News - School of Medicine - Surgery

UAB team wins AHA prize for project mapping links between health disparities and COVID-19

An interdisciplinary team of faculty and graduate students are using machine learning to identify geographic areas in which social determinants contribute to the COVID-19 burden as a way to improve the public health response.

Hello, goodbye 2020: Colorectal Surgery Fellowship

Although Match Day 2020 did not look exactly like match day in years past due to the COVID-19 outbreak, fourth-year medical students and residents across the country engaged online through social media, sharing where they were matched. While it was impossible to have everyone in the same room at one time, the excitement could still be felt virtually.

Out of the Office Spotlight Series: Jan Jansen, MBBS, Ph.D.

This surgeon-scientist spends his weekends jumping out of planes.

Reed wins Deep South RCMAR grant

UAB Division of Transplantation Assistant Professor Rhiannon Deierhoi Reed, MPH, DrPH, has won a one-year Deep South Resource Center for Minority Aging (RCMA) Pilot Grant Award. The award is supported by award number P30AG031054 from the National Institute on Aging.

Shao wins Association of Women Surgeons DEI award

UAB General Surgery Research Resident Connie Shao, M.D., was one of 16 trainees across the nation selected for the inaugural Association of Women Surgeons (AWS) Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion (DEI) Conference Award.

Hendershot inducted into ACS Academy of Master Surgeon Educators

Kimberly Hendershot, M.D., assistant professor in the UAB Division of Acute Care Surgery, has been named an associate member in the new American College of Surgeons Academy of Master Surgeon Educators™.

UAB Medicine provides safe cardiovascular care during COVID-19

There is a narrow window of opportunity for successfully treating major cardiovascular events, and patients risk serious consequences if they wait for symptoms to get worse before seeking medical attention.

Department leaders champion diversity, equity and inclusion across the nation

The UAB Department of Surgery has several ongoing diversity, equity and inclusions (DEI) strategies in the areas of culture, accountability, hiring and training.

Chu reminds us the importance of colorectal screenings

Associate Professor of Gastrointestinal Surgery and Associate Director of Health Services Research Daniel Chu, M.D., was featured in UAB News and CBS 42 as an expert voice on colon cancer, following the death of actor Chadwick Boseman.

Division of Breast and Endocrine Surgery matches with 2021-22 fellow

The Division of Breast and Endocrine Surgery is pleased to introduce the 2021-22 Endocrine Surgery Fellow, Andrea Gillis, M.D.

Richter wins five-year NIGMS R35 grant

Acute Care Surgery Assistant Professor Jillian Richter, Ph.D., has won a five-year $1.8 million National Institute for General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) grant.

Cancer health and education providers stress importance of colorectal cancer awareness following death of “Black Panther” actor

Black people in the United States have the highest rates of colorectal cancer of any racial or ethnic group, according to the American Cancer Society.

Okor and Snyder receive 2020 Brewer-Heslin Award

Erin Snyder, M.D. and Mamerhi Okor, M.D. are this year’s winners of the highly regarded Brewer-Heslin Award.

Kennedy and Unger win UAB i6 innovation grant

Director and Professor of the Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery Gregory Kennedy, M.D., Ph.D. (left), and Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy Assistant Professor Ken Unger, DPM, FACFAS, DABFS (right), have been awarded grants from the Regional Innovation Strategies i6 Challenge administered by the U.S. Economic Development Administration.

Marayati takes 2nd place in UAB Graduate School symposium

General surgery research resident Raoud Marayati, M.D., won the second place award for her oral presentation at the virtual UAB Graduate Biomedical Sciences/Joint Health Sciences 2020 Annual Research Symposium.

Rose wins supplemental NIH grant

Surgical Oncology Assistant Professor and Director of the UAB Pancreatobiliary Disease Center Bart Rose, M.D., MAS, has been awarded an administrative supplement to his National Institutes of Health K08 grant.

