Latest News

After more than 25 years at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and nearly a decade with the UAB Department of Pediatrics, Cathy Turner, MSHA, CPA, CGMA, is retiring as executive administrator, concluding a career defined by steady leadership, operational strength and an unwavering commitment to the people who power pediatrics.

The department continues to make meaningful progress on quality initiatives focused on improving efficiency, consistency, and patient care. Recent enhancements include updates to treatment planning, patient scheduling, and dosimetry workflows.

UAB Division of Surgical Oncology Assistant Professor Kimberly Kopecky, M.D., MSCI, has been awarded the Association for Academic Surgery (AAS) Geoffrey Dunn, M.D., Research Award.

The Association of Academic Physiatrists has selected UAB Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Robert B. Kyle Endowed Professor and Chair Vu Q. C. Nguyen, M.D., MBA, to receive the 2026 AAP Outstanding Mentor Award.

When Christy Nation, MSHA, BSN, RN, reflects on her leadership journey, she doesn’t begin with a title. She begins with growth. Christy began serving as Chief Nursing Officer at UAB St. Vincent’s Hospital in January 2026. Before that, she spent more than six years as Senior Director of Women and Infants Services at UAB Medicine, where she helped lead one of the system’s most active service lines. Her path to executive leadership began long before leadership, though, as a patient care technician in home health while still in nursing school.

The UAB Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences will host its 27th Annual Research Symposium on Friday, June 12, 2026, in the UAB Altec/Styslinger Genomic Medicine and Data Sciences Building (ALGEN).

A recent avenue for grassroots outreach, a rural forum for addressing women’s health concerns, has positioned the UAB Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology with an outstanding opportunity to further focus on supporting and educating women in rural Alabama. Through a free, monthly women’s health column published in local newspapers, UAB OB/GYN faculty are sharing accessible, evidence-based women’s health topics with communities where access to care and health education can be limited.

A national study led by the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) is helping explain why some childhood cancer survivors develop new cancers years after their original treatment. The research, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, found that inherited genetic changes can greatly increase the chance of developing a second cancer later in life.

Thomas Chi, M.D., MBA, FACS, professor and chair, Anton J. Bueschen Endowed Chair in the UAB Department of Urology, presented the 2026 State of the Department on Tuesday, Feb. 17. 

UAB Division of Vascular Surgery integrated resident Joseph Chitwood, M.D., was awarded the Founder's Award at this year’s Southern Association of Vascular Surgery (SAVS) annual meeting for his project entitled “Trainee impact on postoperative outcomes for open and endovascular aortic repair in the vascular quality initiative.”

Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) can happen unexpectedly, affecting children, teens and adults who may seem healthy just moments before collapsing. Through patient care, education and statewide partnerships, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Department of Pediatrics and Children’s of Alabama are working to improve awareness and preparedness across Alabama.

The UAB Department of Radiology held its 4th annual Radiology Research Retreat on Wednesday, Feb. 18. Faculty, trainees, students, and research staff came together to share the incredible work happening across the department. The retreat continues to grow each year, reflecting the momentum and collaboration driving the department’s research forward.

After nearly three decades of leadership, Carl Coghill, M.D., professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, will step down as medical director of the Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Children’s of Alabama as he prepares for retirement in May 2026. Stepping into the role is Allison Black, M.D., professor in the Division of Neonatology, who previously served as associate medical director.

Sid Gaddamanugu, M.D., served as Quiz Master for the Neuroradiology section at the International Quiz Finals held in Hyderabad, India, on Jan. 31, 2026.

In this installment, Caroline G. Richter, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Psychology, explores her research in the Science of Child Development and Neurodiversity (STARS) Lab, focusing on practical ways to improve the well-being, learning, and daily functioning of children and adolescents with developmental disabilities.

In 2025, the UAB Department of Family and Community Medicine launched a transformative redesign of the Family Medicine Clerkship leveraging overhauled content and modern delivery platforms. Now implemented across all four UAB Heersink School of Medicine campuses, the initiative ensures a unified educational experience for every student that is aligned with national best practices.

Megyn Mielke is a program manager I for the Physician Scientist Development Office (PSDO), where she has served since late 2022. In her role, she oversees several key programs supporting medical students and undergraduate learners across the UAB Heersink School of Medicine. Mielke was nominated to the 2025–2026 cohort of Medical Education Unsung Heroes by Stefanie B. Varghese, Ph.D., MBA, program director II for PSDO.

On February 5, 2026, Heersink School of Medicine celebrated the 2026 Food Fair. Each department was represented by a table highlighting traditions or favorite food/drink from around the world. The Department of Medical Education was represented by the theme of “Sips Around the World.”

The Medical Education Committee’s recent review of the Heersink School of Medicine Family Medicine Clerkship highlighted strong, outpatient clinical experiences across the Birmingham, Huntsville, Montgomery, and Tuscaloosa campuses. Clerkship objectives remain well aligned with Heersink School of Medicine goals and ACGME competencies.

As UAB and Heersink School of Medicine continues to implement guidance around Title II compliance, we wanted to share useful resources with you as you create and deploy materials for students. The goal is for all digital materials to be accessible and Title II compliant, whether instructional, administrative or communicative.

Victoria Faber has joined the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery as a researcher in the research lab of David Hart White Endowed Professor Erwin Van Meir, Ph.D.

The UAB Heersink School of Medicine Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation has named its chief residents for the 2026–27 academic year. Charlotte DeRose, D.O. will serve as administrative chief resident, and Victoria Christian, D.O. will serve as education chief resident beginning July 1, 2026.

A new initiative in the UAB Department of Microbiology aims to bring faculty together each month to strengthen grant applications through collaborative feedback, idea sharing, and peer support.

Mike Chen, M.D., MBA, director of the UAB Division of Pediatric Surgery and the Joseph M. Farley Endowed Chair in Pediatric Surgery, has been named president-elect of the American Pediatric Surgical Association (APSA) for 2026 to 2027. After the year, he will then serve as president from 2027 to 2028.

On Feb. 12, 2026, the Heersink School of Medicine Office of Research held its annual Strategic Research Retreat in the Heersink Conference Center. The day brought leaders from across the school and campus together and emphasized collaboration, infrastructure, and the growing impact of interdisciplinary science at UAB.

The Heersink School of Medicine gathered for an evening of food, creativity, and connection on February 5, as the annual Heersink School of Medicine Food Fair returned, this year hosted in the new Altec/Styslinger Genomic Medicine & Data Sciences Building. From 4:30 to 6 p.m., the lobby and Conference Room 102 buzzed with conversation as faculty, staff, students, and their families moved from table to table, sampling dishes and enjoying the lively atmosphere.

The UAB Comprehensive Diabetes Center welcomes Madison Newberry Hamby, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow who joined the laboratory of Kirk Habegger, Ph.D., in January 2026.

The UAB Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery hosted the first Loring W. Rue, III, M.D. Endowed Lectureship, welcoming Jeremy Cannon, M.D., from the University of Pennsylvania as the inaugural lecturer. The lectureship honors the legacy of Rue, an instrumental figure in the history of UAB’s trauma program.

Brook Gibson, O.D., low vision specialist at UAB Callahan Eye, discusses what patients should know recognizing and managing symptoms of low vision.

The UAB Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery has been reaccredited by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) as a comprehensive center for bariatric and metabolic surgery.