Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health

The UAB Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health, in conjunction with the UAB Marnix E. Heersink Institute for Biomedical Innovation, proudly announces the fifth cohort of pilot grant awardees.Four 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 March 31, 2026. Congratulations to the 2026 selected teams!

Designed to expand access to meaningful global engagement, the MHIGH Global Health Travel Awards Program is one of four Giving Days projects spotlighting how UAB invests in global partnerships and future health leaders. By removing financial barriers to travel, the program makes bidirectional collaboration possible—allowing UAB scholars and international partners alike to learn from one another and advance health worldwide.

Building on a partnership rooted in shared vision and philanthropy, UAB and McMaster University (McM) continued to deepen their collaboration during a recent all-day, in-person strategic meeting held on Friday, March 20, 2026, in Birmingham, Ala. The visit created an opportunity for a significant step forward in advancing the institutions’ joint commitment to innovation, global health, education, and research. Over the years, this partnership has evolved into a dynamic, action-oriented collaboration with growing momentum and tangible outcomes.

Elizabeth Proezna, M.D., PGY-3, and Rafaella Navarro Hoyos, M.D., PGY-2, in the UAB Department of Pediatrics, spent two weeks in Peru and realized a medical truth widely sought after in the UAB community. They learned that sometimes the most powerful medicine isn't just in the treatment, it's in a spirit of collaboration that can cross distance and borders.

Rena Patel, M.D., MPH, MPhil, associate professor, UAB Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases; associate director, Global Health Research, UAB Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health (MHIGH), has been selected as the 2025 recipient of the HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA) Innovator Award, recognizing her outstanding and original contributions to HIV clinical care, research, education and community advocacy. The award was presented during the annual IDWeek® meeting, held each October, where leaders in infectious diseases gather to celebrate advancements in HIV medicine and public health.

In an ever-evolving global landscape, the urgency and complexity of public health challenges have only deepened. Yet, interest in global health continues to grow, and the Master of Science in Global Health (MSGH) program is seeing that firsthand. The MSGH program experienced growth in enrollment despite the challenging landscape in 2025.

For nearly a decade, a dedicated team from the UAB Department of Radiology has been making a meaningful global impact by providing remote CT interpretation and mentorship to hospitals in resource-limited regions of Africa. Through ongoing partnerships with Mbingo Baptist Hospital in Cameroon and Soddo Christian Hospital in Ethiopia, our team delivers high-quality subspecialty imaging support that helps bridge critical gaps in access to radiologic care.

A connection sparked at the 2023 Global Health Symposium has grown into a dynamic, mutually beneficial partnership between the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and the University of Buea in Cameroon, one that reflects the Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health’s (MHIGH) commitment to sustainable, relationship-driven global collaboration.

The 2025 AI and Technology in Global Health Symposium brought together an inspiring mix of global health leaders, researchers, clinicians, innovators, and students, all united by one goal: finding ways for AI and emerging technologies to help close the gaps that still exist in health around the globe.

As the current cycle of the NAF Heersink Family Charitable Foundation Scholarships wraps up, we’re proud to spotlight the journeys of this year’s two fellows: Cristian Ghergu from Maastricht University and Marcelo Malisano Barreto Filho from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Their experiences reflect the power of international collaboration to advance global health research while fostering personal and professional growth.

From September 21-27, 2025, a delegation from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) traveled to South Africa and Zambia to enhance institutional partnerships aimed at improving global health outcomes. The UAB delegation included Alan Tita, M.D., Ph.D., senior associate dean for Global and Women’s Health; J. Victor Garcia-Martinez, Ph.D., chair, UAB Department of Microbiology; J. Martin Rodriguez, M.D., FACP, FIPSA, Paul W. Burleson, M.D., Endowed Professor of Medicine; Rena C. Patel, M.D., MPH, MPhil, associate professor, UAB Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, associate director, MHIGH Global Health Research; and Stephen Obaro, M.D., Ph.D., professor, Pediatric Infectious Diseases, associate director, MHIGH Faculty Engagement and Service Initiatives.

In early 2025, Jonathan Kajjimu, MBBS, traveled from Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST), Uganda to the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) as part of the NIH D43 Integrated Networks of Scholars in Global Health Research Training (INSIGHT) program to participate in global health research mentorship under Matt Heimann, M.D., associate professor in the UAB Department of Emergency Medicine and associate director for Educational Programs in the Mary E. Heersink Institute for Global Health (MHIGH).

