News & Events - School of Medicine - Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology

UAB researchers are part of a $3 million award to learn how to better treat lupus in Black patients

Lupus, an autoimmune disease that can attack any part of the body, can be confounding because patients often respond differently to the same treatment, and they vary widely in the severity of their symptoms.

$100 million in gifts to transform UAB School of Medicine

Record $95 million Heersink lead gift to advance strategic growth and biomedical innovation.

Memory killer T cells are primed in the spleen during influenza infection

This finding upends the long-held paradigm that priming during lung infections takes place only in the draining lymph nodes, and it will be key to developing more efficient vaccinations and therapies for respiratory challenges.

Advantages of intranasal vaccination against SARS-CoV-2

Intranasal vaccination is needle-free and elicits immunity at the site of infection, the respiratory tract.

UAB’s new Immunology Institute provides new avenues for discovery

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the urgent need for enhanced study and discovery in the field of immunology.

More than 1,100 employees to be honored with annual service awards

This year, the university recognizes 50 years of service by Jeanne Hutchison, Ph.D., and Ferdinand Urthaler, M.D., and 45 years of service by Robert Kim M.D., and Joseph Lovetto. In addition, 294 employees with 20 or more years and 904[…]

Danila Receives Innovative Research Award for Study on Telemedicine

Associate Professor Maria Danila, MD, MSc, MSPH has received an Innovative Research Award from the Rheumatology Research Foundation. She will investigate how increased tele-rheumatology due to COVID-19 impacts the health outcomes of patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases.

Grateful Donors Accelerate RA Research through Cytometry Gift

Dr. Troy Randall with cytometry equipment. The idea that cells are the unit of life began when Dutch scientist Antonie van Leeuwenhoek looked under a microscope. He was the first to observe that tissues were composed of tiny chambers—cells—that worked[…]

BIGDATA Aims to Improve Outcomes in Rheumatoid Arthritis

According to a 2019 Pew Research Study, about one in five U.S. adults regularly wears a smart watch or wearable fitness tracker. This trend is producing a wealth of health data that can be leveraged to improve medial practice and scientific[…]

Division Recruits Internationally Renowned Gout Researcher

Dr. Tony MerrimanProfessor Tony Merriman, PhD, FRSNZ, joins our faculty from the University of Otago in New Zealand. Dr. Merriman is an internationally recognized scientist and leader in the genetic basis of gout and rheumatoid arthritis. Dr. Merriman's research interests[…]

2020: The year in photos

Each year, UAB’s official photographers capture tens of thousands of images as they document the incredible variety of events and personalities that make up our community. Here are some of our favorite photos of some of the most dramatic months[…]

Singh receives $7.6 million in research funding for rheumatoid arthritis study

The study is funded by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute.

Rheumatology Research Foundation grant allows for advancement in telehealth

A recent grant to UAB researchers from a national organization will yield insight into telehealth and potentially increase patient access to rheumatic care.

Post COVID Treatment Program at UAB to help patients with persistent COVID-19 symptoms

A new multidisciplinary program within UAB Medicine will help evaluate patients who have recovered from COVID-19 but are still experiencing symptoms and link them to the specialized care they need.

Preclinical data for COVID-19 vaccine candidate show effectiveness and advantages

The vaccine candidate Altimmune’s AdCOVID potently stimulated neutralizing antibody and T cell responses, as well as mucosal immunity in the respiratory tract.

Saag named division director of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology

A long time UAB rheumatologist has been named director of division in the UAB School of Medicine.

BMT survivor study finds significant breast cancer risk in young women who received total body irradiation

Women who had total body irradiation to prepare for blood or marrow transplantation before age 30 had a 4.5-fold increase in their risk of developing breast cancer later in life.

Bridges named president of the Rheumatology Research Foundation

Bridges will serve a two-year term as president of a specialty research foundation.

Unrecognized genetic variation in research mouse models can affect immune cells

Unsuspected genetic variation among strains of mice can surreptitiously confound data results.

Machines help scientists spot new patterns in Alzheimer’s, cancer and more

Investigators attract major grants to use AI on failed drug trials, cell-free DNA and puzzling CT scans.

