2021-2023
Learn more about each scholar's research interests here.
Carmen E. Capó-Lugo, PT, PhD | Assistant Professor
2021 KL2 Scholar
Certified Healthcare Interpreter
Department of Physical Therapy
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Sara Davis, PhD, RN, PCNS-BC
2021 CCTS KL2 Scholar
Assistant Professor, College of Nursing
University of South Alabama
Natalie Hohmann, PharmD, PhD
2021 KL2 Scholar
Assistant Professor, Harrison School of Pharmacy
Department of Pharmacy Practice
Auburn University
Nathaniel Jones, MD
2021 KL2 Scholar
Gynecologic Oncologist
Assistant Professor, Interdisciplinary Clinical Oncology
University of South Alabama
Kristy Broman, MD, MPH
2021 KL2 Scholar
Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Brittney Davis, BS, PharmD
2022 KL2 Scholar
Instructor, Department of Neurology
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Viral Jain, MD
2022 KL2 Scholar
Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics
University of Alabama at Birmingham
2021-2023
Radhika Gangaraju, MD
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Samantha Hill, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics
University of Alabama at Birmingham
2019-2021
Raymond J. Langley, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, USA Department of Pharmacology
Metabolic Energy Crisis Signatures Predict Quality of Life in Survivors of Acute Respiratory Failure
Donna L. Murdaugh, PhD
Assistant Professor, Pediatrics Hematology and Oncology, UAB
Cognitive Remediation Program to Promote Increased Independence and Facilitate Transition in Children and Adolescents with Sickle Cell Disease
Babak J Orandi, MD, PhD, MSc
Assistant Professor, Division of Transplant Surgery, UAB
The Role of Bariatric Surgery in Obese Liver Transplant Candidates and Recipients
Brandi M Pernell, DNP, MSN
Assistant Professor, Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, UAB
Overcoming Adverse Childhood Experiences in Sickle Cell Disease (The O-ACES Study)
Caroline A Presley, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor, Division of Preventive Medicine, UAB
Intervention Mapping to Adapt a Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Adults with Diabetes and Emotional Distress
Emily L. Spangler, MD, MS
Assistant Professor, Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, UAB
Assessment of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair Imaging Surveillance Practices in Veterans
Jereme D. Wilroy, PhD, MA
Assistant Professor, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Changing the Trajectory of Non-responders in a Home-based Exercise Trial for People with Physical Disabilities: A Mixed-methods Study
2017-2018
Ejvis Lamani, DMD, PhD
Assistant Professor, UAB Dept. of Orthodontics
Genetic Markers in Orthodontics
*Dr. Lamani’s appointment began June 15, 2017.
Crystal Chapman Lambert, PhD
Assistant Professor, UAB School of Nursing
Stress and Coping: Understanding Determinants of Adherence to HIV Care in African American Women Living with HIV
Mentors: Drs. Michael Mugavero, Janet Turan
Jianmei Leavenworth, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor, UAB Dept. of Neurosurgery
Identifying Immune Biomarkers for Malignant Gliomas to Oncolytic HSV Viroltherapy
Mentors: Dr. James Markert, Yancey Gillespie
George Solomon, MD
UAB Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine
Nasal Cell Procurement in PCD Patients
Mentors: Drs. Steven Rowe, Stephanie Davis
Chad Washington, MS, MPHS, MD
Assistant Professor, Neurosurgery, University of Mississippi Medical Center
Sildenafil for the Treatment of Delayed Cerebral Ischemia following Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Mentor: Dr. Alan Jones
*Dr. Washington’s appointment began April 1, 2017.
2016
Courtney Peterson, PhD, MSC
Assistant Professor, Pennington Biomedical Research Center's Skeletal Muscle Physiology Laboratory
Title of Research: Meal Timing Affects on Circadian System in Humans
"The biggest thing that was helpful for me from the application process for the KL2 was all of the feedback, and the support and mentoring resources. Going through the process and helped me articulate the kind of research I want do."
Surya Bhatt, MD
Associate Professor, UAB Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine
Medical Director, Pulmonary Function and Exercise Physiology Lab
Title of Research: Diastolic Dysfunction and Pauci-inflammatory Acute Exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Learn more
Brandon Rocque, MD, MS
Associate Professor of Pediatric Neurosurgery, UAB
Title of Research: Psychosocial risk and distress in families of newly diagnosed pediatric brain tumor patients
"I'm hopeful that this grant will allow the development of hospital protocols that will improve family support for a wide range of children."
