Department of Surgery
UAB’s new Clinical Trialist Development Program (CTDP) has selected 24 Heersink applicants for its 2026-2027 cohort. The program will provide these candidates with training, mentorship, and salary support to lead industry-sponsored clinical trials. It will also supply them with a 20% protected time allowance, allowing them to dedicate more time to research.
Damian Schwartz, Program Manager II for the Basic, Translational and Preclinical Research Lab in the UAB Department of Surgery, describes his job in two words: problem solving.
Juliet Blakeslee-Carter, M.D., MPH, assistant professor for the UAB Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, has been selected to receive a 2026-28 Medical Education Innovation Award from the UAB Heersink School of Medicine for her study, “Artificial Intelligence in Residency Recruitment: Assessing Alignment Between Applicants and Programs in Vascular Surgery.”
Jeffrey D. Kerby, M.D., Ph.D., reflects on how he brought about positive change for trauma care during his tenure as the chair of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Committee on Trauma - and shares his goals for his new role at the ACS.
The UAB Department of Surgery is proud to celebrate the latest research accomplishments of its faculty, trainees, and staff. Over the past few months, members of the department contributed to a robust body of peer-reviewed scholarship published across leading journals.
Twenty-three Heersink School of Medicine faculty were recognized Sept. 22 for their appointment to endowed chairs and professorships during a special reception.
The UAB Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, in collaboration with the departments of Neurosurgery, Neurology, and Surgery, has launched a new Peripheral Nerve Clinic to address the complex needs of patients with serious nerve injuries.
For the 17th consecutive year, Children’s of Alabama has been ranked among the nation’s best children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report.
Chandler McLeod, M.S., Ph.D., biostatistician in the UAB Department of Surgery, has built a career around understanding complex systems.
The UAB Department of Surgery is excited to welcome two new faculty members in September 2026 – Piyush Kumar Sharma, M.D., Ph.D., and Erin Burton, M.D.
Members of the UAB Department of Surgery were recognized this year with Patient Experience Hero Awards and Clinical Excellence in Nursing Awards, highlighting their commitment to delivering exceptional patient-centered care across the health system.
The UAB Medicine Leadership Development Office (LDO) recently recognized 14 individuals in its ninth cohort of Sharing Authentically to Inspire and Lead (SAIL). The fall 2026 graduates received their certificates on Sept. 1.
Paige Porrett, M.D., Ph.D., professor in the Department of Surgery, Division of Transplantation, has been named the latest recipient of the school's Featured Discovery award. This recognition celebrates notable faculty research contributions and highlights the impact of their scientific advancements.
It’s almost time for the 2026 American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress in Washington, D.C.! Before you pack your bags and head to the airport, review this handy UAB Surgery guide for your conference prep.
Five new faculty members joined the UAB Department of Surgery in August: Dr. Peter Abraham, Dr. Samantha Lloy, Dr. Jennifer Pappalardo, Dr. Anji Wall, and Dr. Taylor Wallen. We invite you to learn more about them and help us extend a warm UAB welcome!
Saulat Sajjad Sheikh, M.B.B.S., assistant professor and surgical director of the liver transplant program in the UAB Division of Transplantation, has been selected to serve as a member of the core small group faculty for the 2026-2027 Harvard Macy Institute Program for Educators in Health Professions.
UAB Department of Surgery residents swept the awards for residency competitions at the annual Alabama/Mississippi Chapters of the American College of Surgeons Annual Meeting, held July 30 - August 1, 2026, at The Lodge at Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores, Alabama.
Taylor Wallen, M.D., an assistant professor in the UAB Department of Surgery, and Krystal Rivera, a Ph.D. candidate, published “Plasma Regulates Homeostatic Pulmonary Endothelial Signaling to Mitigate Vascular Leak Following Polytrauma and Hemorrhagic Shock” as co-first authors in the journal Shock last month.
The UAB Medicine Leadership Development Office (LDO) recently welcomed 19 individuals in its 13th cohort of Institute for Leadership for fall 2026.
