Department of Neurosurgery
The University of Alabama at Birmingham has implemented an innovative fast-track surgical evaluation program designed to improve access and efficiency for patients with movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor and epilepsy.
University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery Assistant Professor Satoru Osuka, M.D., Ph.D., was recently awarded a National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Foundation Young Investigator Award (YIA) for his project, “Tumor-Matrix-Binding TGF-β scFv to Suppress TGF-β Signaling in Recurrent Glioblastoma.”
The UAB Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery honored survivors of traumatic injury and their families, as well as first responders and healthcare professionals, at the third annual Heroes and Healers event on Friday, May 1, 2026.
A stroke is often thought of as a condition of adulthood, yet it remains a significant and underrecognized cause of morbidity and mortality in the pediatric population. Despite being cited among the leading causes of death in children, pediatric stroke is frequently missed or diagnosed late, in part due to its relative rarity, diverse clinical presentations and the unique risk factors that distinguish it from adult stroke. As a result, many children with stroke present outside the narrow window during which acute interventions may be considered, limiting opportunities for therapies that can meaningfully alter neurologic outcomes. In pediatric stroke, as in adult stroke, the principle remains the same: Time is brain.
Mark Russell has joined the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery as revenue cycle manager.
On April 20, 2026, Eldad Hadar, M.D., will join the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery as a professor.
The Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery will host the 3rd annual Heroes and Healers event on Friday, May 1, 2026 at the UAB Alys Stephens Center. The event celebrates survivors of traumatic injury, as well as the medical care teams and first responders who saved their lives and helped them on the road to recovery.
Hospitals nationwide recognize the dedication, resilience and impact of resident physicians each year on Thank a Resident Day, observed Feb. 27. At the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery, that appreciation runs deep.
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.
For board-certified physicians, the U.S. News & World Report (USNWR) Best Hospitals rankings are a unique opportunity to acknowledge institutions that excel in patient care, innovation and clinical excellence.
Satoru Osuka, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery, has been awarded a $50,000 grant from the Uncle Kory Foundation to support his mission to advance treatment options for patients with recurrent glioblastoma.
Brent Blackwell has joined the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery as an advanced practice provider (APP) serving the Neurosurgery Inverness Clinic and the Neurosciences One Neurosurgery Clinic at The Kirklin Clinic of UAB Hospital.
Two members of the research laboratory of Satoru Osuka, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery, presented award-winning research at the 30th Society for Neuro-Oncology Annual Meeting, held Nov. 20–23, 2025, in Honolulu, Hawaii.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery is pleased to welcome Marlon Jeyapaul as a healthcare management intern.
As temperatures begin to drop, aches and pains often rise. This feeling may seem like a coincidence, but, according to an expert at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, there is a real reason why individuals living with neck and back pain may experience increased discomfort during this time of year.
Martina Gonzalez Gomez, M.D., MS, has been promoted to assistant professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery. In her new role, Gonzalez Gomez will primarily support the department’s Global Neurosurgery Program.
Winter weather can transform sidewalks, parking decks and entryways into unexpected, and sometimes invisible, hazards. Preparation and awareness can go a long way in reducing the risk of injury in slick, icy conditions.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery has relaunched its Minimally Invasive and Complex Spine Fellowship, providing an advanced training opportunity for trainees seeking specialized expertise in spine care.
UAB Medicine has been named to Becker’s Hospital Review’s 2025 list of “100 Great Neuro and Spine Programs,” which recognizes hospitals and health systems that demonstrate excellence in neuroscience and spine care.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery is pleased to welcome Courtney McSlarrow.
In this installment, Brandon Rocque, M.D., a professor in the Department of Neurosurgery, explores his research on the psychological and support needs of pediatric patients and families experiencing neurosurgical problems.
Richard Knott has joined the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery as a human resources partner generalist, bringing with him more than 34 years of distinguished active-duty service in the United States Army.
UAB Hospital has been recognized as a Blue Distinction Center for Spine Surgery by Blue Cross Blue Shield, a designation awarded to health care facilities that demonstrate high-quality care, specialized expertise and improved patient outcomes.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery has relocated its Neurosurgery Clinic at Greystone to a new space at One Inverness Center, expanding access to specialized care for patients across central Alabama.
Thirteen providers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery have been recognized by the UAB Office of Patient Experience and Engagement for delivering exceptional patient care during fiscal year 2025.
