Faculty
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Chu, Daniel I., M.D., MSPH, FASCRS
Professor
Division Director of GI Surgery
Selwyn M. Vickers, M.D., F.A.C.S. Endowed ChairAreas of Interest
colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, diverticular disease and anorectal pathology, health care disparities research, Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS), microbiome research -
Collawn, Sherry, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Areas of Interest
laser procedures, skin tightening, resurfacing, fat grafting, transplantation, liposuction, reepithelialization, skin grafts, wound healing, minimally invasive surgery, laser surgery, fat transplantation -
Colorectal Surgery Fellowship

Why choose UAB for your colorectal fellowship?
- Our fellowship program is focused on training the next generation of academic colorectal surgeons and leaders.
- Our faculty bring unique clinical expertise, experiences, and academic enrichment to the program.
- Strong clinical expertise in all areas of colorectal surgery and techniques including advanced MIS (robotic, laparoscopic, hand-assist, transanal).
- Strong research expertise and mentorship - our CRS faculty serve or have served as PI on 4 R01s, 1 U01, 2 K-awards, and national society grants including from the American College of Surgeons (ACS), the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons (ASCRS), the Association for Academic Surgery (AAS), and the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT).
- Strong training backgrounds and history at all major CRS programs.
- High-level leadership roles at all major surgical societies where we love to sponsor trainees (current leadership in ACS, ASCRS, AAS, SUS, SSAT, SAAS).
- Invested in mentorship and education with a long track-record of successful graduates
- Passionate about providing the highest-level care for our community - our faculty travel to rural sites to bring colorectal expertise to patients rather than expect patients to come to Birmingham.
- The UAB colorectal surgery fellowship will expose fellows to a busy clinical practice:
- Fellows see a high-volume of cases from bread-and-butter to complex referrals.
- Faculty perform over 500 anorectal cases, 900 abdominal cases (including >15 pouches and >100 LARs), and 500 endoscopies per year.
- Faculty provide colorectal surgery expertise at UAB Hospital, UAB Highlands, VA Birmingham, and affiliated community sites.
- UAB Hospital alone is the 8th largest public hospital in the country (>1200 beds), the #1 hospital in Alabama, and the main tertiary-referral center for the entire state of Alabama and surrounding regions.
- GI/GI Surgery (Digestive Health Program) ranked in top 50 of U.S. News and Reports.
- Over 40 operating rooms at UAB Hospital, 10+ robots, and colorectal surgery operations daily.
- UAB CRS fellows will become experienced with the entire spectrum of colorectal diseases:
- Weekly multidisciplinary conference that reviews all colorectal cancer cases.
- Weekly clinics and endoscopy sessions with colorectal faculty.
- Co-management of complex inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients with GI.
- On-call experiences at UAB Hospital – the Emergency Department cares for over 140,000 patients per year with a wide variety of emergency colorectal cases.
- Broad exposure to advanced surgical techniques:
- Advanced sphincter sparing techniques including intersphincteric proctectomies and coloanal anastomoses.
- Advanced robotic surgical techniques including single-port transanal excisions.
- Reoperative techniques in redo abdomens and abdominal catastrophes.
- Advanced laparoscopy and hand-assist laparoscopy.
- Complex joint cases with urology, gynecology oncology, surgical oncology, vascular surgery, cardiothoracic, spine, and many others specialists (these include sacrectomies, colon conduits for esophageal reconstructions, and exenterations).
Current Fellow and Alumni
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Emily Kao, M.D.
Class of 2026
Medical School:Case Western Reserve University
Residency: UCSF -
Luis Rivera, M.D.
Class of 2025
Medical School: Santo Domingo Institute of Technology
Residency: University of Miami -
Stevie Jay Stapler, M.D.
Class of 2024
Next Steps: St. Joseph Mercy Hospital
Medical School: University of Michigan Medical School
Residency: St. Joseph Mercy Hospital -
S. Thomas Kang, M.D.
Class of 2023
Next Steps: University of Arkansas, Department of Surgery
Medical School: Creighton University School of Medicine
Residency: TriHealth Good Samaritan Hospital -
Fady Elabbasy, M.D.
Class of 2022
Next Steps: Advent Health, Orlando, FL
Medical School: Cairo University, Egypt
Residency: Staten Island University Hospital -
Danielle Kay, M.D.
Class of 2021
Next Steps: Ochsner Medical Center, Department of Surgery
Medical School:Tulane University School of Medicine
Residency: University of Kentucky -
Edward Andrew Fazendin, M.D.
Class of 2020
Next Steps: Advanced Surgeons, P.C. at Grandview Medical Center
Medical School: Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
Residency: Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, General Surgery -