New Faculty Spotlight, Amanda Schnell, MD

We are delighted to welcome Amanda Schnell, MD, to the Division. Dr. Schnell has been appointed Assistant Professor of Medicine and will see patients in the Rheumatology Clinic at The Kirklin Clinic. As a clinician-educator, Dr. Schnell brings both compassion[…]

DREAM Challenge to automate assessment of radiographic damage from rheumatoid arthritis

UAB is helping develop automated technology to assess joint damage from rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatology Faculty and Fellows Visit Capitol Hill in Support of the Safe Step Act

Maggie Guthrie, MD, Lesley Jackson, MD, Amanda Schnell, MD, Kenneth G. Saag, MD, MSc, Courtney Crayne, MD, Nitasha Khullar, MD, and S. Louis Bridges, Jr., MD, Ph.D. were part of group of more than 100 patient advocates and individuals from The[…]

Research points to possible target to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, or IPF

This study included preclinical experiments and use of bronchoalveolar cells from IPF patients.

Max Cooper receives Lasker Award for immunology

Cooper spent 40 years at UAB, where he made countless discoveries in immunology.

How IL-6 allows the immune response to develop for a key cell, the T follicular helper

These preclinical findings may have therapeutic potential for autoimmune diseases like lupus.

The establishment of resident memory B cells in the lung requires local antigen encounter

The School of Medicine communications staff sat down with Dr. Randall to gain insights about his research, UAB, and the science community.

Biomarker identified for early beta cell death in Type 1 diabetes

The biomarker can identify beta cell death in children and adults with recent-onset Type 1 diabetes and in antibody-positive at-risk subjects before disease onset.

Three generations linked from shared rheumatic disease experiences

Three generations of a family are forever linked from their shared rheumatic disease experiences and care at UAB.

Louis Justement named FASEB president-elect

FASEB is the advocacy voice for the United States’ basic biomedical research community.

$17 million grant will explore immune cells in inaccessible tissues of the human body

Tissue-resident B cells likely have important differences that affect autoimmunity and transplant rejection.

Mechanism for impaired allergic inflammation in infants may explain hygiene hypothesis

The hygiene hypothesis says increased sanitation in industrialized countries has led to increases in asthma.

Kimberly named to National Academy of Inventors

The National Academy of Inventors elects another UAB faculty member, Dr. Robert Kimberly, as a fellow.

UAB rheumatologists serve in national leadership positions

Several UAB faculty members and trainees are in leadership positions in the American College of Rheumatology.

Memory B cells in the lung may be important for more effective influenza vaccinations

Up to now, it has not been clear if these cells might be useful to combat influenza infections or even if they exist at all.

New Developments in Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis

Borrowing from principles used in rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis management, current guidelines recommend that the overarching goal in the treatment of patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis be the achievement of remission or minimal disease activity in a treat-to-target approach.[…]

Singh receives PCORI award for implementation of lupus-specific decision-aid resources in clinics

UAB rheumatologist awarded funds by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute to implement decision-aid resources for lupus patients.

Brochure

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Agenda

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For more information or to register, please contact: Stephanie Ledbetter Phone: (205) 934-7423 Email: sledbetter@uabmc.edu

Policies

Cancellation There will be a $50 cancellation fee for cancellations received prior to September 15, 2018, after which time there are no refunds. UAB reserves the right to cancel or reschedule the conference due to unforeseen circumstances. CME Certification/PRA[…]

Lupus research excellence at UAB

Two Novel Research grants from the Lupus Research Alliance boost the study of this complex disease.

Spring 2018 Division Newsletter

Division Faculty Named Best Doctors in America Twelve of our faculty members were included on the 2017-2018 Best Doctors in America List. The list recognizes 350 UAB physicians in 39 specialties and 179 subspecialties who are among the[…]

New Developments in Psoriasis

PROGRAM OVERVIEW This symposium will consist of nine sessions presenting updates on the most recent developments in the diagnosis and treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis and their relevance to patient care. Participants will have the opportunity to interact[…]

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