into future academic leaders, clinical investigators, and psychiatrists. Research focuses on schizophrenia, depression and bipolar disorder, neurodegenerative disorders, substance abuse, and psychiatric disorders. The department also provides patient care through an inpatient facility, community-based clinics, and other patient-focused programs. | Heersink School of Medicine, |
| School of Public Health | 04/01/2025 | The UAB SOPH at UAB is the only accredited School of Public Health in Alabama by the Council on Education for Public Health, an independent agency recognized by the US Department of Education to accredit schools of public health. UAB SOPH is comprised of about 80 full-time faculty members complemented by over 100 part-time and volunteer faculty in multiple departments. U.S. News and World Report consistently includes the UAB SOPH in the top 20 Public Health Schools in the United States. In 2024, U.S. News & World Report recognized UAB as No. 8 for Public Schools of Public Health and No. 18 for Public Health Schools; with the departments being recognized as No. 13 in Best Biostatistics Programs, No. 16 for Best Epidemiology Programs, No. 16 for Best Health Policy and Management Programs, and No. 24 for Best Social and Behavioral Sciences Programs. | School of Public Health, |
| Department of Biostatistics | 08/01/2025 | The Department of Biostatistics at the School of Public Health at UAB is a leader in collaborative medical, public health, and statistical genetics research. Biostatistics is the statistical analysis of health-related data and how data from clinical trials and population studies impact human and public health. Students who concentrate in biostatistics are interested in how data, population studies, and health intersect. They study advanced statistical methodologies and apply them to better understand health trends among populations. They interpret results of statistical analyses from public health studies and translate the information into easily understandable facts for scientific and non-scientific audiences. Faculty in the department work hand-in-hand with researchers in public health, medicine, nursing, and other health-related disciplines to help improve health. | School of Public Health, |
| Department of Environmental Health Sciences | 08/01/2025 | The mission of the Department of Environmental Health Sciences is to foster excellence in scientific research, teaching/training, outreach, and practice in EHS with the goal of identifying, understanding, and preventing environmentally and occupationally related diseases and injuries in Alabama, our region, the United States, and globally. Environmental Health Sciences (EHS) focus on protecting human health from environmental and occupational pollutants and exposures, such as those that arise from poor outdoor and indoor air quality, poor water quality, waste products, and workplace hazards. Environmental health professionals seek ways to improve our environment and reduce exposure to pollutants to promote health and prevent disease. Those trained in EHS keep people safe and healthy in the community, at home, and at work. | School of Public Health, |
| Department of Epidemiology | 08/01/2025 | The Department of Epidemiology studies trends, patterns, and causes related to disease in populations. Students who concentrate in epidemiology are interested in how diseases spread among given populations. Epidemiologists create complex analytical models to help us understand the causes of and solutions to these diseases more clearly. Graduates of the UAB Epidemiology program have found employment in academia, research organizations and foundations, industry, public and private health services delivery organizations, and international agencies. | School of Public Health, |
| Department of Health Behavior | 08/01/2025 | The Department of Health Behavior addresses the behavioral, social, and multiple factors related to or driving individual and population health. Students in this program apply social and behavioral science theories and methodology to predict and explain health-related behaviors as well as develop and evaluate health promotion and disease-modifying and prevention programs. Emphasis is placed on the importance of community-based participatory research and the application of research findings through a variety of behavioral and social science health promotion strategies. Classes are engaging, interactive, and relevant to current health issues. | School of Public Health, |
| Department of Health Policy and Organization | 08/01/2025 | Students in the Department of Health Policy and Organization (HPO) develop skills in managing and leading the development of policy in a variety of settings. Students in UAB School of Public Health concentrations learn policy skills relevant to the practice and scholarship of public health. Health Policy and Organization focuses on skills needed for leading and managing public health organizations. Health Policy focuses on building the analytical skills required to recommend or evaluate systems or policy changes. Those students with a particular interest in the complex health considerations for the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) population can gain additional skills in comprehensive systems development and evaluation from a Life Course approach. Outcomes Research, emphasizing the clinical side of public health, focuses on the evaluation of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of specific health care interventions or treatments. UAB faculty, staff, and students are highly engaged in “real world” public health. We partner with local, state, national, and international agencies to understand the impact of policies on populations and systems. | School of Public Health, |
| School of Health Professions | 08/01/2025 | The UAB School of Health Professions, one of the largest health professions schools in the nation with more than 20 innovative programs, shapes the future of healthcare through teaching, research, and translation of discoveries into practice. The UAB School of Health Professions has the #1 ranked Master of Science in Health Administration (MSHA) program in the nation and is the highest ranked academic program at UAB. The UAB SHP also provides several programs that are exclusive to UAB in the state of Alabama. To improve the quality of health around the world, UAB SHP listen to needs and identify real-world problems while focusing our resources and expertise to address those problems. Collaborative efforts are made to tailor innovative teaching and research to solve problems and partner with strategic community, business, and global leaders to expand the impact of our efforts. The UAB School of Health Professions’ strategy uniquely positions us to lead efforts to inspire quality health and living of individuals, communities, and the world. | School of Health Professions, |
| Department of Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences | 08/01/2025 | The Department of Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences is comprised of academic programs essential to today’s healthcare system. To help prepare students to enter this quickly growing field, the department’s undergraduate and graduate programs provide academic and hands-on experience that can be applied to many different professions in health care. They are taught in a variety of disciplines ranging from diagnosis of illness and disease, administration of advanced treatment therapies, and performance of vital roles in surgical suites, plus outpatient and inpatient healthcare settings. CDS programs are essential to today’s healthcare system and the Physician Assistant Studies program is currently ranked 8th in the nation. Graduates work in disciplines diagnosing illness and disease, administering advanced treatment therapies, and performing in surgical and trauma settings plus outpatient and inpatient healthcare. | School of Health Professions, |
