Dean's Message
At the Heersink School of Medicine, our ability to shape the future of medicine through biomedical discovery depends on the people who power it. Strategic research recruitment is not simply about increasing faculty or funding numbers—it is a deliberate, long-range approach in disciplines where we have strong foundations, where we see emerging opportunities, and where coordinated effort can enhance our impact across the region, the nation, and the globe.
Our alumni are among our most influential ambassadors, carrying the Heersink School of Medicine’s values into clinics, classrooms, laboratories, and communities across the globe, not to mention the many alumni who serve on our faculty. Few partnerships are as enduring and vital to our school as the one we share with our Medical Alumni Association.
As we close the year, I want to reflect on one of the Heersink School of Medicine's greatest strengths: our deep, aligned, and enduring partnerships with the UAB Health System, led by CEO Dawn Bulgarella, MSHA, CPA, and the University of Alabama Health Services Foundation (UAHSF) physician practice plan, led by President Cheri Canon, M.D. This triad is the cornerstone of our success as an academic medical center and remains essential to our mission of healing, discovery, and education.
The past month saw the culmination of years of planning and construction with the official openings of the Altec/Styslinger Genomic Medicine and Data Sciences Building (ALGEN) and the Volker Hall Atrium. Both projects exemplify the power of partnership, collaboration, and innovation.
Earlier this year, an IDEA Performance Survey was conducted to gather feedback on my performance as dean. In addition, UAB partnered with Modern Think on a Campus Engagement Survey to hear directly from faculty and staff about their workplace experiences and the university’s operations. Both surveys provided significant insight into what is going well and where there are opportunities to improve.
In a recent Harvard Business Review article on leadership, Ranjay Gulati — professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School and a Thinkers50 World’s Top Management Thinker — reminds us that “fortune favors the brave, not the cautious.” His reflections on cultivating courage in leadership in uncertain times resonate deeply with the challenges and opportunities we currently face in academic medicine.
On August 16, we had the privilege of welcoming our newest class of medical students during our annual White Coat Ceremony.
At the Heersink School of Medicine, biomedical research is not only a critical pillar of our tripartite mission, but also the fertile ground out of which advancements in medicine and health care grow. The “bench to bedside” research pathway translates discoveries of the cellular mechanisms of disease into cutting-edge treatments that offer hope for patients here in Alabama and around the globe.
Many of you may have seen the meaningful testimony delivered by Barry Sleckman, M.D., Ph.D., director of the UAB O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, before the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, “Biomedical Research: Keeping America's Edge in Innovation,” on April 30, 2025.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and, while lack of access to mental health care is a national problem, Alabama’s needs are especially acute.
Residency is a tremendously significant period of growth in a physician’s life.
March is always a meaningful time for me because, as a nephrologist, I know the importance of Kidney Health Awareness Month.
This February, during Heart Month, I am reflecting on the significant impact cardiovascular disease has on the Deep South and the state of Alabama.
In 2025, I am focused on bringing our core values to life in every facet of our work together.
Our donors and their generosity have made a huge impact on our year.
No matter what is going on in our world, art and music have a significant role in medicine and science.
This month, I want to recognize the critical role that primary care plays in maintaining public health.
At UAB, wellness is about creating an environment where our faculty, staff, and learners can thrive.
Part of our vision at Heersink School of Medicine is to make a global impact through innovative care, transformative discovery, and collaborative learning. One of the many ways we are fulfilling our vision is through an exciting collaborative partnership with McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada.
For many industries, summer means a slower pace, but at Heersink School of Medicine the season is lively and eventful.
The Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama System recently approved an agreement for the UAB Health System Authority to assume ownership of Ascension St. Vincent’s in central Alabama.
As we move into the summer season, I encourage us all to reflect on compassion and gratitude.
Clinical trials are critical to our enterprise. Each year, we recognize clinical trials through an awareness week hosted by CCTS.
At the beginning of April each year, we celebrate National Public Health Week with seminars, conferences, and discussions.
During the month of March, I am excited to celebrate our hardworking mission area of medical education and all those who support this area. Everyone at Heersink School of Medicine has a role to play in the academic success of our students.
Dean Anupam Agarwal, M.D., highlights critical research accomplishments at Heersink School of Medicine over the past year.
As we step into 2024, new mission and vision statements will guide our path forward.
This December, Dean Anupam Agarwal extends gratitude to the talented staff, faculty, and learners at UAB Heersink School of Medicine for an excellent year.
2023 marks the 50th anniversary of the University of Alabama Health Services Foundation, P.C. (HSF). This milestone underscores our commitment to excellence in patient care. It serves as a testament to the vision that has defined our journey over the past five decades.
Earlier this year, UAB distributed a Campus Engagement Survey facilitated by Modern Think to assess how well certain aspects of the university, its leadership, and its processes are working. As President Watts and Provost Benoit communicated recently, the results are still being reviewed and analyzed at a high level. Results specific to the Heersink School of Medicine have been shared with department chairs.
On Sunday, September 15, 1963, a bomb exploded under the steps of the 16th Street Baptist Church, killing four little girls: 14-year-olds Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, and Carole Robertson, and 11-year-old Cynthia Wesley. This act of terrorism shocked the nation and drew international attention to the struggle for civil rights taking place in Birmingham and across the South
Earlier this month, the National Institutes of Health announced that UAB Division of Infectious Diseases Director Jeanne Marrazzo, M.D., will succeed Anthony Fauci, M.D., as the next director of the NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), starting this fall. While I am saddened to lose her as a valued leader at the Heersink School of Medicine, Dr. Marrazzo’s appointment is a clear reflection of our school’s outstanding national and international reputation.
One thing most leaders acknowledge is that no one achieves their greatest successes alone. In medicine and biomedical research, collaboration is the cornerstone of innovation and advancement. In addition to naming our school and establishing the Marnix Heersink Institute for Biomedical Innovation and the Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health, the Heersink naming gift in 2021 connected our institution to an exciting collaborative partner, McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Dr. Heersink made philanthropic investments to establish biotech commercialization hubs and global health institutes at the two universities, as both Hamilton and Birmingham continue to transition from steel production and heavy industry to health care, higher education, and associated services and industries.
June has been a month of celebrations highlighting the incredible diversity of our school and our nation, and our Office for Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) has done an excellent job organizing educational and entertaining events around both Pride Month and Juneteenth.
Earlier this month, I passed my first 100 days as senior vice president for Medicine and dean. It’s been a time of great energy and excitement for me as I have been meeting with stakeholders across the UAB Heersink School of Medicine and at our regional campuses, listening and sharing my vision for our school. I am proud of the work we’ve done so far and look forward to sharing our progress with you as I reach my first six months as dean in August.
Spring is always an exciting time because it represents renewed opportunity and growth. As the post-pandemic transition continues, we have an opportunity to address issues the health care community has confronted since before COVID-19, but that were accelerated and exacerbated by the pandemic.
March is Women’s History Month and an opportunity to reflect on the important, and too often unacknowledged, contributions women have made to medicine. Women were active practitioners of the medical arts in the ancient world, and have played a critical role as midwives and healers during the entire course of human history.
I’m very happy to present my first Dean’s Message since being appointed senior vice president for Medicine and Dean of the Heersink School of Medicine.
I’m deeply honored to have been appointed senior vice president for Medicine and Dean of the Heersink School of Medicine.
On Friday, January 13, I was honored to speak at the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration Event, hosted by the Heersink School of Medicine Office for Diversity and Inclusion (ODI).
Women’s History Month is a celebration. It’s a time to admire and respect women's contributions throughout history, but also a time to re-energize our efforts towards equality and equity for the rest of the year.