Eight research teams have been selected as the inaugural recipients of the Heersink School of Medicine’s Team Science Grant Program. The funded teams will tackle a wide range of health challenges while laying the groundwork for future large-scale research initiatives.
Andrada Diaconescu, M.D., a research resident in the UAB General Surgery Residency program working under the supervision of Brenessa Lindeman, M.D., MEHP, vice chair of education in the Division of Breast and Endocrine Surgery, has received a $1,500 Career Enhancement Award from the UAB Office of Postdoctoral Education (OPE) to attend the Fundamentals of Surgical Research Course at the Association for Academic Surgery (AAS) Fall Courses on September 25, 2026, in Washington, D.C.
Lily Gutnik, M.D., MPH, assistant professor and vice chair for global surgery in the UAB Department of Surgery, has been appointed to a three-year term on the editorial board for the Annals of Surgical Oncology (ASO), serving in the journal's breast section.
Demario S. Overstreet, Ph.D., assistant professor in the UAB Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery, has received a two-year (L30) Clinical Research Loan Repayment Program (LRP) award from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences. The highly competitive award renewal follows his previous L70 Research LRP award and supports his continued commitment to patient-oriented clinical and translational research. This award also marks his second consecutive award from the National Institutes of Health Loan Repayment Programs.
The UAB Department of Surgery is honored to announce the upcoming arrival of Anji Wall, M.D., Ph.D., who will serve as the Vice Chair of Surgical Ethics and Division of Transplantation Director of Perfusion and Procurement Services, effective August 1, 2026.
Saulat Sajjad Sheikh, M.B.B.S., assistant professor and surgical director of the liver transplant program in the UAB Division of Transplantation, has been appointed to serve as vice chair-elect of the Surgical Skills Committee for the American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS).
Britney L. Corey, M.D., MACM, program director of the UAB General Surgery Residency Program, and Samantha Baker, M.D., MsHPE, assistant professor in the UAB Division of Trauma & Acute Care Surgery, have co-edited a newly published textbook titled, “Graduate Medical Education in General Surgery: Processes and Strategies for Program and Learner Success,” released in April 2026 through Springer Publishing Company as part of their Excellence in Medical Education series.
Aurelio Galli, Ph.D., D.Sc., vice chair of basic research for the UAB Department of Surgery, in collaboration with Angela Carter, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Division of Surgical Oncology, has been awarded $10,000 from the O'Neal Cancer Center to support research aimed at improving treatment for glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer.
The UAB Department of Surgery continues to build on its strong tradition of research excellence, celebrating the latest scholarly achievements of its faculty, trainees, and staff.
Adam Lucy, M.D., MSHQS, a chief general surgery resident, begins his days at UAB Hospital reviewing patient charts over caffeine and music. He then leads a team of students and junior residents through early rounds before the operating rooms are fully in motion. Each morning sets the tone for a fast-paced day focused on patient care and surgical training.
The UAB Department of Surgery General Surgery Residency Program has started the new academic year, welcoming nine new trainees to the department and celebrating the graduation of its chief residents.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery welcomed Lt. Gen. John. J. DeGoes, Surgeon General of the United States Air Force and U.S. Space Force, and Chief Master Sgt. James M. Woods, Chief of the Medical Enlisted Force, for a visit to see firsthand the growth and success of the military-civilian partnership between UAB and the U.S. Air Force.
UAB Medicine's Leadership Development Office celebrated the graduation of 18 healthcare leaders from its 12th cohort of the Institute for Leadership during a ceremony held June 24 at the Heersink Conference Center Lobby.
Annabelle Fonseca, M.D., MHS, an associate professor in the UAB Division of Surgical Oncology, is leading research that uses machine learning to identify patients with pancreatic cancer who are at high risk for not receiving guideline-concordant care, the evidence-based treatment associated with the best outcomes.
It is with great enthusiasm that the UAB Department of Surgery welcomes Teviah Sachs, M.D., MPH, as director for the Division of Surgical Oncology, beginning July 15, 2026.