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with two medical institutions in India–the Pravara Institute of Medical Sciences University (PIMS-DU; Loni, Maharashtra) and Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed to be University Medical College (BVDU; Pune, Maharashtra).

The Cassell Family Bidirectional Training Program—empowered by the generous support of Ralph Cassell, Dr. Gail Cassell, and Dr. Cynthia Cassell—had its first major milestone in advancing global health initiatives and medical training in Peru with the launch of its first collaborative workshop. This program focuses on the bidirectional training of physicians in a global health fellowship through the UAB Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health and Partners in Health (PIH), known locally as Socios En Salud, in Lima, Peru.

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!

Rena C. Patel, M.D., MPH, MPhil, has been named associate director for Global Health Research for the UAB Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health (MHIGH), effective May 1. In this role, Patel, who also serves as an associate professor in the UAB Division of Infectious Diseases, will leverage her considerable experience with leading large-scale research programs and collaborations to advance the priorities of the UAB Heersink School of Medicine and MHIGH.

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 UAB Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health hosted a seminar on Tuesday, February 4, featuring guest speakers Lori Brand Bateman, Ph.D., RD, assistant professor in the Department of Medicine's Division of Preventive Medicine, and Karim Abd El Tawab, MBBCh, MRCP, an interventional radiology consultant at Ain Shams University Hospitals in Cairo, Egypt.

The UAB campus is rapidly being reimagined through numerous new construction and building renovation projects. These include projects that directly support the goals of UAB’s Forging Ahead strategic plan and Research Strategic Initiative: Growth with Purpose, which set a goal of increasing research expenditures to $1 billion, from $774.5 million in fiscal year 2023. Several projects also advance the Heersink School of Medicine’s strategic goals across its mission pillars in clinical care, medical education, and biomedical research. 

Cynthia Ye, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Alan T. N. Tita, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health (MHIGH) and associate dean for Global and Women’s Health, co-instruct the Global Health Research Methods course. In 2023, we met with Ye and Tita 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 partnership between The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and McMaster University (McMaster) was established to enhance the relationship between the two institutions through the promotion and development of collaborative research programs, academic and cultural exchange programs, and other cooperative activities.

Expressing a lifelong commitment to advancing global health, Gail H. Cassell, Ph.D., DSc (Hon.), and her family have generously donated $1 million to the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine to establish the Cassell Family Bidirectional Training Initiative within the Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health (MHIGH)

The AI in Medicine and Nursing Symposium, hosted by the UAB Heersink School of Medicine, UAB Medicine, UAB School of Health Professions, UAB School of Nursing, and Maastricht University Faculty of Science and Engineering, concluded successfully, bringing together leading experts, researchers, and industry representatives to explore the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in health care.

On Monday, Oct. 7, the Heersink School of Medicine hosted the 2024 Leadership in Academic Medicine Lecture in the Margaret Cameron Spain Auditorium. Jim Yong Kim, M.D., Ph.D., vice chairman and partner at Global Infrastructure Partners, presented his talk, "Reflections on 40 Years in Global Health: The Power of Faith in Things Unseen." Started in 2014, this annual lecture aims to bring high-profile leaders to UAB to discuss issues facing academic medical centers across all missions.

On September 28 and 29, 2023, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) held the inaugural UAB Global Health Symposium with a mission of “promoting equity in global health partnerships.” One year later, we reflect on the lasting impact of the symposium by recognizing collaborations that have seen continued success because of the event, including an ongoing partnership between UAB and Alexandria University.

The UAB Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health and the UAB Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, hosted a seminar on Thursday, Aug. 29, featuring guest speaker Michael Vinikoor, M.D., associate professor in the Department of Medicine at UAB.

The UAB Master of Science in Global Health (MSGH) program is uniquely offered by the UAB Heersink School of Medicine and the UAB School of Public Health. The degree connects students with cutting-edge global health research and practice through collaborations amongst the Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health, the Sparkman Center for Global Health, the Global Health Consortium, and several international partners. Camryn Durham and Divya Annamalai, two recent graduates of the program, share their experience.

The Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health hosted guest seminar speakers Jodie Dionne, M.D., associate professor in the Department of Medicine, and Michael Vinikoor, M.D., associate professor in the Department of Medicine, on Tuesday, June 4.

Global health partners from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) participated in the Global Health Consortium Symposium hosted by the Manipal Academy of Higher Education. This event served as a platform for students from collaborating universities to convene in Manipal, India, where they engaged in comprehensive learning experiences focused on health system mapping supported by faculty.