Orandi joins AST and AASLD committees

Transplantation Assistant Professor Babak Orandi, M.D., Ph.D., Ms.C., has been invited to join both the American Society of Transplantation (AST) Clinic Scientific Review Committee as well as the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) Surgery and Liver Transplantation Committee.

Vickers and Pisu receive $3 million National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities grant

Drs. Vickers and Pisu will use a $3 million, five-year National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities grant to study barriers that may exist for GI cancer patients to access quality cancer surgery in Alabama and Mississippi.

Low health literacy may be a risk factor for postoperative infection

Low or limited health literacy is common among adults in the United States and may affect health outcomes in many ways, according to the government’s Healthy People 2020.

Gunnells wins Obesity Health Disparities Research Center grant

Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery Assistant Professor Drew Gunnells, M.D., was awarded an Obesity Health Disparities Research Center (OHDRC) Investigators award for his project “Evaluating the impact of COVID-19 on surgical outcomes in patients with obesity.”

Jaskula-Sztul wins two-year NCI R21 grant

Assistant Professor in the Division of Breast and Endocrine Surgery Renata Jaskula-Sztul, Ph.D., has received a two-year, $381,830 National Institutes of Health (NIH) NCI R21 grant. This is her second R21 grant award for 2020.

Hello, goodbye 2020: Plastic Surgery Residency

Although Match Day 2020 did not look exactly like match day in years past due to the COVID-19 outbreak, fourth-year medical students across the country engaged online through social media, sharing where they were matched. While it was impossible to have everyone in the same room at one time, the excitement could still be felt virtually.

Jaskula-Sztul awarded O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center research grant

Department of Surgery Assistant Professor Renata Jaskula-Sztul, Ph.D., has won a two-year, $160,000 O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB grant- which is designed to enable competitive R01 applications- for her project "Inhibition of Medullary Thyroid Cancer Invasiveness by Targeting Voltage-gated Sodium Channels."

Hello, goodbye 2020: Trauma and Surgical Critical Care Fellowship

Although Match Day 2020 did not look exactly like match day in years past due to the COVID-19 outbreak, fourth-year medical students across the country engaged online through social media, sharing where they were matched. While it was impossible to have everyone in the same room at one time, the excitement could still be felt virtually.That means that it is time for us to say goodbye to our trainees who have matched into fellowship programs or private practice. But, it is also time to say hello to our incoming residents from medical schools across the nation.In an ongoing series, the[…]

“I’m a best-case scenario” — heart, double-lung transplant gives UAB student new perspective

Cooper Pierce was 13 years old when doctors diagnosed him with pulmonary hypertension. He had a heart and double-lung transplant at UAB Hospital. Now, he is a student at UAB and hopes his story can inspire others.

Phosphoprotein biomarkers to guide cancer therapy are identified

A study identifying biomarkers for certain neuroendocrine cancers demonstrates a novel approach for identifying and detecting tumor drivers, giving this diagnostic-therapeutic coupled system a broad translational potential.

Trauma/Burn ICU wins Hand in Paw award

UAB's Trauma Burn intensive care unit is honored for their use of therapy dogs.

Transplanting organs from hepatitis C-positive donors decreases wait time for recipients

Doctors at UAB are now able to safely transplant organs from hepatitis C-positive donors into uninfected recipients and then treat the patients with antiviral therapy.

Study: Women more likely than men to die waiting for a liver transplant

New evidence for sex disparity in liver transplants suggests a change may be needed in how livers are allocated.

COVID-19 is not the only health threat in town

Trauma centers are not as busy as usual, but injuries from falls and acts of violence are rising.

Sixteen faculty members named winners of 2020 Dean’s Excellence Awards

Sixteen outstanding faculty members have been named recipients of the 2020 Dean’s Excellence Awards in the areas of teaching, research, service, mentorship, and diversity.

Lindeman named 2020 Dean's Excellence Award Winner in Service

Brenessa Lindeman, M.D. MEHP, FACS, assistant professor in the Department of Surgery, is a junior faculty recipient of the 2020 Dean's Excellence Award for Service.

