Department of Pediatrics
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pediatrics is proud to announce that Jessica Robinson, M.D., PGY-2 resident in the Department of Pediatrics, has been recognized at the Rutherford Polhill Memorial Grand Rounds with the Rud Polhill Award for Outstanding Resident in Pediatric Emergency Medicine.
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 Pediatrics is proud to announce that Chibuzo Ilonze, M.D., MPH, assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, has been selected to serve as an ambassador for the American Society of Hematology (ASH).
UAB Heersink School of Medicine students can enjoy a week-long celebration of Primary Care Week from October 6-10, 2025. This event-packed week aims to educate physicians-in-training and students across the health spectrum on the pivotal role of primary care in the health care system.
Suresh Boppana, M.D., professor in the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, will assume the role of interim co-director of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, effective Oct. 1, 2025.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pediatrics welcomed six new faculty members in the month of September. Please join us in making them feel at home!
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pediatrics is proud to announce that Sandeep Gupta, M.D., professor in the Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, has been reappointed editor in chief of the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition (JPGN) and JPGN Reports, two leading journals in the field.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pediatrics is proud to announce that Daniel Feig, M.D., professor in the Division of Pediatric Nephrology, received the 2025 Wallace Alexander Clyde Distinguished Service Award from the Alabama Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
C. Vivek Lal, M.D., tenured professor (Oct ‘25) in the Department of Pediatrics, has been named executive in residence of the Bill L. Harbert Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (HIIE). Lal’s appointment marks the beginning of a partnership between HIIE and the Heersink School of Medicine that will allow both entities an avenue to better serve patients.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pediatrics is proud to introduce Kimberly Jerkins, a committed staff member of the Pediatric Administration team!
Three psychologists from the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pediatrics and Children’s of Alabama were honored for their contributions to psychology at the Alabama Psychological Association Annual Conference.
Early childhood literacy is a vital building block for healthy development and long-term success. Research shows that reading and language deficits can become fixed as early as age two, underscoring the importance of early intervention, especially for premature and sick newborns who face higher risks of neurodevelopmental delays.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pediatrics is proud to introduce Dayna Cook-Heard, MAEd, a valued staff member of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Disease UAB Family Clinic! Cook-Heard has been a part of the Department of Pediatrics for 19 years. As Program Manager II, she supports quality management initiatives funded by Ryan White Part B and Part D federal grants while helping to strengthen program accountability and improve patient outcomes.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pediatrics welcomed seven new faculty members in the month of August. Please join us in making them feel at home!
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pediatrics resident-led groups, Coat of Arms and the Resident Access and Engagement Council, recently partnered to make a difference in Selma, Alabama. Through the third annual Selma School Supplies Drive, they delivered 600 backpacks filled with school essentials to elementary school students in the Selma City School District.
The UAB Department of Pediatrics Staff Wellness and Recognition Council has added Christina Croney, Karimu Morgan, Jalisa Lankford and Ebony Williams as new members in 2025.
The Pediatric Simulation Center at Children’s of Alabama celebrated the training of its 100,000th learner since its founding in 2008, transforming how pediatric providers prepare for emergencies and patient care. This milestone marks a major achievement in the center’s mission to improve outcomes through immersive, hands-on education.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pediatrics is proud to announce that Sarah Novara, M.D., associate professor in the Division of Pediatric Neurology and David Galloway, M.D., associate professor in the Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, have been elected as voting members of the Graduate Medical Education Committee (GMEC).
The Department of Pediatrics is pleased to announce the appointment of Jamie Aye, M.D. associate professor in the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and Blood & Marrow Transplantation, as director of the Developmental Therapeutics (DVL) Program within the Division of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Blood & Marrow Transplantation (BMT) at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB).
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pediatrics welcomed five new faculty members in the month of July. Please join us in making them feel at home!
UAB’s Civitan International Research Center (CIRC) is a world leader in research and treatment of intellectual and developmental disabilities. With more than 100 scientists, clinicians, and research staff from around the globe, the center is united by a single mission: improving the well-being and quality of life of individuals and families affected by neurodevelopmental disorders.
The Department of Pediatrics is proud to introduce Zach Garmon, a valued staff member of the Pediatric Administration team!
In the face of a bacterium that easily resists common antibiotics, members of UAB established testing to identify it in human disease. Mycoplasma, that is. Mycoplasmas are the smallest free-living organisms. They can cause drug-resistant bacterial infections that target various parts of the body, including respiratory and urinary systems and genitalia. Mycoplasmas commonly cause lung infections and often require a special antibiotic to treat the bacterium. Most antibiotics weaken bacteria by penetrating their cell walls. Mycoplasmas, however, don’t have cell walls to weaken.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pediatrics is pleased to welcome the new class of Pediatric Residents Interested in Medical Education Scholars Program (PRIME) Scholars!