| Department of Health Services Administration | 08/01/2025 | Home to the top ranked program at UAB – the #1 in the nation Master of Science in Health Administration – HSA has been shaping the future of health care for more than 50 years. They will continue to do so for the next 50 years and beyond with top-ranked education programs taught by world-renowned scholars. | School of Health Professions, |
| Department of Nutrition Sciences | 08/01/2025 | The UAB Department of Nutrition Sciences is the global leader in lifestyle wellness, incorporating nutrition and lifestyle research and education to prevent chronic disease and facilitate optimum health and wellness in everyone. The department is home to two major NIH-funded research centers – The Nutrition Obesity Research Center and the Diabetes Research Center plus the UAB Precision Nutrition Clinical Center, one of six clinical centers funded by the NIH Common Fund’s Nutrition for Precision Health. These programs translate the science of nutrition and lifestyle into real-world programs and initiatives that improve people’s lifestyle wellness in order to create a happier, healthier world. | School of Health Professions, |
| Department of Occupational Therapy | 08/01/2025 | The UAB Department of Occupational Therapy focuses on providing opportunities for education, training, and research to allow students to explore the different avenues for their careers. The faculty works closely with each student throughout their entire time at UAB, and for the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy applicants, this relationship starts during the interview process. Students also have access to training in specialized areas in the Post-Professional Clinical Doctorate in Occupational Therapy (OTD) and can take both this degree and the Low Vision Rehabilitation Graduate Certificate program online (the certificate program has an on-campus requirement). The inaugural class of new entry-level OTD program was ranked among the top 14% in the nation. | School of Health Professions, |
| Department of Physical Therapy | 08/01/2025 | The Department of Physical Therapy has offered outstanding educational programs in physical therapy since 1964. Currently, UAB offers the Doctor of Physical Therapy program for students who want to become physical therapists, an interdisciplinary PhD in Rehabilitation Science program, as well as Neurologic and Orthopedic Physical Therapy Residency programs for physical therapists interested in specializing in physical therapy disciplines. | School of Health Professions, |
| School of Nursing | 08/01/2025 | The UAB School of Nursing offers innovative bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs under the leadership of an interdisciplinary clinical and research faculty vested in developing the next generation of compassionate nurses committed to contributing to the improvement of the health and quality of care for individuals, families, and populations. Among these are the oldest and most honored PhD in Nursing and a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and Nurse Anesthesia Track; a Master of Nursing program with more than 15 nurse practitioner specialty tracks with dual degree options, advanced nursing executive majors in administration and informatics, and an Accelerated Master's in Nursing Pathway (AMNP) program for students who already have one degree, among other unique opportunities. Most graduate courses are taught in a distance accessible format with on-campus intensives. The UAB School of Nursing is designated as a Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization Collaborating Center for International Nursing. Additionally, the School is a Paul D. Coverdell Peace Corps Fellows program and is one of the leading VA Nursing Academic Partnerships in the US. The UAB School of Nursing is a leader and trendsetter in collaborative science and home to the state’s only nursing-specific research initiative with a broad funding portfolio supporting scholarship in oncology, international nursing, HIV/AIDS, pediatrics, occupational health, aging, among others, and offers students opportunities to learn and investigate with faculty and student teams from nursing, medicine, dentistry, health professions, public health, and optometry. The UAB School of Nursing is home to an innovative nursing simulation and skills laboratory, which provides faculty and students with interprofessional learning opportunities. Faculty hold more than 70 appointments in university-wide research centers. | |
| School of Dentistry | 08/01/2025 | The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry was created by an act of the state legislature in 1945, the same year that the School of Medicine moved to Birmingham from the university campus in Tuscaloosa and became a four-year school. The School of Dentistry admitted its first class of students in October 1948 and blends the rich tradition of a school founded over 70 years ago with cutting-edge technology and contemporary programs and facilities. The UAB School of Dentistry is comprised of seven academic departments and a variety of educational programs that span the major dental specialties. It consistently ranks among the top National Institutes of Health-funded dental schools in the United States and it centered on five core themes: 1) Craniofacial Development and Genetics; 2) Biomaterial Science and Biomimetic; 3) Oral Microbiology, Infection, and Host Response; 4) Oral Cancer and Bone Marrow Microenvironment; and 5) Clinical Outcomes and Implementation Science. | |
| School of Optometry | 04/01/2025 | The School of Optometry was established in 1969. Since that time, the School of Optometry has grown to include graduate degrees (MS, PhD) in Vision Science and post-doctoral residency education in addition to the 4-year professional program. The UAB School of Optometry is located within the UAB Academic Health Center, which affords our students the opportunity to be surrounded by health professionals and researchers in a variety of disciplines. Students can also participate in combined OD/MS, OD/MPH, OD/MBA degree programs with other health professional students, unique to our university. As one of the smaller optometry schools in the country, the school offers a competitive enrollment that benefits the world-class educational environment with a family feel. As one of the top optometry programs in the nation, UAB School of Optometry is the first in the U.S. to be fully integrated into an academic health center. Recently re-accredited to 2025, the School of Optometry has a first-rate reputation for educating optometrists and vision scientists from across the country, primarily from the South-Eastern region. Their faculty is among the best known in the country through their lectures, research and publications including many national and international textbooks, service on editorial boards, and Newsletters for optometrists. Their clinical service is widely respected for the excellent patient care including several new specialty clinics, myopic control clinic, dry eye clinic, and vision therapy clinic in the UAB Eye Care clinic, a 34,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility that covers everything from primary eye care, including the dispensing of glasses and contacts, to the treatment of ocular disease and pediatric vision care. The school also houses and supports the Vision Science Research Center (VSRC), a campus-wide center with over 80 investigator members from across campus, with the common commitment to vision research. The core facilities allow vision researchers to successfully compete for research funding and this support has aided the School of Optometry research profile to remain among the top schools and colleges of optometry. Collectively, these commitments help the school in its mission to educate optometry students, residents, and future scientists; to discover and broadly communicate new principles and concepts in eye care and vision science; to translate these ideas into clinical practice; and deliver health care with integrity and compassion. | |