Michael J. Hernon, M.D.
Class of 2019
Next Steps: Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, Surgical Critical Care Fellowship
Medical School: University of Massachusetts, Worcester
Residency: Hartford Hospital, Hartford, Connecticut, General Surgery
Attendings
- Chu, Daniel I., M.D., MSPH, FASCRS
-
Hardiman, Karin M., M.D., Ph.D.
Professor
Associate Vice Chair, Basic Research
Program Co-Director, Future Surgeons and Scientists Investigating Oncology (FUSSION)
Associate Director, Physician Scientist Development Office (PSDO)
Assistant Program Director for Resident Research, General Surgery Residency Program
Strange Family Endowed Professorship in Surgical Sciences ResearchAreas of Interest
colon and rectal surgery, intestinal surgery -
Hollis, Robert H., M.D., M.S.P.H.
Assistant Professor
Member, Institute for Cancer Outcomes & Survivorship
Leader, Colorectal Cancer Management Team for the O’Neal Cancer Service Line
Co-Director, Short-Term Research Experiences Advancing Medical Students (STREAMS)Areas of Interest
clinical interests include colon, rectal, and anal cancer; hereditary colorectal cancer syndromes (i.e. Lynch syndrome, familial adenomatous polyposis); surgical management of inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease); pelvic pouch surgery; diverticulitis; rectal prolapse; benign anorectal disorders; enterocutaneous fistula; minimally invasive surgery; re-operative surgeryresearch interests include hereditary colorectal cancer; ostomy care; health inequities; quality of care
-
Kennedy, Gregory, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor
John H. Blue Chair of General Surgery
Cancer Network Director, O’Neal Cancer Service Line
Interim Program Director, UAB Colorectal Surgery FellowshipAreas of Interest
colon cancer, rectal cancer, anal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, benign conditions of colon, rectum and anus, endoscopic treatment of colonic disease, chemoprevention -
Morris, Melanie S., M.D., FASCRS
Professor
Vice Chair, Perioperative Services
Chief of General Surgery, Birmingham VA Hospital
Associate Chief Quality Officer, UAB MedicineAreas of Interest
minimally invasive colorectal surgery, colon and rectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis), diverticulitis, and rectal prolapse
Contact
For more information, please contact:
Gregory Kennedy, MD, PhD
Program Director
gkennedy@uabmc.edu -
Cook, William H., M.D.
Clinical Assistant Professor
Primary Practice Location: Montgomery BaptistAreas of Interest
adult heart and lung surgery (coronary bypass, heart valve, and aneurysm surgery), minimally invasive heart and lung surgery (TAVR procedure), lung cancer surgery, surgical diseases of the chest wall and lung -
Corey, Britney, M.D., MACM
Associate Professor
Program Director, General Surgery Residency
Marshall Urist, M.D., Endowed ProfessorAreas of Interest
minimally invasive GI surgery, foregut and anti-reflux, abdominal wall hernias, surgical education -
Cox, Daniel B., M.D.
Professor
Chief, Trauma Service
Trauma Medical DirectorAreas of Interest
trauma, surgical critical care, trauma systems, military medicine -
Dabal, Robert, M.D.
Professor
Chief, Section of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery
Director, Fourth Year Medical Student Clerkship
A.D. Pacifico, M.D., Endowed Chair of Cardiovascular SurgeryAreas of Interest
pediatric cardiac surgery, quality improvement and outcomes research -
Davies, James, M.D.
Professor
Director, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery
John W. Kirklin Endowed Chair of Cardiovascular Surgery
Surgical Director, Cardiovascular Operating Room
Director, UAB Cardiovascular InstituteAreas of Interest
adult cardiac surgery, cardiac valvular disease, transcatheter aortic valve replacement, outcomes research -
Day, Russell, M.D.
Assistant ProfessorAreas of Interest
combat casualty care, emergency response, shock, resuscitation, critical care, translational medicine, medical education, austere medical care, extracorporeal life support -
de la Torre, Jorge, M.D., MSHA
Professor
Director, Division of Plastic Surgery
Bruce F. Connell M.D., Endowed Chair in Plastic SurgeryAreas of Interest
abdominoplasty, aesthetic surgery, body contouring, breast reduction and mastopexy procedures, complex wound healing problems including pressure sores, liposuction, trunk contouring after gastric bypass -
Denney, Brad, M.D.
Associate Clinical Professor
Areas of Interest
breast reconstruction, abdominal wall reconstruction, body contouring, aesthetic breast surgery, facial rejuvenation -
Donahue, James M., M.D.
Associate Professor
Section Chief, Thoracic Surgery
James H. Estes Family Endowed Chair for Lung Cancer Research in the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UABAreas of Interest
lung and esophageal cancer surgery, chest wall surgery, tracheal resection and reconstruction, mediastinal tumors, outcomes research, airway disorders, lung cancer, esophageal cancer, lung nodules, mediastinal tumors, chest wall tumors, malignant pleural effusions, pneumothorax, esophageal disease (benign) -
Dr. Martin to speak at the Neuroscience Café series