Karin Hardiman, M.D., Ph.D., the associate vice chair of basic research in the UAB Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery, and Eugenia Kharlampieva, Ph.D., professor in the UAB Department of Chemistry, have pioneered a promising new strategy to overcome one of the most persistent challenges in rectal cancer care – resistance to standard chemoradiation therapy.
The UAB General Surgery Residency Program recognized outstanding residents, faculty, advanced practice providers, and staff during its annual Awards Day celebration.
Jacqueline Garonzik Wang, M.D., Ph.D., director of the UAB Division of Transplantation and co-director of the Comprehensive Transplant Institute, has been named the Arnold G. Diethelm Endowed Chair in Transplantation Surgery, recognizing excellence in academic surgery and leadership in the division.
Anushka Arora, an undergraduate researcher in UAB's Honors College Personalized Pathway program, won first place in her category at the UAB Spring Expo for her poster presentation, “A Pilot Study: Psychosocial Correlates of Pain in Patients with Ulcerative Colitis.”
The UAB Cardiovascular Institute (CVI) has earned a three-star rating—the highest distinction awarded by the Society for Vascular Surgery's Vascular Quality Initiative (SVS VQI) for the fourth consecutive year through the 2025 Commitment to Vascular Quality Improvement (CVQI) Awards.
The UAB Medicine Leadership Development Office (LDO) is proud to honor the latest graduates of the Emerging Leaders Series (ELS) — 24 accomplished professionals who represent the breadth and strength of our institution.
John Killian, M.D., Ph.D., volunteer clinical assistant professor in the UAB Division of Transplantation, is the first author of a kidney transplant study that has been named the latest Featured Discovery by the Heersink School of Medicine.
Steven Forsythe, Ph.D., postdoctoral research fellow in the UAB Division of Surgical Oncology, won first place in the data blitz flash talk category at the University of Alabama at Birmingham's 22nd Annual Postdoc Research Day.
The UAB Vein Program, with its outpatient UAB Vein Clinic located at UAB Hospital – Highlands, provides comprehensive evaluation and treatment of the full spectrum of venous disease, from cosmetic concerns to complex conditions such as deep vein thrombosis, chronic venous insufficiency, venous ulcers, and pelvic venous disorders. Learn about what common vein concerns may look or feel like, and how to get care.
The UAB Department of Surgery is proud to announce that Saulat Sheikh, M.D., will serve as the surgical director of the UAB Comprehensive Transplant Institute’s Liver Transplantation Program, effective Wednesday, July 1, 2026.
Douglas Anderson, M.D., M.S., associate professor in the UAB Division of Transplantation, has been selected to serve as the Region 3 representative on the Pancreas Transplantation Committee of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN). Anderson was chosen by the OPTN Regional Councilors and Vice President following a national review of committee applications, and his three-year term runs from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2029.
Adam W. Beck, M.D., professor of surgery and director of the Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, has led an international multidisciplinary consortium that has published a landmark consensus report in Circulation, one of the world’s leading cardiovascular journals.
Douglas Anderson, M.D., M.S., associate professor in the UAB Division of Transplantation, has been appointed to the Ethics and Conflict of Interest Committee of the Society of University Surgeons (SUS).
Martha Tankersley, associate vice president of the UAB Comprehensive Transplant Institute, has been named a recipient of the second quarter 2026 UAB Values in Action Program (VIP) Award, one of the university’s highest employee recognitions honoring individuals who exemplify UAB’s shared values of collaboration, integrity, respect, and excellence.
Kelly Chapman, BSN, RN, CWOCN, a certified wound, ostomy and continence nurse in the Division of Trauma & Acute Care Surgery and the team-lead and supervisor of the UAB inpatient wound care team, was named the inaugural Certified Nurse of the Year by the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing Certification Board (WOCNCB).
Brittney Knott, a doctoral candidate and a researcher in the laboratory of Paige Porrett, M.D., Ph.D., will give an oral plenary presentation at the 31st International Congress of the Transplantation Society on September 23, 2026, in Sydney, Australia.