| School of Education and Human Sciences | 08/01/2025 | The School of Education and Human Sciences provides an innovative environment that promotes professionals in education, health, and wellness in collaboration with content experts in associated academic areas. The UAB SOE is driven to create the most prepared, inspired, and dynamic practitioners in the workforce today with cutting-edge programs that prepare professionals to serve in a complex world. We want to help each and every one of our students become the absolute best-prepared practitioner fully capable of working in any setting, whether it be urban, suburban, or rural. This collaboration in developing strong professionals is emblematic of UAB’s interdisciplinary, collaborative culture, strengthening cooperation between departments and programs for excellence in research and scholarship where students can thrive in an open environment with a bold, innovative approach to education. | School of Education and Human Sciences, |
| School of Engineering | 08/01/2025 | The UAB School of Engineering embraces a collaborative mission, supporting projects that bring engineers together with medical professionals, business leaders, and fellow scientists from other disciplines, in order to push the envelope and discover new, innovative solutions for the challenges in the world. With renowned faculty spread across five academic departments, the School of Engineering provides undergraduate students with a solid foundation in engineering fundamentals with a curriculum focused on experiential learning opportunities and progressively advanced hands-on applications. With more than 15 graduate degree programs and tracks to choose from at the master and Ph.D. level, as well as a variety of certificate programs, UAB offers highly adaptable programs that range from traditional M.S./Ph.D. pathways to online Master of Engineering degree tracks for working professionals. It is likewise committed to training at the undergraduate and graduate levels, where student engagement in design projects is prioritized throughout the curriculum. The School of Engineering is housed in the Frances and Miller Gorrie Hall, a new 116,000-square-foot facility with advanced labs, research suites, and common areas. | School of Engineering, |
| Collat School of Business | 08/01/2025 | Located in the heart of Alabama's business center, UAB’s Collat School of Business offers an engaging learning environment with classrooms extending well beyond the walls of the UAB campus. The school’s unique location allows faculty to integrate the practical experiences of the State's leading companies - from Fortune 500 corporations to entrepreneurial startups - into the programs it offers. Students gain valuable, real-world experience through a wide variety of internships, career coaching and planning, and other opportunities in the business community. The Collat School of Business is accredited at the baccalaureate and master’s levels by AACSB International and holds supplemental AACSB International accreditation for our undergraduate and master’s programs in accounting, an accomplishment held by less than 2% of business schools worldwide. The school offers eight undergraduate programs in accounting, economics, finance, human resource management, industrial distribution, information systems, management, and marketing. It offers three graduate programs in accounting, business administration and management information systems as well as certificates in technology commercialization and entrepreneurship, social media, enterprise systems, and professional sales. All undergraduate and graduate programs are delivered in Face-to-Face and Online formats to serve the varying needs of students. | |
| College of Arts and Sciences | 08/01/2025 | The UAB College of Arts and Sciences was formed in 2010 with the integration of the schools of Arts and Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences, and Natural Science and Mathematics. Today, the college is home to 19 academic departments, 9 interdisciplinary programs, and 5 centers. The College of Arts and Sciences also offers 40 baccalaureate undergraduate majors and 23 graduate programs. In addition to our more than 5,000 majors, nearly every student pursuing a baccalaureate degree at UAB takes their core curriculum classes in the College of Arts and Sciences. To ensure that each student leaves UAB with the tools they need to succeed in an expanding and increasingly complex world, the College of Arts and Sciences is dedicated to helping them develop the following skills and competencies: ethical and moral reasoning, the Scientific Method, communication, competence, and confidence in the “Face of Complexity”. The college includes more than 300 full-time faculty members, approximately 59% percent of whom are tenured. | College of Arts and Sciences, |
| Department of Computer Science | 08/01/2025 | The Department of Computer Science at the University of Alabama at Birmingham provides an excellent learning environment for both undergraduate and graduate students, and is proud to be part of UAB, one of the top universities in the nation that are ranked as "R1: Doctoral Universities — Highest Research Activity" in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Continuing our success in scholarly research, department faculty are challenging the boundaries of knowledge in four focused research areas, including cyber security, data science and analytics, biomedical applications, and advanced cyber infrastructures (encompassing cloud computing, high-performance computing, and the Internet of Things). Our faculty’s research has been funded by both major federal agencies and industrial technology giants. Additionally, we collaborate closely with researchers from other universities, industries, and government agencies. | College of Arts and Sciences, |
| Department of Sociology | 08/01/2025 | The UAB Department of Sociology offers the only PhD program in medical sociology in the state of Alabama, and more than 50 alumni having graduated with a PhD in medical sociology from UAB. With UAB's prestigious medical school, seven hospitals, and several on-campus clinics and medical research centers, there are numerous opportunities and fellowships for research and training. The Department of Sociology features faculty who are either teaching specialists or leaders in research in a research-intensive environment. With the exception of a few alumni who hold administrative positions, about half of graduates teach and conduct research in universities, while the other half conduct research full-time. Some are affiliated with medical schools (e.g., UAB, Harvard, South Carolina, Texas, Miami), schools of public health (e.g., UAB, Brown), and various colleges and universities in the US (e.g., UAB, William & Mary, Mary Baldwin, Tuskegee, Mississippi State, Western Kentucky, Middle Tennessee, Akron) or abroad in Europe and Asia. | College of Arts and Sciences, |
| Department of Social Work | 08/01/2025 | The mission of the UAB Department of Social Work is To improve the well-being of people, and to advance healthcare through evidence-based teaching, research, and service designed to effect change at local, state, national, and global levels. The Bachelor of Science in Social Work (BSSW) program prepares students for generalist social work practice with multiple populations. Our Master of Social Work (MSW) program is one of the few in the nation that has a sole focus on clinical/medical social work, and it prepares students for practice in health and behavioral health settings. Both programs are fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). UAB’s Undergraduate Social Work Program was established in 1976 and was fully accredited in 1977. In 2011, Social Work became an independent department within the College of Arts and Sciences and has remained committed to evidence-based research, innovative teaching models, and service leadership. The UAB Department of Social Work remains housed in University Hall, a state-of-the-art facility overlooking the Campus Green. | College of Arts and Sciences, |