On Monday, February 17, 2020 at 6:30 p.m. in the Hoover Public Library, Department of Surgery Associate Professor Colin Martin, M.D., FAAP, FACS, will speak on "Diet, Stress, and Gut Health" along with Professor and Graduate Program Director of Biology Stephen Watts, Ph.D.
-
Dream, Sophie, M.D., MPH

Associate Professor
Chief, Section of Endocrine SurgeryAreas of Interest
Hyperparathyroidism, parathyroidectomy, thyroid radiofrequency ablation -
Eudailey, Kyle W., M.D.
Associate Professor
Program Director, Advanced Aortic and Endovascular Surgery Fellowship
Medical Director, Division of Cardiothoracic SurgeryAreas of Interest
aortic aneurysmal disease, aortic dissection, aortic valve repair and valve sparring aortic root replacement, aortic stent grafting and endovascular aneurysm repair (TEVAR), minimally invasive valve repair, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) -
Fix, R. Jobe, M.D.
Professor
Areas of Interest
breast reconstruction and hand surgery -
Fonseca, Annabelle L., M.D., MHS
Associate Professor
Co-Director, Pre-College Research Internship for Scholarship and Mentoring (PRISM)Areas of Interest
pancreatic, liver, gallbladder and bile duct diseases and cancers, stomach cancer, small bowel tumors, health disparities research -
Gagne, Eliot, M.D.
Clinical Assistant ProfessorAreas of Interest
clinical and translational research in trauma and general surgery, hemorrhage control, complex abdominal pathology, infectious complications, educational innovation using cognitive retention tools -
Galli, Aurelio, Ph.D., D.Sc.
Professor
Vice Chair, Basic Research
Director for Gastrointestinal Biology Research
Champ Lyons Endowed Chair in General Surgery
Distinguished Professor in the Heersink School of MedicineAreas of Interest
brain development and plasticity, neurotransmitters, substance abuse -
Garonzik Wang, Jacqueline, M.D., Ph.D.