World Health Day is a global health awareness day celebrated every April 7, and is one of 11 global health campaigns marked by the World Health Organization (WHO). According to the WHO Council on the Economics of Health for All, at least 140 countries currently recognize health as a human right in their constitution. However, as of 2021, at least 4.5 billion people were not fully covered by essential health services.

The United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE) recently held its annual conference in Birmingham, Alabama, from Jan. 9-14, 2024. Hosted by the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) J. Frank Barefield, Jr. Entrepreneurship Program, the event, titled USASBE 2024: Forging the Future Together, brought together educators, innovators, and entrepreneurs from across the country and featured many team members from the UAB Heersink School of Medicine and UAB Medicine.

Stephen Obaro, M.D., Ph.D., has joined the Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health (MHIGH) as the associate director for Faculty Engagement and Service Initiatives, tasked to promote faculty engagement in global health.

James Johnston, M.D., and Martina Gonzalez-Gomez, M.D., M.Sc., partnered to create a global surgery course to equip students with a holistic understanding of surgical care's pivotal role in public health, healthcare systems, and international development.

The Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health hosted guest seminar speaker James Johnston, M.D., professor in the UAB Department of Neurosurgery and director of the Pediatric Neurosurgery Fellowship, on Tuesday, Feb. 6.

The Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health is excited to announce the first recipient of its telehealth pilot grant, Noha Sharafeldin, MBBCh, MSc, Ph.D.

Meghan Hofto, M.D., assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics and leader of the Pediatric Underserved and Global Health Scholars program, instructs both the Foundations of Global Health I and Foundations of Global Health II courses

The Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health hosted guest seminar speaker Albert Manasyan, M.D., MPH, associate professor in the UAB Department of Pediatrics and head of the Department of Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health at the Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ), on Tuesday, Dec. 5.

Co-investigators Paul V. Benson, M.D., associate professor in the Department of Pathology, and Threnesan Naidoo, M.B.Ch.B., professor and head of Division of Forensic Pathology at Walter Sisulu University and president of the College of Forensic Pathologists of South Africa, are using forensic pathology to research tuberculosis (TB) in a partnership between UAB and the Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI) in Durban, South Africa.

Alan T. N. Tita, M.D., Ph.D., director for the Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health (MHIGH) and associate dean for Global and Women’s Health, and Cynthia Ye, Ph.D., a researcher in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, have partnered to instruct the Global Health Research Methods course.

Emily Wong, M.D., assistant professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases, is the latest winner of the Heersink School of Medicine's Featured Discovery. This initiative celebrates important research from Heersink faculty members.

The inaugural UAB Global Health Symposium was held September 28-29, bringing together a diverse group of health care workers from around the world to discuss equity in global health.

Jodie Dionne, M.D., associate director of Global Health in the UAB Center for Women’s Reproductive Health and associate professor in the Department of Medicine, is working on a new R01 funded by NIH/NIAID focused on helping pregnant mothers keep their unborn babies safe from syphilis.

The Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health hosted guest seminar speaker Marcos Ribeiro, M.D., M.Sc., Ph.D., FCCP, associate professor in the Section of Pulmonology in the Department of Medicine at the Health Science Centre, State University of Londrina in Parana, Brazil on Tuesday, Oct. 3.

Luke Burleson, M.D., assistant professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine and program director of the Point-of-Care Ultrasound in Resource-Limited Settings (PURLS) fellowship, and Matthew Larrison, M.D., professor in the Department of Radiology, have implemented a Point-of-Care Ultrasound curriculum for family practice residents in Kenya.

UAB and the University Teaching Hospital/University of Zambia in Lusaka, Zambia have collaborated on a project titled “Interventions to Reduce Infant Mortality and Morbidity in Low Resource Settings,” which has been continuously funded since 2003. The funding for the ongoing program has been competitively renewed for a seven-year term by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) of the National Institutes of Health. 

Alan T. N. Tita, M.D., Ph.D., director for the Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health (MHIGH) and associate dean for Global and Women’s Health, recently visited South Africa to attend the International Maternal Newborn Health Conference (IMNHC) 2023 and visit the facilities of the Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI).

In this installment of MHIGH's Partner Profiles series, Dr. Isabel Scarinci shares about her life and work in global health.

Extended research has been conducted to understand how Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) can remain in the body for many years without causing any symptoms of the disease, only to suddenly become active and cause an explosive outbreak of tuberculosis (TB).

Representatives from the Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Service (CBCHS), a partner of the Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health, recently visited UAB’s campus. 

The Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health hosted guest seminar speaker German Henostroza, M.D., on June 6, 2023.