| UAB Libraries | 08/01/2025 | The UAB Libraries provide access to an array of rich scholarly resources that inform intellectual, social, and economic transformation of its community. It also provides the essential expertise to support excellence in education, research, patient care, and community outreach that collectively advance the success and impact of the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The UAB Libraries’ collections include over 1.4 million volumes and more than 40,000 journals and serials, in addition to extensive electronic resources, rare books, microforms, and audio-visual materials. The UAB Libraries host nearly 1 million patrons each year and support students and faculty in advancing their learning, research, and teaching. UAB Libraries administratively merged in 2015 to provide shared services, such as a single catalog, and achieve economies of scale while collectively expanding access to digital resources. UAB Libraries encompass the Lister Hill Library of the Health Sciences, the Lister Hill Library at University Hospital, the Mervyn H. Sterne Library, UAB Archives, UAB Digital Collections, Reynolds-Finley Historical Library, the Alabama Museum of the Health Sciences, and an off-site storage facility termed the “801 Building”. | |
| Institutional Research Core Program (IRCP) | 08/01/2025 | The Institutional Research Core Program was created to promote the development and operation of outstanding Core Facilities that can serve the needs of UAB investigators. The IRCP boasts 15 Institutional Research Core facilities. The program is designed to provide assistance to Cores in developing sound business plans, preparing, and implementing robust standard operating and quality assurance procedures, providing customer-focused service to facilitate the advancement of research and scholarship, and to assist in maintaining the financial stability of the core. | Research Development Office, |
| Advanced Materials Characterization Core Facilities (AMCC) | 08/01/2025 | The AMCC is an institutional core supported by the Office of the Vice President and the Center for Nanostructured Materials and Biointegration. It houses a number of instruments in three different buildings across campus. The AMCC has a wide range of equipment to serve the UAB community and external educational institutions. In addition, we provide equipment usage to a variety of different industries. Our equipment consists of computer controlled electrospinner, diamond fabrication lab, Micro-Raman/Photoluminescence Spectroscopy, Microwave Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD), multi-axis wear simulator test apparatus, Panalytical Empyrean Multi-purpose X-ray Diffractometer (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Spectrofluorometer with microscope coupling optics, fluorescent microscope, and the X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy labs (XPS). | Paul A. Baker, PhD, Director of Advanced Materials Characterization Core, |
| Computer Controlled Electrospinner | 08/01/2025 | Automated electro spinners for making 3D-tissue-scaffolds from proteins, synthetic and biopolymers, blends and composite nanofibers in tubular geometry of varying diameters ( 1 mm to 6 mm) and any lengths up to 30 cm for vascular grafts, perfectly-aligned fiber scaffolds for nerve tissue engineering, bi-phasic and tri-phasic composite fibers (hydroxyapatite/ collagen/polymer (PLA, PCL, PLGA, PLC)) fiberous scaffolds with 80-90 % porosity and interconnectedness with and without growth-factors for bone and craniofacial tissue engineering etc. | Paul A. Baker, PhD, Director of Advanced Materials Characterization Core, |
| Diamond Microfabrication Lab | This facility contains two core systems. A Sputter deposition system and a maskless lithography system provide researchers the capacity to create their desired patterns in their choice of metals.AJA International Inc’s Polaris sputtering system has a 750 watts DC power source for the target gun and a 100 Watts RF power source for creating RF plasma to clean samples. Metal films of thickness in the range 0.2 µm – 2 µm can be deposited using the DC power source. Future upgrades planned for this system will allow for the deposition of both conducting and insulating thin films. The maskless lithography system has the capability to create features with a resolution of 5 µm. The innovative smart filter on this system eliminates the need for expensive physical masks for creating desired patterns on a given substrate. The microfabrication lab is equipped to carry out both wet-etch and lift-off processes for creating patterns/circuits on planar and non-planar substrates. | Paul A. Baker, PhD, Director of Advanced Materials Characterization Core, |
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| Micro-Raman/Photoluminescence Spectroscopy | 08/01/2025 | Raman spectroscopy is a powerful technique for probing the local atomic environment in a wide variety of materials by detecting the phonon vibrations through the material. Particularly sensitive for carbon-based materials. It is complementary to the FT-IR technique. | Paul A. Baker, PhD, Director of Advanced Materials Characterization Core, |
| Microwave Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition | 08/01/2025 | The 1.2 KW, 6 KW Microwave Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition systems are utilized for growing single crystal and nanocrystalline diamond on various substrates such as diamond, silicon, and titanium alloys. Shown to the left is the 1.2 KW CVD system. This system is primarily used for growing homoepitaxial diamond for the purpose of fabricating designer diamond anvils utilized in high-pressure research. | Paul A. Baker, PhD, Director of Advanced Materials Characterization Core, |
| Multi-Axis Wear Simulation Test Apparatus | 08/01/2025 | The Force-5 (AMTI, Inc.) wear simulation instrument for the testing of materials for biomechanical applications, such as the evaluation of joint replacement implants. The machine can be set up to test various types of devices such as hips, knees, and temporomandibular joints. The motion can be programmed to mimic the complex motion of these implants and uses feedback to control the motion. With a maximum vertical load of 1000lbs. and 4 independently controlled axes of motion, the machine can replicate patterns of motion such as walking or chewing using a user-configurable computer control. A six-axis load cell gathers force and displacement data for analysis. The joint in testing can be maintained in a temperature-controlled, fluid-filled environment for proper biomechanical considerations. | Paul A. Baker, PhD, Director of Advanced Materials Characterization Core, |
| Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) | 08/01/2025 | The Quanta 650 FEG scanning electron microscope (SEM) was purchased in 2012 with an NSF-MRI grant for $550,000 and is located at the School of Engineering. The SEM provides high resolution images with resolution down to the nanometer range. It can image samples ranging from metals to biological samples and even wet materials. It also can perform energy-dispersive x-ray analysis (EDAX) to provide elemental composition. Non-conducting samples can be imaged with the aid of the new sputter coater which deposits a thin layer of gold-palladium on the surface to improve imaging. | Paul A. Baker, PhD, Director of Advanced Materials Characterization Core, |
| Spectrofluorometer with microscope coupling optics | 08/01/2025 | The Horiba Scientific Fluorolog 321 double grating spectrometer with TE-cooled photomultiplier will be used for high sensitivity fluorescence detection upon Troponin adsorption. This system has a solid sample and custom microscope coupling optics/slits to allow fluorescence mapping at the sub-micron level using an attached Zeiss fluorescent microscope with custom camera and spectrometer interface components. | Paul A. Baker, PhD, Director of Advanced Materials Characterization Core, |
| Fluorescent Microscope | 08/01/2025 | The Zeiss Axio Imager A2 fluorescent microscope has both reflective/transmission imaging capability and is fiber-optically coupled to the Horiba spectrophotometer for solid sample fluorescence measurements from sub-micron areas. | Paul A. Baker, PhD, Director of Advanced Materials Characterization Core, |