Professor
Director, Division of Transplantation
Co-Director, UAB Comprehensive Transplant InstituteAreas of Interest
Kidney transplantation, Liver transplantation, Living donation, Machine Perfusion, Health Services Research -
Gelbard, Rondi B., M.D.
Professor
Medical Director for Surgery/ Surgical Critical Care
Chief of Critical Care ServiceAreas of Interest
trauma, critical care, emergency general surgery, surgery education research, biomarkers, wound healing -
George, James, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus
Areas of Interest
immune regulation of post-transplant vascular disease and allograft rejection, transplantation and heart failure outcomes research -
Gibson, Quince, M.D., MBA
Assistant Professor
Primary Practice Location: Whitfield Regional Medical Center, DemopolisAreas of Interest
global surgery, rural surgery, health informatics, genetic epidemiology -
Gillis, Andrea, M.D., MSPH
Assistant Professor
Director of Endocrine Surgery Research
Co-Director, Pre-College Research Internship for Scholarship and Mentoring (PRISM)
Associate Clerkship Director, UAB Surgery
Committee Leader, Surgical Grand RoundsAreas of Interest
breast and endocrine surgery, surgical oncologyGiri, Bhuwan, MBBS
Assistant ProfessorAreas of Interest
progression from immune homeostasis that leads to permissive dysplasia in colitis-associated cancer and novel avenues for its prevention, diagnosis, and treatmentGleason, Lauren Theiss, M.D., MSPH
Assistant Professor
Co-Director, Women in SurgeryAreas of Interest
colon, rectal, and anal cancer; surgical management of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis; diverticulitis; benign anorectal disorders; robotic and minimally invasive surgeryGleason, Michael "Frank," M.D., MSPH

Assistant Professor
Areas of Interest
Diaphragm surgery, lung and esophageal cancer, chest wall trauma and tumors, diseases of the trachea, mediastinal tumors, pleural disease, pneumothorax, paraesophageal hernias, esophageal motility disorders, outcomes research, clinical trials, educationGoddard, Sabrina, M.D.
Assistant ProfessorAreas of Interest
trauma and acute care surgeryGrams, Jayleen M., M.D.
Professor
Vice Chair, VA Affairs
Associate Chief of Staff, VA Surgical Services
Director, Minimally Invasive Surgery at Birmingham VA
Assistant Program Director, Minimally Invasive Surgery FellowshipAreas of Interest
foregut and bariatric surgery, achalasia, gastroesophageal reflux disease, hiatal or paraesophageal hernias, morbid obesity and metabolic syndrome, role of the microbiome in obesity, outcomes researchGray, Hampton, M.D.

Assistant Professor
Areas of Interest
congenital heart disease, neonatal cardiac surgery, single ventricle palliation, heart transplantation, adult congenital heart disease, quality improvement, clinical outcomes research.Guenter, Rachael, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Areas of Interest
neuroendocrine tumors, notch signaling pathway, theranostics, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomaGutnik, Lily A., M.D.
Assistant Professor
Associate Vice Chair, Global Surgery Equity
Assistant Program Director for Global Surgery, General Surgery Residency Program
Associate Scientist, O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UABAreas of Interest
global surgery, global oncology, disparities, health services research, financial toxicity, oncoplasticsHanaway, Michael J., M.D.
Professor
Surgical Director, Kidney Transplantation
Martha Robinson Tankersley Endowed Professorship in Transplant Clinical ExcellenceAreas of Interest
kidney transplantation, pancreas transplantation, induction therapyHanney, Richard, M.D.

