The UAB Department of Otolaryngology is pleased to welcome Michael J. Sillers, M.D., FACS, back to the faculty as clinical professor as of January 2025. He had previously been in private practice at the Alabama Nasal & Sinus Center.

Sillers earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Alabama in 1984 and graduated from the University of Alabama School of Medicine in 1988. After completing his residency in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at UAB in 1993, he pursued a fellowship in Rhinology and Sinus Surgery at the Medical College of Georgia in 1994. Sillers joined the faculty at UAB in the same year and later founded the Alabama Nasal and Sinus Center in 2005.

Sillers reflected on his recent return to the department.

“I had the privilege of practicing and influencing rhinology and skull base surgery during its infancy as a surgical subspecialty in the mid-1990s,” Sillers said. “I also had the opportunity to serve in leadership roles in the American Rhinologic Society, which has grown into a mature and influential subspecialty organization within our Academy.”

His return to UAB as a clinical faculty member carries deep personal significance.

“The opportunity arose when my partner, brother, and friend, Dr. Kris Lay, was diagnosed with a brain tumor,” Sillers explained. Kristopher F. Lay, M.D., a head and neck surgery otolaryngologist, recently passed away on Dec. 6, 2024. Lay had been a valued member of the Alabama Nasal & Sinus Center family with Sillers since 2013.

“We began discussions with Dr. (Brad) Woodworth about developing a collaborative endeavor to expand UAB ENT’s presence in the community,” Sillers said. “After thorough planning, it became clear that this partnership would be mutually beneficial, leading to the establishment of UAB ENT at 119. I am grateful to Dr. (Justin) Turner and UAB for recognizing our value and giving us this opportunity to serve.”

Sillers is committed to honoring Lay’s memory through excellence in patient care. He looks forward to contributing to the residency program and continuing to advance rhinologic care alongside the UAB faculty.