L. R. Jordan Chair in Health Services Administration
Jane Banaszak-Holl, Ph.D.
Jane Banaszak-Holl, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Health Services Administration, has done research on care options for seniors for over 20 years and is focused on improving both the quality of care and quality of life for seniors living in long-term care settings as well as for employees working within this context. Her current research includes studies of how corporate ownership impacts health outcomes in nursing homes, the link between organizational culture and performance in healthcare systems, implementation of best practices in healthcare, and how leadership influences clinical care. She received her Sociology Ph.D. from Cornell University.
Webb Chair in Nutrition Sciences
Wendy Demark-Wahnefried, Ph.D., R.D.
Wendy Demark-Wahnefried, Ph.D., R.D., associate director for Cancer Prevention and Control for the UAB O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, is a nutrition scientist with training in biochemistry, genetics, and behavioral science. For the past two decades, her research career has spanned basic science studies focused on determining mechanisms of action of food-related components on neoplastic progression, to clinical research that involves nutrition-related concerns of cancer patients, as well as determining effective lifestyle interventions that improve the overall health of cancer survivors and their families.
C. E. Butterworth, Jr., MD, Professorship in the Department of Nutrition Sciences
W. Timothy Garvey, M.D.
W. Timothy Garvey, M.D., researches the metabolic, molecular, and genetic pathogenesis of insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. His studies have involved the cellular and molecular biology of cell and animal models, metabolic investigations of human subjects on metabolic research wards, and the genetic basis of diseases in Gullah-speaking African Americans and other national cohorts of diabetes patients. The Garvey laboratory has made important observations regarding the pathogenesis of human insulin resistance and has been a principal contributor to our understanding of the role of the glucose transport system and glucose transporter proteins in human insulin resistance. He has identified gene families that contribute to insulin resistance in human muscle insulin using cDNA microarray, e.g., NR4A orphan nuclear receptors and the tribbles gene family, and has elucidated the role of adiponectin in cardiometabolic disease and mitochondrial proteomics to better define mitochondrial defects that impair substrate oxidation.
Howard W. Houser Endowed Professorship in Health Administration
Amy Yarbrough Landry, Ph.D.
Amy Yarbrough Landry, Ph.D., director of the Master of Science in Health Administration program, is currently studying the management practices of nursing homes with low resources. Her research has been published in the Journal of Healthcare Management, Medical Care Research and Review, and the Journal of Public Health Management and Practice. Dr. Landry has served as the Division Chair for the Health Care Management Division of the Academy of Management, and she is actively engaged in the Association of University Programs in Health Administration.
Bergman/Pinkston Endowed Professorship
Donald Lein, Ph.D., PT
Donald H. Lein Jr., PhD, PT, associate professor and director of Continuing Education and Community Outreach in the Department of Physical Therapy, continues to practice part time in the UAB Osteoporosis Prevention and Treatment Center at the Kirklin Clinic. His research interests include developing and implementing physical therapy interventions to improve the care of individuals with osteoporosis and osteoporosis-related fractures, exploring the role of physical therapists in providing health promotion and education while providing typical physical therapy services, and developing and testing educational strategies to enhance Doctor of Physical Therapy education.
Lakeshore Foundation Endowed Chair in Health Promotion and Rehabilitation Science
James H. Rimmer, Ph.D.
James H. Rimmer, Ph.D., director of our Research Collaborative, has been developing and directing physical activity and health promotion programs for people with disabilities for more than 30 years. He serves on the NIH National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research advisory board and several national advisory boards in rehabilitation engineering. He is a member of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Health Disparities Advisory Committee to the Director of CDC. In 2014, he became the first researcher with a focus on the fitness of people with disabilities to be named to the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition Science Board.
Will Ferniany Endowed Professorship in Healthcare Leadership
This endowment serves as a tribute to Dr. Ferniany’s steadfast support and immeasurable contributions to our school, the Department of Health Services Administration, and as recognition for his distinguished career in the UAB Health System. A senior leader in health care since 1975, Ferniany became chief executive officer of the UAB Health System in 2008, he also served as the first CEO of the UAB/Ascension St. Vincent’s Alliance.