As sniffle season sets in, sinus infections are among the most common illnesses seen in doctors’ offices. For most people, they’re nothing more than an inconvenience and a few days of congestion, but, according to experts at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, a sinus infection can become dangerous in severe cases.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery is pleased to announce that Harish Kumar, Ph.D., will join the department in December 2025 as a research senior in the research lab of Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery Satoru Osuka, M.D., Ph.D.
The 42nd Annual J. Garber Galbraith, M.D., Scientific Session and Lecture was held Oct. 3 in the Marnix E. Heersink Conference Center.
UAB researchers are involved in a new clinical trial to explore a promising treatment for adults suffering from major depressive disorder, especially for those who have not been successfully treated after trying four or more antidepressants. The study involves researchers from the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology and the Department of Neurosurgery.
Regan Gaskin, MPA, clinical research coordinator in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, was selected as a recipient of the Heersink School of Medicine 2025 Dean’s Excellence Awards.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery is pleased to welcome Assistant Professor Adeel Ilyas, M.D.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery is pleased to announce that Associate Professor Jianmei Leavenworth, M.D., Ph.D., has been promoted to professor.
University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery Assistant Professor Jesse Jones, M.D., has been promoted to associate professor and awarded tenure.
For the 16th consecutive year, Children’s of Alabama has been ranked among the nation’s best children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery is pleased to welcome Morgan Dew, MSN, CPNP, as a pediatric advanced practice provider (APP).
Ten Heersink School of Medicine staff have been honored with the 2025 Dean’s Excellence Awards. Now in its third year, the Dean’s Excellence Awards for Staff recognize individuals who have made significant and meaningful contributions to the school’s mission through their work in education, service, and research.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery is pleased to welcome Mohammad Hamo. Hamo joins as a research technician in the lab of James Garber Galbraith Endowed Chair of Neurosurgery James Markert, M.D., MPH.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery is pleased to announce that Zhihong Yu will join the department in October 2025 as a lab manager in the research lab of Associate Professor of Neurosurgery Jianmei Leavenworth, M.D., Ph.D.
Jianmei Leavenworth, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Neurosurgery, has been named the latest recipient of the school’s Featured Discovery award. This recognition celebrates notable research contributions made by faculty and highlights the impact of their scientific advancements.
UAB Hospital has once again been recognized among the nation’s top hospitals for neurology and neurosurgery, according to the 2025-2026 U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals rankings.
Every August, Neurosurgery Awareness Month reminds us of the role our specialty plays in medicine and in the lives of patients and their families. The conditions we treat often present at critical moments, when decisions carry life-changing weight. To pursue a career in neurosurgery is to accept that responsibility and embrace the immense privilege of helping patients when they are at their most vulnerable.
Satoru Osuka, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery, was recently awarded his first R01 grant from the National Institutes of Health for his project, "Targeting radiation-induced invasion in Glioblastoma."
The start of a new school year brings more than textbooks and class schedules. It also marks the return of school sports. As athletes head back to the fields and courts this season, parents and coaches should be mindful of one of the most common, and potentially serious, injuries in youth sports: concussions.
Yard work might seem like a low-stakes weekend chore, but beyond mulching flower beds and trimming hedges lies a real risk: back and spine injuries that can last long after the weeds are gone.
Mark N. Hadley, M.D., FAANS, Charles A. and Patsy W. Collat Endowed Professor of Neurosurgery at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, was the honored guest of the Georgia Neurosurgical Society at their 2025 spring meeting, held May 24-25 at The Cloisters in Sea Island, Georgia.
July 22 marks the 12th annual World Brain Day, a global campaign led by the World Federation of Neurology (WFN) to promote brain health across all stages of life. This year’s theme, “Brain Health for All Ages,” emphasizes the importance of neurological care from preconception through late adulthood.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery is pleased to announce that Terri Epting will join the department as director of fiscal affairs, effective Aug. 11.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery is pleased to welcome Hohyun Cho, Ph.D.
Burt Nabors, M.D., professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurology and director of the Division of Neuro-oncology, has been selected as a recipient of the 2025 Excellence in Engagement Award from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN).
James Johnston, M.D., professor and division director of the University of Alabama at Birmingham Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery recently graduated from the UAB Healthcare Leadership Academy (HLA).