| X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy Lab | 08/01/2025 | The core technology of the VersaProbe 5000 is PHI’s patented, monochromatic, micro-focused, scanning x-ray source which provides excellent large area and superior micro-area spectroscopy performance. Spectroscopy, depth profiling, and imaging can all be performed over the full range of x-ray beam sizes including the minimum x-ray beam size of 10 μm. Multi-technique options include chemical mapping, quantitative elemental analysis, a hot/cold sample stage, and sample treatment chambers. | Paul A. Baker, PhD, Director of Advanced Materials Characterization Core, |
| Animal Behavior Assessment Core | 08/01/2025 | The Behavioral Assessment Core supports researchers in studying mouse and rat behavior. Whether you're working with genetically modified models, evaluating novel treatments, or exploring neurobehavioral functions, we offer a comprehensive range of validated behavioral tests to help you obtain high-quality, reproducible data. All behavioral tests are tracked and analyzed using EthoVision, a powerful software that delivers precise, automated behavioral analysis. For advanced gait and locomotion studies, we also offer the CatWalk system, enabling detailed evaluation of walking patterns, coordination, and motor impairments. Available tests include motor and coordination testing, emotional and anxiety-related behavior, cognitive and learning tasks, and custom behavioral assessments. | Inssaf Berkiks, PhD, Director of Animal Behavior Assessment Core, |
| Bio-Analytical Redox Biology (BARB) Core | 08/01/2025 | The Bio-Analytical Redox Biology (BARB) Core provides state-of-the-art services in mitochondrial metabolism, oxidative stress, psychological and physiological stress assessment research in diabetes, obesity, exercise, pediatric neonatology, cancer, aging, optometry, microbiology, neurobiology, nutrition, pain, psychology, urology, and cardiometabolic disease research on a fee-for-service basis. The BARB Core has provided services to over 350 UAB and external principal investigators (PIs) since its inception in 2008 and provides a combination of services not available through any other UAB cores or regional universities. The BARB Core serves as a hub to facilitate and promote the development of multi-disciplinary research projects among independently funded research programs at UAB, nationally and worldwide. | |
| UAB Biological Data Science Core (U-BDS) | 08/01/2025 | The UAB Biological Data Science Core (U-BDS) is a centralized research resource dedicated to supporting the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) research community through advanced computational services. U-BDS brings together faculty and scientists from a wide array of departments, institutes, and centers across UAB, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration in the analysis and interpretation of complex biological data. U-BDS aims to deliver high-quality, cost-effective computational services to the UAB research community, with a focus on genomics, transcriptomics, systems biology, and translational medicine. These services include comprehensive data analysis and interpretation for a range of applications such as Exome and Whole Genome Sequencing, RNA-Seq, miRNA-Seq, and single-cell or single-nuclei RNA-Seq. In addition to providing analytical support, U-BDS is committed to fostering long-term collaborations across the UAB research enterprise, promoting the integration of computational methods into biomedical research. The core also prioritizes education and training by offering a variety of resources, including online materials, journal club presentations, the UAB Labs Data Science Slack channel, Data Science Drop-ins, seminars, and personalized consultations for individuals and research teams. | UAB Biological Data Science Core, |
| Cryo-Electron Microscopy Facility (CEMF) | 08/01/2025 | The Cryo-Electron Microscopy Facility (CEMF) advances the overall UAB mission by supporting the application of cryo-EM in making new scientific discoveries. We provide access and training in the use of cutting edge cryo-EM technology and techniques for the characterization of biological samples from the cellular to the atomic scale. | Terje Dokland, PhD, Facility Director, |
| Glacios 2 Transmission Electron Microscope | 08/01/2025 | The Glacios 2 is a state-of-the-art 200 kV cryo-transmission electron microscope designed for high-throughput, high-resolution structural biology applications. Equipped with a 12-sample autoloader and advanced automation features, the Glacios 2 enables efficient and reproducible data collection for a wide range of cryo-EM workflows. Key features include SmartEPU with integrated Quality Monitor, EPU Multigrid support, and Tomography Data Acquisition Software, all of which streamline imaging and enhance data quality. The system supports aberration-free image shift and fringe-free imaging, ensuring optimal resolution and contrast across the field of view. It is equipped with a Falcon 4i direct electron detector and a Ceta 16M camera, enabling rapid acquisition of up to 500 images per hour. The microscope operates at an accelerating voltage of 200 kV with a spherical aberration coefficient (Cs) of 2.7 mm. It offers a range of physical pixel sizes depending on magnification, including 1.92 Å at 73,000x, 1.53 Å at 92,000x, 1.19 Å at 120,000x, 0.94 Å at 150,000x, and 0.73 Å at 190,000x, supporting high-resolution imaging for single-particle analysis and tomography. | Terje Dokland, PhD, Facility Director, |
| Talos F200C G2 Transmission Electron Microscope | 08/01/2025 | The Talos F200C G2 is a versatile 200 kV transmission electron microscope designed for high-resolution imaging and advanced cryo-EM applications. Featuring a side-entry sample port and a long-duration Dewar, the system supports extended imaging sessions with enhanced sample stability. It is equipped with EPU software for automated data acquisition, as well as dedicated modules for tomography and MicroED workflows, enabling a broad range of structural biology and materials science applications. The system includes a Ceta S camera for high-quality image capture and operates at an accelerating voltage of 200 kV with a spherical aberration coefficient (Cs) of 2.7 mm. This configuration provides robust imaging performance for both routine and specialized electron microscopy studies. | Terje Dokland, PhD, Facility Director, |
| FEI Vitrobot Mark IV | 08/01/2025 | The FEI Vitrobot Mark IV is a fully automated vitrification system designed for the rapid and reproducible preparation of cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) samples. It provides precise environmental control of temperature and humidity, ensuring optimal sample preservation and ice thickness consistency. The system features programmable blotting parameters, automated plunging into liquid ethane, and user-friendly operation, making it ideal for high-throughput cryo-EM workflows. The Vitrobot Mark IV is widely used for preparing vitrified specimens for single-particle analysis, tomography, and MicroED applications. | Terje Dokland, PhD, Facility Director, |
| PIE Scientific Tergeo EM Plasma Cleaner | 08/01/2025 | The PIE Scientific Tergeo EM Plasma Cleaner is a compact, high-performance system designed for the removal of hydrocarbon contamination from electron microscopy (EM) grids and specimens. It utilizes a low-energy plasma generated from ambient air or other process gases to gently clean sample surfaces without damaging delicate structures. The Tergeo EM is optimized for use with TEM and SEM workflows, improving image quality and enhancing sample contrast by reducing surface contamination. Its user-friendly interface and rapid cleaning cycles make it an essential tool for preparing high-quality cryo-EM and conventional EM samples. | Terje Dokland, PhD, Facility Director, |