Ceren Yarar-Fisher, PT, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, UAB
Title of Research: Utilizing a ketogenic diet to improve neuro-recovery following spinal cord injury
2014-2015
Frank M. Skidmore, MD
Adjunct Associate Professor of Neurology, Division of Movement Disorders
Title of Research: Diagnosis of Parkinson Disease using Diffusion Tensor Imaging
Primary Mentor: David G. Standaert, MD, PhD, Professor and Chair of Neurology/John N. Whitaker Endowed Chair/ Director, Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics
Co-Mentors: Gary R. Cutter, PhD., Professor of Biostatistics, Head, Section on Research Methods and Clinical Trials, SOPH; George Howard, DrPH, Professor of Biostatistics, SOPH; Adrienne Lahti, MD, Professor of Psychiatry/ Director, Division of Behavioral Neurobiology; and Almeida, Jonas S., PhD, Professor and Director, Division of Informatics, Department of Pathology.
Dr. Frank Skidmore joined the UAB faculty in 2011. He specializes in movement disorders, particularly cognitive and behavioral manifestations of movement disorders, and also sees complex general neurology cases. He obtained his medical degree from the University of Virginia, and did postgraduate training at Indiana University, Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Maryland Medical Center. He is the author of 32 publications and several patents, and his primary area of research interest is developing brain imaging techniques as a diagnostic tools for neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson disease, Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, Essential Tremor, and other forms of Parkinsonism, including using imaging as a method to predict onset of cognitive and behavioral change in these disorders. Special interests are developing brain imaging techniques as diagnostic tools for neurodegenerative conditions.
"I was greatly honored to have the opportunity afforded by this award to pursue research into developing methods to more effectively use brain imaging for clinical purposes. The award provides an opportunity, but also carries a responsibility to focus on results that will contribute to patients, as well as to engage in and support the university academic community."
Kristen Triebel Gerstenecker, PsyD
Associate Professor of Neurology
Title of Research: Medical Decision Making Capacity in Patients with Metastatic Brain Cancer
Primary Mentor: L. Burton Nabors, MD, Professor and Vice Chair of Neurology, Director, Division of Neuro-Oncology
Co-Mentors: Daniel C. Marson, JD, PhD, Professor of Neurology, Director, Division of Neuropsychology and Gary R. Cutter, PhD, Professor of Biostatistics
Dr. Triebel joined the faculty of the UAB Department of Neurology on September 1, 2008. Triebel obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology (2002) from Pittsburg State University and Masters in Art degree in psychology (2005) from the School of Professional Psychology at Forest Institute in Springfield, Missouri. Triebel completed her Doctor of Psychology degree in clinical psychology with an emphasis in adult neuropsychology in 2006 from the School of Professional Psychology at Forest Institute.
Professionally, Triebel focuses on geriatric and adult neuropsychology, evaluating and studying patients with a variety of neurological conditions, including Alzheimer's disease, mild cognitive impairment, Parkinson's disease, traumatic brain injury, brain cancer, among others. Dr. Triebel's research focus is on cognitive and functional change in patients with primary and metastatic brain cancer. She is the lead investigator of a study examining decisional capacity in patients with metastatic brain cancer.
“I am very excited about the dedicated time this CCTS KL2 Scholar Award will afford me to work on this exciting research.”
Timothy Beukelman, MD
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Title of Research: The Risk of Serious Infection in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
Mentors: Ken Saag, MD, MSc, Professor of Medicine, Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology and Elizabeth Delzell, Professor of Epidemiology, School of Public Health
Dr. Timothy Beukelman is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics in the UAB Division of Pediatric Rheumatology. His overall career research goal is to optimize the treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) using various clinical research methods including retrospective analysis of observational data, prospective observational data collection and analysis, decision analysis, and clinical trials.
In this project, Dr. Beukelman is employing pharmaco-epidemiologic methods to investigate the incidence of and factors associated with serious infections among children with JIA within the Medicaid administrative claims database. The advent of new biologic therapies for JIA has greatly improved clinical outcomes, but the potential associated increased risk of serious infections due to these new agents is not known. With the KL2 Award, Dr. Beukelman is addressing this important clinical question and developing expertise in analyzing large observational databases, a skill essential to the further investigation of comparative effectiveness and safety of therapeutics in JIA.
Todd Brown, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine
Title of Research: Variations in Cardiovascular Risk Among Different Clinical Presentations of Metabolic Syndrome in Young Adults
Mentors: Vera Bittner, MD, MSPH, Professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Cora Lewis, MD, MSPH, Professor of Medicine, Division of Preventive Medicine and Monika Safford, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Preventive Medicine
Dr. Todd Brown is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Cardiovascular Diseases. With his KL2 award, Dr. Brown is using data from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) and the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) studies to explore how different clinical presentations of metabolic syndrome in young adults impact the development of cardiovascular disease later in life. At the conclusion of this research, Dr. Brown hopes to design a prospective study investigating different approaches to modifying the metabolic syndrome to prevent the future development of cardiovascular disease.