Department of Neurosurgery
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).
UAB Hospital has been reverified as a Level I adult trauma center by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Committee on Trauma (COT) and remains the only ACS-Level I adult trauma center in the state of Alabama. Learn what it takes to meet the rigorous standards set by the ACS.
Andrew Hale, M.D., Ph.D., a neurosurgical resident in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery, is the first author of a newly published paper in Science Translational Medicine. The paper defines the “Molecular Hallmarks of Hydrocephalus,” a condition that affects millions worldwide and is the leading reason for childhood brain surgery.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery held its annual Chief Resident Graduation Dinner on Friday, June 20, 2025, at The Florentine, bringing together residents, their families and faculty members for a night of celebration, recognition and reflection.
As summer activities ramp up, so does the risk for traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery Assistant Professor Elizabeth Liptrap, M.D., was recently featured during WBRC's “Ask The Doctor” segment to share expert advice on preventing traumatic brain injuries during the summer months.
Marshall Holland, M.D., MS, assistant professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery, served as an invited speaker at the Facial Pain Association’s (FPA) annual meeting this month, marking the organization’s first in-person gathering since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Marshall Holland, M.D., MS, assistant professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery, recently served as a visiting professor at the University of Minnesota Department of Neurosurgery, where he delivered a grand rounds lecture on a novel application of spinal cord stimulation for modulation of the autonomic nervous system and restless legs syndrome (RLS).
Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT), also known as Osler-Weber-Rendu syndrome, is a rare, but serious, genetic disorder that causes abnormal blood vessels to form throughout the body. These abnormal vessels bypass much smaller blood vessels, or capillaries, creating direct connections between arteries and veins known as arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). This can lead to serious health issues, including internal bleeding and complications in vital organs like the lungs, brain, spine, liver and gastrointestinal tract.
Brandon Rocque, M.D., M.S., and Andrew T. Hale, M.D., Ph.D., from the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery recently received individual pilot grants from the Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health (MHIGH).
Matthew Parr, M.D., Benjamin Saccomano, M.D., and Yasaman Alam, M.D., chief residents in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery, recently participated in the Chief Residents Leadership Development Workshop hosted by the UAB Medicine Leadership Development Office.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery is excited to announce a new chapter in employee recognition by transitioning from Kudos Corner to UAB’s enterprise-wide Applause platform.
Yanna Brooks, certified medical assistant at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery, has been selected for the 2025 Patient Experience Hero Award. She was nominated by Clinic RN team lead, Jessica Wesson for her commitment to patient care and ability to build meaningful connections with patients and colleagues.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery is pleased to welcome Angelina Unich as an MSHA administrative intern.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery is pleased to welcome Anna Parker as healthcare management undergraduate intern in the Chair’s Office.
The twelfth annual Blazer Bolt for Brain Cancer 5K and Fun Run was held Saturday, May 17, at Railroad Park in Birmingham, Alabama. Despite the thunderstorms that rolled in early Saturday morning, racers still showed up, participated and made the event a success.
Brain tumor symptoms vary widely and can often resemble other common health conditions. Understanding the risks, symptoms and treatment options can help lead to earlier diagnosis and better outcomes.
Fourteen UAB chief residents recently completed the Chief Residents Leadership Development Workshop. The program, presented by the UAB Medicine Leadership Development Office, was held on May 9, 2025.
Future physicians at the University of Alabama at Birmingham are exploring— through a unique course — how personal values, beliefs and spirituality can influence patient care.
Danielle Godin has been named advanced practice provider (APP) supervisor for the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery.
Danielle Thomason, manager of ambulatory services for the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery, will graduate in May with a Master of Science in Nursing degree.
The UAB Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health proudly announces the fourth cohort of pilot grant awardees. Three innovative projects have received pilot funding to encourage collaboration between UAB investigators and international partners, tackling critical global health challenges. Award recipients were notified on April 22. Congratulations to the 2025 selected teams!
Five faculty members in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery have been recognized as 2025 Castle Connolly Top Doctors, a prestigious honor that celebrates physicians nationwide for clinical excellence and peer recognition.