| PELCO easiGlow™ Glow Discharge Cleaning System | 08/01/2025 | The PELCO easiGlow™ Glow Discharge Cleaning System is a compact, microprocessor-controlled device designed for the surface modification and cleaning of TEM grids and carbon support films. It is widely used to make hydrophobic carbon surfaces hydrophilic, enabling better spreading of aqueous solutions for electron microscopy applications. The system features an intuitive touchscreen interface and supports automated, manual, and programmable operation modes, allowing users to store and recall custom protocols for consistent results. It offers selectable polarity for both hydrophilic and hydrophobic treatments, dual gas inlet control for flexible atmosphere selection, and electronically regulated vacuum control for precise operation. The sealed chamber accommodates a 75 mm platform with adjustable height, and the system includes timers for preprocessing and glow discharge durations. With a vacuum range of 1.1–0.20 mbar and data logging capabilities, the easiGlow ensures reproducibility and traceability. Optional accessories include rotary and dry scroll vacuum pumps, grid holders, and connection kits, making it a versatile solution for TEM sample preparation. | Terje Dokland, PhD, Facility Director, |
| Flow Cytometry and Single Cell Core Facility | 08/01/2025 | Comprehensive Flow Cytometry Facility provides state-of-the-art equipment and services for UAB investigators to advance basic and clinical research. | Troy D. Randall, PhD, Director of Flow Cytometry and Single Cell Core Facility, |
| Genomics Core Laboratories | 08/01/2025 | The Genomics Core Laboratory has the capability of performing standard fluorescent and Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS), high and low throughput custom genotyping from 1 SNP to more than 5 million SNPs. | Heflin Center for Genomic Science Core Laboratories, |
| High Resolution Imaging Facility | 08/01/2025 | The High-Resolution Imaging Facility (HRIF) provides state-of-the-art imaging resources and technical support to the UAB community. | Alexa Mattheyeses, PhD, Director of High Resolution Imaging Facility, |
| Human Imaging Shared Facility | 08/01/2025 | The Human Imaging Shared Facility (HISF) provides advanced medical imaging resources and services in support of campus wide research, including the O’Neal Cancer Center clinical studies. | Radiology Research, |
| Macromolecular Structure Core | 08/01/2025 | Cryo-EM and X-ray crystallography are complementary techniques that work in concert to resolve mechanistic aspects of biological processes. The MSC addresses the needs of investigators for both XRC and Cryo-EM in one unified core facility. | |
| Mass Spectrometry/Proteomics Shared Facility | 08/01/2025 | Mass Spectrometry/Proteomics Shared Facility provide state-of-the-art capabilities and training in mass spectrometry, proteomics, and bioanalytic technologies to support the research needs of UAB Cancer Center members. | Kyoko Kojima, PhD, |
| Metabolism Core | 08/01/2025 | Metabolism Core provides state-of-the-art assessments of human energy expenditure, substrate metabolism, body composition, body fat distribution, and bone quality. | Barbara A. Gower, PhD, Director of Metabilism Core, |
| Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Facility | 08/01/2025 | The Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Facility consists of seven NMR spectrometers located in six research laboratories in UAB’s Department of Chemistry building. The facility is designed to allow researchers direct 24/7 access to all spectrometers. It also provides NMR expertise for researchers needing NMR data through submitted samples, either on a service basis or as part of a collaborative research project. | William J. Placzek, PhD, Director of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Facility, |
| Preclinical Imaging Shared Facility | 04/01/2025 | The Preclinical Imaging Shared Facility supports multimodality imaging in preclinical models to accelerate the translation of basic research to human trials. Imaging conducted in the facility currently provides rapid, repeated, accurate, and cost-effective evaluation of new cancer treatments in preclinical models, using the most sophisticated technologies available. | |
| Research MRI Core | 04/01/2025 | Research MRI provides resource at UAB for state-of-the-art MRI neuroimaging experiments and analyses for examining brain and body anatomy and function both in health and disease. | |
| UAB Transgenic & Genetically Engineered Models (TGEM) Core | 04/01/2025 | The TGEM Core is a centralized facility for the efficient production of genetically modified animal models for UAB investigators. Genetically engineered models (mice, rats and zebrafish) are produced by trained professionals at high standards of quality and with excellent efficiency. For the investigator, this approach means availability of highly specialized services at a reasonable cost. The UAB Transgenic & Genetically Engineered Models Core is supported by the O’Neal Cancer center, the UAB Center for Precision Animal Modeling, the UAB Childhood Cystic Kidney Disease Core Center, the UAB Diabetes center, and by cost-recovery fees. | John Parant, PhD, Director of Transgenic and Genetically Engineered Models Core, |
| Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Shared Facility | 04/01/2025 | The PK/PD Shared Facility offers pre-clinical and clinical trial design to support sample analyses for drug and metabolite quantitation as well as PK/PD determinations. Data analysis and interpretation is also available. | |
| Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) Expression Core | 04/01/2025 | The CFTR assists investigators interested in CF with the complex technology necessary to efficiently express CFTR in experimental systems. It maintains a repository of reagents for studying CFTR, including over 50 constructs containing mutations that lead to disease and CFTR plasmid molecules used as part of gene therapy protocols in CF patients in the past. Expertise is available to assist with expression using vaccinia, adenovirus or other methodologies and to detect expression using antibody directed against CF related gene products. | |
| Islet Resource Facility | 04/01/2025 | The Islet Resource Facility provides state-of- the art islet isolation and in vitro/in vivo assessment of functionality. The Islet Resource Facility is equipped to process human and non-human tissues and isolating islets. A complementary facility, the Beta Cell Biology Core assists investigators with islet morphology and measurements of whole pancreas beta cell mass, whole pancreas insulin content, whole pancreas beta cell morphometry, and whole pancreas islet visualization (stitching). | |
| UAB Vector Production Facility | 04/01/2025 | The UAB Vector Production Facility provides the UAB translational research community with the capability of producing viral vectors and cell-based proteins in compliance with current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) for FDA-directed preclinical studies and early phase human clinical trials of cancer. | |
| Tissue and Immunopathology Core Facility | 04/01/2025 | The Tissue and Immunopathology Core Facility has extensive experience in collecting, processing, storing/banking, and distributing a wide range of cancer-related tissues. The Core has established a bank of well characterized tumor specimens and matching normal/control specimens from patients who have given informed consent for their tissues to be used in genetic and other types of research so tissue can be supplied to investigators along with clinical data including outcome and familial histories of ovarian, breast, and related tumors. Fresh, frozen and paraffin preparations of tissues can be supplied as well as unstained tissue slides, tissue matrix arrays, microdissection and other histology services. The Core also provides light microscopic and immunocytochemical interpretation of animal and human tissues and cytologic materials including methods to detect gene products within transfected cells and adjacent tissues. | |
