After a national search, Justin Turner, M.D., Ph.D., has been named chair of the Department of Otolaryngology in the UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine, effective May 31, 2024. In this role, Turner will support the growth of the department; identify future opportunities and needs; and provide strategic leadership for all aspects of the department, including representing the department within the UAB enterprise, creating collaboration opportunities, and building bridges across the institution.

On Friday, Oct. 27, 2023, Heersink School of Medicine and UAB Health System leaders, faculty, staff, and supporters gathered in the new Heersink Active Learning Center at Volker Hall for the unveiling of the official portrait of former Senior Vice President for Medicine and Dean Selwyn Vickers, M.D., FACS.

The Strategic Research Retreat event, held in February 2023, featured presentations from the task force leaders of the four Research Focus Areas that the Heersink School of Medicine announced in September 2022: Disruptive Technology Empowering Precision Health (D-TECH), Infection, Inflammation, Immunity and Immunotherapy (I-4ward), Brain Health and Disease Across the Lifespan, and Health Equity. We spoke with the theme leads about the main Research Retreat takeaways and the next steps for implementation.

After a national search, Brian R. Davis, Ph.D., has been named the director of the UAB Gregory Fleming James Cystic Fibrosis Research Center (CFRC), effective July 1.