On April 28, 2025, Jasmine Thum, M.D., M.S. assistant professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery and Department of Biomedical Engineering, hosted a peripheral nerve education course for trainees at UAB. The event offered residents in-depth lectures and anatomic demonstrations of peripheral nerve anatomy, pathology, diagnostic techniques and surgical approaches.
At UAB, we are proud to be home to one of the most comprehensive brain tumor programs in the region and part of the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center—Alabama’s only NCI-designated cancer center.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery welcomes Brandy Carrichi, MBA, as operations administrator.
The Center for Neuroengineering and Brain-Computer Interfaces (CNBCI) under the University of Alabama at Birmingham Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine hosted its third annual NeuroGateways Symposium on April 10-11 at the UAB Alumni House.
Andrew Hale, M.D., Ph.D., a neurological surgery resident in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery, has been selected to join the Neurosurgeon-Scientist Training Program (NSTP), an initiative from the Society of Neurological Surgeons (SNS).
Angel Pine, communications intern for the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery, was recently honored with four awards from the Public Relations Council of Alabama (PRCA) for her outstanding work in public relations.
Savanah Kirchner, communication specialist for the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery, recently served as a guest speaker for an Intro to Public relations class on the University of Alabama at Birmingham campus.
Nine faculty members recently graduated from UAB Medicine’s LEading Advancing Developing (LEAD) spring 2025 program. The program, presented by the UAB Medicine Leadership Development Office, recognized its graduates at a ceremony on March 13, 2025.
Martina Gonzalez-Gomez, M.D., M.Sc., program manager for the Global Neurosurgery program in the Department of Neurosurgery, and James Johnston, M.D., professor in the Department of Neurosurgery and director of the Pediatric Neurosurgery division, co-instruct the Global Surgery course. In 2023, we met with Gonzalez-Gomez and Johnston to learn more about their vision for the course, which launched with the introduction of the UAB Master of Science in Global Health (MSGH) program offered by the UAB Heersink School of Medicine and the UAB School of Public Health (SOPH).
The complexity of the human brain has long been an enigma that neuroscientists have sought to untangle. Now, new technology at UAB will act as a critical tool to help researchers and clinicians interpret the brain in unprecedented ways.
Graduate Biomedical Sciences (GBS) at UAB recently welcomed its new class of GBS students pursuing their Ph.D. across eight interdisciplinary training themes. The GBS Doctoral Training Program provides interdisciplinary education and mentorship while allowing GBS trainees to perform doctoral research in more than 350 labs across campus.
Heersink School of Medicine awarded nine staff members as the 2024 Dean’s Excellence Awards for Staff winners. Individuals selected for this honor showcased outstanding accomplishments beyond their daily duties and contributed considerably to Heersink’s core mission areas – education, clinical care, and basic, translational, and clinical research.
In a recent study, UAB researchers found that rather than stimulating both sides of the brain using Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), unilateral right DBS may avoid DBS-related declines in verbal fluency and response inhibition in patients with movement disorders like Parkinson’s disease.
Thirty-three individuals comprising seven teams recently graduated from UAB Medicine’s High Performing Care Collaborative summer 2024 program. The program, presented by UAB Medicine’s Leadership Development Office, recognized its graduates at a ceremony on Aug. 14, 2024.
UAB recently hosted a VR/AR Association meeting that brought together innovators and experts from across the country to explore the application of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) in solving real-world challenges.
Twenty-eight UAB employees recently graduated from the Emerging Leaders Series (ELS) Spring 2024 program. In its pilot year, the program, presented by UAB Medicine’s Leadership Development Office (LDO), recognized its first cohort of graduates at a ceremony on May 23, 2024.
Twenty exceptional faculty members were honored with the 2024 Dean’s Excellence Awards for their outstanding contributions across service, teaching, research, diversity enhancement, and mentorship within the School of Medicine.
The Heersink School of Medicine Office for Diversity and Inclusion hosted the annual Women in Medicine and Science Promotion Reception April 11, which recognized women faculty promoted at the end of 2023. The honorees and their guests were greeted by Heersink leadership to celebrate their remarkable achievements.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine saw great success in acquiring research funding in 2023, making significant strides in securing resources to advance human health through biomedical discovery.