| Multidisciplinary Molecular Interaction Core (MMIC) | 08/01/2025 | The Multidisciplinary Molecular Interaction Core (MMIC) facility supports a GE Biacore T200 optical biosensor instrument that employs surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technology for label-free, real-time, high-quality comprehensive characterization of biomolecular interactions including proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, lipids, and viruses. This instrumentation provides determinations of binding specificities, kinetics, affinity, physiologic concentrations previously beyond detection limits, interacting partners with low molecular weights, immunogenicity, thermodynamics, and epitope mapping. | |
| Targeted Metabolomics and Proteomics Laboratory (TMPL) | 08/01/2025 | TMPL is organized to provide a variety of analytical and technical services using mass spectrometry to UAB and consortium investigators. The laboratory is well equipped to analyze the metabolome, including a triple quadrupole instrument (SCIEX 4000) and a quadrupole-linear ion trap instrument (SCIEX 6500Qtrap), both of which have been combined with microflow LC systems to improve analyte sensitivity. The SCIEX 6500Qtrap is fitted with a SelexION interface for performing ion mobility separations of isomeric species. In addition, there is a quadrupole-TOF (SCIEX 5600 TripleTOF™) which is combined with nanoLC to carry out highly quantitative and comprehensive SWATH analysis of proteins. The SCIEX 5600 TripleTOF™ is also particularly powerful for comprehensive and targeted lipidomics and metabolomics. These technologies are instrumental in characterizing host molecules, those coming from the diet and those produced by bacteria. The latter represent the link between the microbiome and chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, neurodegeneration and obesity. TMPL also offers training in data analysis, particularly for statistical evaluation of the data obtained from comprehensive analyses. | Stephen Barnes, PhD, |
| Southeastern Biosafety Laboratory (SEBLAB) | 08/01/2025 | Southeastern Biosafety Laboratory is a 43,500 s.f. facility that houses state-of-the art biosafety level 2 and level 3 laboratories as well as animal biosafety level 3 laboratories. SEBLAB's design includes flexible and secure laboratories, animal housing and procedure space, and laboratory support space. Laboratory space includes 1 BSL-2 suite, 6 BSL-3 suites for in vitro research, 4 ABSL-3 labs for small animal studies, and an in vivo imaging suite. Specialized resources at SEBLAB include an aerobiology suite, imaging suite, irradiator, vaporized H2O2 decontamination and a decontamination chamber. | Southeastern Biosafety Laboratory Alabama Birmingham, |
| UAB Animal Model Systems Facility | 04/01/2025 | Genetically modified murine models continue to be the most tractable system to examine the role of an identified genetic variant associated with human disease, as well as creating much needed translational models for developing novel therapeutics. The facility provides expertise and technical service related to the creation of genetically modified rodent models. The Core works with investigators to devise targeting strategies and will facilitate DNA or ES cell microinjection, ES cell gene targeting, assisted reproduction and line cryopreservation. Additionally, it provides unique services for in vitro fertilization, embryo and sperm cryopreservation, long-term storage of cryopreserved embryos and sperm, and assistance with reproduction / re-derivation of transgenic animals. | |
| Small Animal Imaging Shared Facility | 08/01/2025 | The Preclinical Imaging Core Facility is to support sustainable and responsive multimodality imaging in preclinical oncology models for UAB University and Medical Center investigators through advanced preclinical imaging acquisition and analysis. The facility provides a multimodality imaging approach to provide a molecular understanding of disease processes in animal models, allows for therapeutic assessment of response, supports the development of novel imaging contrast agents, and facilitates translational preclinical imaging studies precluding clinical trials. To facilitate those goals, UAB has a team of four faculty scientists (Director, three Associate Directors) whose expertise range from ultrasound imaging, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), nuclear imaging, including positron emission tomography (PET) imaging and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), and optical imaging. The team routinely collaborates with imaging scientists and non-imaging scientists to help design experiments and enable preclinical imaging in many animal models. To enable imaging data acquisition, UAB also has a staff of professionals, including an MRI-trained PhD scientist, a PET-trained PhD scientist, a core lab manager with over 20 years of preclinical imaging experience, two staff researchers, and a program administrator. Along with experimental design and acquisition, the facility also offers data analysis and image processing and secondary biological studies (associated with imaging) such as radioactive biodistributions of animal models. Importantly, many of the technologies applied are similarly applied in UAB clinical trials. The Director of the Preclinical Imaging Core (Departments of Radiology and Biomedical Engineering) has a research program centered around preclinical imaging in oncology as well as a role in translational clinical research, including clinical trials utilizing imaging, therefore will be involved in ensuring the evolution of new techniques is available in the preclinical imaging core facility. The Small Animal Imaging Facility is supported by the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center and the O’Brien Center for Acute Kidney Injury Research. | Anna Sorace, PhD, Director of Small Animal Imaging Shared Facility, |
| UAB Zebrafish Research Facility | 04/01/2025 | The UAB Zebrafish Research Facility (ZRF) welcomes all UAB investigators and others interested in working with zebrafish. The Facility occupies ~ 5000 net square feet in the Research Support Building and includes a recirculating aquaria system (Aquaneering, Inc.) with central water conditioning/purification supplying 27 racks (>2200 3 L tanks). The ZRF Procedural Laboratory provides numerous embryo processing stations (each made of a dissection microscope, injector, and micromanipulator), incubators, a pipette puller, and two fluorescent microscopes, as well as other equipment needed for embryo manipulation and fish work. There is a separate zebrafish quarantine facility on the 4th floor of the RSB building. | |
| Small Animal Microsurgical Core | 04/01/2025 | The UAB Small Animal Microsurgical Core Facility (UMCF) was originally established by the Departments of Medicine and Surgery in 2007 with the assistance of an HSF-GEF award to fulfill an acute need for complex rodent microsurgical services in a cost-effective and timely manner on the UAB campus. The UMCF is now supported by the P30 funded UAB-UCSD O’Brien Center for Acute Kidney Injury Research, the Nephrology Research and Training Center (NRTC) and by The Office of the Vice President for Research. Specific procedures include organ transplantation, models of ischemia reperfusion injury, cannulations, and other microvascular procedures. The core also provides customized surgical services for individual investigators. The primary function of this core is to provide access to complex small animal microsurgical procedures for investigators in a cost-effective and timely manner. The core also offers the use of surgical workstations, which consist of ARP-approved laminar flow hoods, microscopes, an isolation room, and gaseous anesthesia delivery systems. The facility is located on the 6th and 9th floors of the Zeigler building with ancillary space on the fourth floor of the Lyons-Harrison building. There are three operating rooms on the 9th floor. Two of these (200 sq. ft. each) include an operating microscope and a videocapture/recording system that is used for documentation and for teaching purposes. The third room (400 sq. ft.) is dedicated to open and low complexity procedures (nonsurvival surgeries or terminal tissue acquisition). The 6th floor location occupies about 400 sq. ft. of space. This is used in conjunction with primary cell culture isolations performed in a separate space (~900 sq. ft.) on the 4th floor of the Lyons Harrison Building. Animal housing is located on the 8th floor of the Zeigler Building By providing critical pre-clinical research capabilities, the UMCF serves as a unique venue for collaborations among investigators across unit boundaries on the UAB campus and around the country. | |