Dudeja named director of UAB Division of Surgical Oncology

Dudeja is a leader in the treatment of colorectal liver metastases and chronic pancreatitis.

Uhlich and Hwang team up with Bham Face Masks to deliver 500 home face masks

Sick with COVID-19 herself, a UAB resident physician sews masks to help others.

Faculty editors share ways their journals are responding to COVID-19

Scientific journals tackle the tough questions with rigor. Learn the questions consuming these thought leaders in sociology, pathology, civil engineering and surgery.

Things you can do today to help improve your mental health amid COVID-19 outbreak

Social distancing can be tough. A UAB clinical psychologist has some pointers for good mental health.

UAB receives grand prize from National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable

Colorectal cancer screening among UAB employees enrolled in a medical plan increased from 54 percent in 2014 to 68 percent in 2019.

UAB’s Kerby named first state trauma consultant

UAB chief trauma surgeon Jeff Kerby will consult with the Alabama Department of Public Health on ways to improve the state’s trauma system.

Chen named editor-in-chief of American Journal of Surgery

Chen is the chair of the UAB Department of Surgery.

Martin named James IV Association of Surgeons traveler

Martin is the second UAB surgeon in the last three years to be selected for this fellowship.

Chen named editor-in-chief of American Journal of Surgery

Herb Chen, M.D., FACS, surgeon-in-chief and chair of the Department of Surgery, has been selected as the new editor-in-chief of American Journal of Surgery.

Faculty projects funded through 2019 Multi-PI Awards

Three School of Medicine faculty projects were recently funded as AMC21 2019 Multi-PI awardees.

Recovering trauma patient with an eye toward naval career vows to “use every breath I have to help others”

Cole Burton came back to the UAB Trauma Center to say thanks as his rehab progresses to a possible naval career.

UAB named a top 50 cardiovascular hospital by IBM Watson Health

UAB is continuing its world-class patient care with the establishment of a new Division of Breast and Endocrine Surgery.

Resident macrophages reprogram toward a developmental state after acute kidney injury

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

Department of Surgery establishes new Division of Breast and Endocrine Surgery

UAB is continuing its world-class patient care with the establishment of a new Division of Breast and Endocrine Surgery.

Study: Medical and surgical residents’ lack of sleep recovery leads to persistent fatigue

A new study shows the quality of sleep medical and surgical residents receive is poor and causes persistent fatigue throughout residency.

Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery to host esophageal cancer event

The UAB Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery will host an esophageal cancer event on the first-floor lobby of The Kirklin Clinic on Nov. 15.

Heart procedure won’t slow down 97-year-old World War II veteran

Trussville resident and World War II veteran Chuck Tompkins has no intention of slowing down, even after undergoing a TAVR procedure.

A $60 kit could help Stop the Bleed, save a life

Just one bleeding-control kit could make all the difference in the event of a mass shooting, explosion or car accident, trauma surgeons say. Learn to use a kit and buy them for your unit or donate kits to the Division of Acute Care Surgery to provide more training at UAB and in the community.

Transplant outreach arrives at Huntsville Regional Campus

UAB transplant hepatologists will see patients at the Huntsville Regional Campus once a month to make it more convenient to North Alabama residents.

35,000 miles, $100,000 and 5 paths to global change

Five faculty are translating proven methods directly from Birmingham to locations around the world with pilot funding from the Sparkman Center for Global Health.

UAB opens new Multidisciplinary Endocrine Tumor Clinic

Patients with thyroid, parathyroid, pancreas and adrenal tumors will soon have a one-stop shop for endocrine neoplasia treatment.

Full circle kindness: Transplant patients hope to inspire others

What connected two people before pales in comparison to what connects them now.

UAB expands use of virtual care technology

The ERAS program is a patient-centered approach leading to better patient satisfaction and health outcomes.

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.

How do I talk to my child about surgery?

For many parents, talking about surgery can be tough. UAB doctors help share tips for having these conversations.

UAB Hospital using whole blood in transfusions for severe trauma

Lessons learned on the battlefield have brought about a change in blood usage at UAB.