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pediatrics is pleased to announce the Pediatric Underserved and Global Health (PUGH) Scholars program for the 2025-2026 academic year. The PUGH Scholars Program is a longitudinal opportunity for UAB pediatric residents to receive focused education and hands-on experience in global and underserved health during three-years of residency training.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pediatrics has announced the appointment of three faculty members to serve on the Pediatrics Appointment, Promotion and Tenure Committee (APTC).
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pediatrics David Askenazi, M.D., professor in the Division of Pediatric Nephrology, was recently recognized with the Nephrology Kidney Collaborative (NKC) Founder’s award at this year’s Pediatric Academic Society Membership dinner.
The UAB Heersink School of Medicine Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine is proud to announce its spring 2025 cohort of REINVENT Grant awardees.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pediatrics is pleased to announce the 2025-2026 Founders’ Fund recipients.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pediatrics congratulates Melinda Chance, M.D. on receiving the 2024-2025 Spring Research Roundtable & Fellow Core Conference Attendance Award!
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pediatrics is pleased to announce that Drs. Amelia Hartje, Michael Padgett, Suzannah Patterson, Maddie Southall, Jemma Thompson and Danielle Windom are our 2025-2026 McDonald Scholars!
The Division of Pediatric Hospital Medicine is excited to announce that Andrew Watson, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Hospital Medicine, will assume the role of inpatient complex care (Teal Team) medical director.
Smita Bhatia, M.D., MPH, a pediatric oncologist and distinguished professor in the UAB Department of Pediatrics, received the inaugural UAB Department of Surgery Mentorship Award. The award recognizes her for her role in supporting the success of faculty members, especially in the area of research.
Academic medical centers (AMCs) are among the United States’ most active hives of biomedical innovation thanks to their often robust research enterprises. Increasingly, AMCs like the Heersink School of Medicine play a central role in another realm of innovation: the biomedical/biotech start-up space.
The UAB Department of Pediatrics welcomed two new faculty members in the month of June. Please join us in making them feel at home!
The UAB Medicine Institute for Leadership, the flagship program of the UAB Medicine Leadership Development Office, recently celebrated the graduation of its 10th cohort.
UAB Comprehensive Diabetes Center (UCDC) researchers have contributed to the Frontiers in Endocrinology Research Topic on Disease-Modifying Approaches in Type 1 Diabetes.
The Department of Pediatrics announces with great pleasure and gratitude the appointment of Mark Law, M.D., professor in the Department of Pediatrics, to the permanent position of division director of Pediatric Cardiology.
Smita Bhatia, M.D., MPH, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, has been named the recipient of the 2025 American Cancer Society (ACS) Professor Award. This award is the most prestigious grant made by ACS and recognizes professors who have made seminal, high-impact contributions to cancer research across a wide range of disciplines, including fundamental, clinical, psychosocial, behavioral, health policy, and epidemiologic fields. It provides $400,000 in funding for five years and can be extended for another five years.
Last week, we honored our UAB Pediatric Residency graduating class of 2025! This class has been an absolute joy, and we are thankful and grateful to them. May they continue life-long learning and strive for greatness!
Congratulations to our UAB Pediatric Fellowship Class of 2025. Thank you to all who helped us celebrate the graduates at a reception in their honor on May 28th. Please see below where they will be going after completing fellowship training.
Every year the Department of Pediatric Subspecialty Fellowship Programs give out achievement awards to graduating pediatric fellows in three separate areas: research, quality improvement, and service.
The UAB Department of Pediatrics welcomed one new faculty member in the month of May. Please join us in making them feel at home!
Tourette syndrome (TS) often begins in childhood, but for many patients, its challenges and care needs continue into adulthood. From early recognition and behavioral interventions to managing transitions and overcoming adult treatment barriers, TS demands a comprehensive, lifespan approach. At UAB, experts are addressing these needs through a collaborative model that supports patients from childhood through adulthood.
Each year the Pediatric Endocrine Society (PES) selects a member who advocates for cost-effective practice and quality improvement in pediatric endocrinology to present the Paul Kaplowitz, MD, Endowed Lectureship at the annual meeting.
Sarah Novara, M.D., associate professor in the Division of Pediatric Neurology, has been named a Fellow of the Child Neurology Society (FCNS).
The Chu Family generously donated funds to Children's of Alabama and the Department of Pediatrics to support educational initiatives.
The Dixon Foundation supports the Dixon Pediatric Fellowship training program for fellows who intend to pursue an academic career with a research emphasis (ranging from basic and translational science to education or QI-centric research) in approved pediatric subspecialties.
The UAB Pediatric Residency Program hosted the 19th Annual Coat of Arms Spring Scramble 5K on Saturday, May 17 in downtown Homewood.
Erin Shaughnessy, M.D., professor in the Division of Pediatric Hospital Medicine, has been announced as the executive vice chair of operations for the Department of Pediatrics, effective June 1, 2025.