Professor
Hardiman, Karin M., M.D., Ph.D.
Professor
Associate Vice Chair, Basic Research
Program Co-Director, Future Surgeons and Scientists Investigating Oncology (FUSSION)
Associate Director, Physician Scientist Development Office (PSDO)
Assistant Program Director for Resident Research, General Surgery Residency Program
Strange Family Endowed Professorship in Surgical Sciences ResearchAreas of Interest
colon and rectal surgery, intestinal surgeryHarris, Richard, DPM, FACFAS

Clinical Assistant Professor
VA PodiatristAreas of Interest
diabetic limb salvage, foot & ankle reconstruction, reducing postoperative complications, and improving clinical outcomes.Hashmi, Zain, M.D.
Assistant ProfessorAreas of Interest
trauma systems, trauma benchmarking, quality improvement, surgical critical careHaverstock, Brent, DPM, FACFAS, FASPS, MRCPod, FFPM RCPS (Glasg)
Clinical Assistant Professor
Co-director, UAB Advanced Limb Preservation ClinicAreas of Interest
prevention of diabetes-related foot complications, diabetic foot complications, wound care, bone infection, Charcot foot, limb salvage, outcomes researchHazen, Benjamin, M.D.
Clinical Assistant ProfessorAreas of Interest
hemorrhage control and the use of whole blood, integrating minimally invasive surgery in trauma, and the optimization of resident education and autonomyHendershot, Kimberly M., M.D.
Professor
Co-Director, Women in Surgery Program
Director of Education, Division of Trauma & Acute Care SurgeryAreas of Interest
trauma systems, surgical critical care, trauma and surgical educationHeslin, Martin J., M.D., MSHA
Professor
Chief Medical and Quality OfficerAreas of Interest
diseases of the stomach, small bowel, liver, pancreas, colorectal surgeryHewgley, W. Preston, M.D.
Assistant ProfessorAreas of Interest
burns, continuity of care, coagulation, hemostasis, and general surgery educationHidalgo, Luis G., Ph.D.

Clincal Assistant Professor
Areas of Interest
Histocompatibility and ImmunogeneticsHolcomb, John B., M.D.
Professor
Areas of Interest
acute care surgery, injury research, trauma surgeryHollis, Robert H., M.D., M.S.P.H.
Assistant Professor
Member, Institute for Cancer Outcomes & Survivorship
Leader, Colorectal Cancer Management Team for the O’Neal Cancer Service Line
Co-Director, Short-Term Research Experiences Advancing Medical Students (STREAMS)Areas of Interest
clinical interests include colon, rectal, and anal cancer; hereditary colorectal cancer syndromes (i.e. Lynch syndrome, familial adenomatous polyposis); surgical management of inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease); pelvic pouch surgery; diverticulitis; rectal prolapse; benign anorectal disorders; enterocutaneous fistula; minimally invasive surgery; re-operative surgeryresearch interests include hereditary colorectal cancer; ostomy care; health inequities; quality of care
Holman, William, M.D.
Professor Emeritus
Areas of Interest
adult cardiac surgery, surgery for heart failure, mechanical circulatory support and surgery for heart failure, surgical educationHolmes, Katelin, D.O.
Clinical Assistant ProfessorAreas of Interest
Breast cancer surgery, hidden scar techniques, oncoplastic breast surgery, skin sparing mastectomy, nipple sparing mastectomy, prophylactic/risk reduction mastectomy, benign diseases of the breast, breastfeeding medicine, breast cancer survivorship, breast cancer genetic, predisposition, high risk screening, male breast cancer, treatment of breast cancerHurst, Stuart D., M.D.
Assistant ProfessorAreas of Interest
clinical outcomes in trauma, trauma systems, the management of the injured patient, surgical education, penetrating cardiac injury, emergency general surgeryHuynh, Victoria, M.D.

Assistant Professor
Areas of Interest
breast cancer, patient reported outcomes, quality improvement, improving access to breast cancer careHwang, James, M.D.
Professor
Director, UAB Burn Center
Chief, Burn ServiceAreas of Interest
burn surgery, wound healing, wound carePage 1 of 3
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