Woman’s Christmas present: Surviving an internal decapitation

The ATV hit a barbwire fence and virtually cut her head off. Her story of survival is amazing.

Battling low health literacy one step at a time

Patients with low health literacy are at high risk of having poor health outcomes and experiences.

Brain protein mutation from person with autism causes autism-like behavioral changes in mice

This is a potential mechanistic underpinning — at least in a subset of patients — for the altered behaviors observed in autism.

UAB experts weigh in on Trump’s kidney disease executive order

This executive order could mean positive change in Alabama, which has the third-highest death rate from kidney diseases in the nation.

An innovative procedure is bringing hope, comfort to acid reflux patients

A new magnetic device eases symptoms of GERD

Three siblings share cancer diagnosis due to rare genetic mutation

MEN2A is a rare, hereditary condition occurring in roughly one in 35,000 people in the United States.

Vickers honored with Dr. James T. Black Award

Vickers was motivated by his uncle, Leroy Vickers, to seek a career in medicine, where he has become a world-renowned surgeon, pancreatic cancer researcher and pioneer in health disparities research.

Hernias can happen to anyone, especially after abdominal surgery

Every year, nearly 700,000 Americans have surgery for groin hernias.

Chu receives $430K research award from NIH

The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) of the National Institutes of Health recently awarded Daniel Chu, M.D., associate professor in the Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery, a Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award for his research project, “Enhancing Health Literacy in Surgery to Eliminate Surgical Disparities for African-Americans with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.”

Learn about hernias, treatments and diagnoses

UAB doctors will host a free communitywide education event to discuss treatment and diagnosis of hernias.

UAB Hospital prepares for when disaster strikes

Maintaining emergency awareness and being prepared is a year-round activity.

Eighteen faculty members named winners of the 2019 Dean's Excellence Awards

Eighteen outstanding faculty members were named recipients of the 2019 Dean’s Excellence Awards, an honor recognizing exceptional contributions made by School of Medicine faculty in service, teaching, research, diversity enhancement and mentorship.

Stop the Bleed training in the month of May

May is Stop the Bleed Month, and UAB ramps up these bleeding-control training classes.

Living donor navigators are crucial part of organ transplant

Founded in 2017, the navigator program works with both recipients and donors to identify needs and guide each through the process to transplantation and post-transplant.

Vickers named president-elect of the American Surgical Association

Selwyn Vickers, M.D., FACS, senior vice president for Medicine and dean of the School of Medicine, has been named president-elect of the American Surgical Association (ASA). The ASA was founded in 1880 and is the nation's oldest and most prestigious surgical organization.

$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.

City of Birmingham offers paid leave for living organ donors

The city of Birmingham joins UAB and the state of Alabama by providing paid leave for living organ donors.

Huh named 51st president of national gynecologic oncology society

UAB gynecologic oncologist Huh will serve in a leadership role within a national gynecologic organization.

Celebrate Women's History Month with the women who shape UAB

From traveling to Antarctica to publishing children’s books, from taking biology educational tools to India to planting pollinator gardens on campus, women have been integral to shaping UAB’s reputation its 50-year history. As part of its annual coverage of Women’s History Month, the UAB Reporter has gathered examples of its more recent coverage of women at UAB.

UAB graduate and professional programs again ranked among the nation’s best

U.S. News & World Report ranking features a number of UAB programs ranked in the top 25, including a School of Health Professions’ master’s program at No. 1.

New single port robot changing robotic surgery at UAB

Patients at UAB now have access to state-of-the-art robotic surgery technology.

Human brain protein associated with autism confers abnormal behavior in fruit flies

The human dopamine transporter protein is missing a single amino acid.

School of Medicine celebrates third annual Diversity Fair

The School of Medicine’s Office for Diversity and Inclusion hosted its third annual Diversity Fair Jan. 25, 2019 in the atrium of North Pavilion. Hundreds of guests attended and enjoyed wandering among the booths to sample cuisines while listening to the sound of international music.

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