| Animal Physiology Core Facility | 08/01/2025 | The Animal Physiology Core (APC) provides for diabetes related phenotyping in small animal models. Services offered include the assessment of body composition, energy balance, glucose homeostasis, and transgenic animals models. The core takes comprehensive assessments of metabolic rate (indirect calorimetry), food intake, fecal output, activity, and body temperature. The facility also performs whole-body composition analysis by chemical carcass analysis, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), quantitative magnetic resonance (QMR), and micro-computed tomography (µCT) It can also facilitate animal imaging including bioluminescence and fluorescence imaging, gamma ray imaging, SPECT/CT, microPET/CT, bioluminescence, fluorescence, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and ultrasound imaging. This technology has been used to detect tumor location and mass, receptor expression (tumors, brain, etc.), organ function, metabolism, perfusion, and response to therapy. | Maria S. Johnson, PhD, Assistant Professor, |
| Gnotobiotic Mouse Core | 04/01/2025 | The UAB Gnotobiotic Mouse Core facility (GMC), provides gnotobiotic animal services to UAB investigators. These services include access to existing gnotobiotic mouse models, assistance in developing new gnotobiotic models, and transplantation of human and mouse archived microbiota. GMC staff have extensive experience in derivation and maintenance of gnotobiotic mice. Since our establishment in 2002, we have derived 18 different genotypes of mice and have colonized and maintained mice with various limited microbiota and human intestinal microbiota. The facility employs two highly capable full-time gnotobiotic technicians and occupies over 1,700 sq. ft. on the 9th floor of the Zeigler Research Building. The facility has dedicated high-vacuum autoclave; new heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system, high-efficiency LED lighting, and emergency backup electrical service. Housing for gnotobiotic mice includes 10 Trexler-type plastic film isolators, 28 30" Park Bioservices semi-rigid isolators, and 16 Park Bioservices MiniQ™ semi-rigid isolators, for a total of 54 isolators for breeding and experiments. We also have two 70-cage Tecniplast Isocage™ positive pressure isolation cage systems, which are used for short-term experiments such as housing mice colonized with human microbiota. | |
| Civitan International Neuroimaging Laboratory | 08/01/2025 | The Civitan International Neuroimaging Laboratory (CINL) is located on the first floor of UAB Highlands Hospital in a newly renovated 5000 sq. ft. suite. It houses a research dedicated Siemens Prisma 3T whole body scanner for structural and functional brain and body imaging, MRI preparation rooms and interview rooms for pre- and post-scan patient monitoring and testing, and a fully-equipped experimental suite for behavioral and physiological recording. Research equipment is housed in a dedicated room adjacent to the scanner room with a dedicated research penetration panel. The Siemens MAGNETOM Prisma MRI Scanner offers a 3T whole body MRI platform for the highest quality MRI research. Its design delivers maximum performance under prolonged high-strain conditions. Unmatched 3T full body magnet homogeneity, XR 80/200 gradient coil, parallel transmit architecture for shaped excitation and B0 shimming, and at-the-scanner 64 channel receiver architecture. | Civitan International Neuroimaging Laboratory, |
| PET/CT Scanner | 08/01/2025 | The PET/CT scanner uses imaging cameras, detectors, and radioactive tracers to create images based on the metabolic or functional activity of a cell. CT uses X-rays to provide detailed anatomical information, including the location, size and shape of lesions or tumors. PET/CT combines positron emission tomography (PET) with Computed tomography (CT) technology to aid in the diagnosis of cancer and in determining the extent to which cancer has spread. The PET/CT was installed in 2017 and recently underwent a major upgrade adding a novel 2-D high throughout preclinical PET imaging system, the Beta-eye, that allows high-throughput dynamic analysis of novel radiopharmacetuicals to probe unique molecular processes in vivo in animal models longitudinally through time. This instrument can image mice and rats in dynamic or static images. | Anna Sorace, PhD, Director of Small Animal Imaging Shared Facility, |
| Bruker 9.4T MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) Scanner | 08/01/2025 | The Bruker 9.4T MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scanner uses a strong cryogenic magnetic field, magnetic field gradients, and radio waves to provide high quality images of an animal. The small animal MRI can provide anatomical, quantitative and functional imaging. Different sequences, or acquisition settings, can be developed to generate various images for specialized analysis. Contrast agents can be used during MRI to improve any basic image, by enhancing the visibility of body structures. This MRI provides high quality in vivo and ex vivo imaging of small animals including rats, mice, ferrets and tree shrews. The MRI system is equipped with isoflurane gas anesthesia and monitoring system enabling respiratory and ECG gating. Different radio frequency coils are available for imaging, including a volume coil, which can be used for full body imaging, and a surface coils, which can be used for imaging specific regions of interest. The small animal MRI offers unique opportunities for users to deliver preclinical data that can support translatable research. Our MRI underwent a million-dollar upgrade in 2021 that greatly improved the reliability and capabilities of the MRI system and the quality of the images obtained. The new system is fully digital and has multiple receive channels for use with advanced phased array coils as well as a broadband RF amplifier for multi-nuclear studies of nuclei such as 13C, 19F, 31P, and 23Na with appropriate RF coils. | Anna Sorace, PhD, Director of Small Animal Imaging Shared Facility, |
| SPECT/CT | 08/01/2025 | The U-SPECT6-µCT-OI preclinical imaging system from MILabs, located in the Volker Hall imaging suite, is a state-of-the-art scanner enables co-registration of single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), high-resolution micro-computed tomography (µCT), and optical imaging (OI), supporting a broad range of preclinical research applications. Designed for high-resolution molecular imaging in small animal models including mice, rats, ferrets, and rabbits, the system is equipped with three interchangeable multi-pinhole collimators tailored to species-specific imaging needs. The integrated imaging modalities allow for comprehensive visualization and analysis of anatomical and functional data across various regions of interest. Key capabilities of the U-SPECT6-µCT-OI system include simultaneous multi-isotope acquisition with customizable peak selection, dynamic in vivo SPECT imaging, and high-resolution CT imaging for both in vivo and ex vivo specimens. The system also supports 3D optical imaging that can be co-registered with SPECT/CT data or used independently, utilizing 11 excitation filters ranging from 500 nm to 800 nm and 6 emission filters from 580 nm to 870 nm. A four-mouse imaging bed enables high-throughput imaging, while stationary gamma cameras provide sub-millimeter resolution through high-quality projection data. Standardized imaging and analysis protocols are currently under development to support a wide array of disease models and research applications, enhancing the imaging capabilities available to UAB investigators. | Anna Sorace, PhD, Director of Small Animal Imaging Shared Facility, |