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Could a common natural sweetener be silently fueling the spread of cancer?

HyeYoung Nam, Ph.D., Instructor in the UAB Department of Urology, has been awarded an O’Neal NextGen Faculty Development award from the O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center (OCCC) for her study, “Altered fructose metabolism drives renal cancer tumorigenesis by promoting lipolysis.”

Members of the UAB Department of Urology will be participating in the World Congress of Endourology and Uro-Technology (WCET) happening Aug. 12-16, 2024 in Seoul, South Korea. 

According to its website, this annual meeting of the WCET is a platform for "the worldwide advancement and dissemination of minimally-and non-invasive urologic surgical techniques including endoscopic surgery, percutaneous surgery, laparoscopy, robotic surgery, pediatric urology, reconstructive urology, focal therapy, active surveillance, and medical management," among others. 

The UAB Department of Urology hosted its annual graduation ceremony on Friday, June 21, 2024, at The Country Club of Birmingham.

In addition to honoring its three graduating residents, Luke Austin Ross Shumaker, M.D., Vijay Manyan Vishwanath, M.D., and Milton A'Keen Williams, M.D., the department recognized several individuals with its end-of-year awards.

The UAB Department of Urology is honoring its three graduating residents in 2024 after their five years of successful training with the department.

Take a look at where Luke Austin Ross Shumaker, M.D., Vijay Manyan Vishwanath, M.D., and Milton A'Keem Williams, M.D., started —and where their career paths will be taking them next. Congratulations!

The UAB Department of Urology associate professor, Kyle Wood, M.D., has recently graduated from the UAB Healthcare Leadership Academy (HLA).

Our quarterly newsletter disseminates significant updates regarding research, education, and clinical advancements undertaken by our esteemed faculty, residents, fellows, alumni, staff, and associates in the Department of Urology.

Hiboombe Haamankuli, DNP, MSN, ACNP-BC, is an experienced acute care nurse practitioner and instructor with the UAB School of Nursing, specializing in adult gerontology and a passionate advocate for increasing research and awareness for prostate cancer. Haamankuli is currently working with the UAB Department of Urology and O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center on a fundraising campaign in honor of his father who is now cancer–free thanks to early detection and intervention methods. In unison with the campaign, Haamankuli is training to complete two endurance races by the end of the year in order to raise awareness, promote education and fundraise for prostate cancer research.

As the oldest sibling of four boys, Haamankuli has always possessed a caring and nurturing spirit, qualities essential for his future career in nursing. His decision to pursue nursing medicine was solidified during high school, when Haamankuli witnessed his grandmother’s gradual decline due to complications from a stroke, and ultimately succumbing to them. Many of these complications could have been prevented had Haamankuli’s grandmother had access to adequate resources and care, which were, lacking in the rural parts of Zambia where she resided. This canon experience compelled Haamankuli to pursue a career that involved providing healthcare to all, especially the most vulnerable, and nursing thus became his chosen avenue.

Like many rural areas all over the world, patients from rural areas in Alabama deal with similar shortcomings in terms of conveniently receiving proper care. According to the Alabama Department of Health (ADPH), 43.6% of the entire state population lives in rural areas, which makes it challenging for many to have less sufficient access to healthcare.

Haamankuli became involved with prostate cancer care after his father was diagnosed with a highly aggressive form of the disease. Early detection methods and treatment played a crucial role in saving his father’s life. However, Haamankuli soon realized that the majority of men diagnosed with lethal cancer do not have the same fortunate outcome. He made a personal commitment to raise awareness surrounding prostate cancer, emphasizing the importance of early detection and prompt treatment.

Haamankuli believes that there is a significant knowledge gap when it comes to prostate health among men in general, and even more specifically, the lack of understanding is even more pronounced in at-risk populations.

“I think there is also a lack of individuals who can disseminate prostate cancer research findings to the highly-vulnerable men. We need more clinicians and researchers to reach out to men in these communities,” says Haamankuli.

His primary approach to raising prostate cancer awareness involves fundraising for cancer research, after recognizing the pivotal role that research plays in developing life-saving treatments.

In collaboration with the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Department of Urology, Haamankuli initiated a fundraising campaign as a tribute to his father, Bbwaani Haamankuli. The initiative's ultimate goal is to ensure that early detection and intervention resources are promoted to individuals at risk of developing prostate cancer.

Concurrently, Haamankuli is undertaking the challenge of completing two endurance races by the end of the year to spread awareness. He has already accomplished his first race, Xterra Oak Mountain, and is diligently preparing for the upcoming Ironman Chattanooga in September. In addition to these fundraising efforts, Haamankuli is undergoing the process of becoming a community health advisor through the program offered by O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Help support Haamankuli's awareness initiative through these quick and easy steps:

1. Click on the link 
2. Under the Make a Gift section, enter your desired gift amount
3. Select the "Give Now" option under Donation Frequency
4. Under Designation, select "Urologic Oncology Research Fund"
and enter the amount.
5. Under Additional Options, select "In Honor of Someone Special" and enter Bbwaani Haamankuli
6. Click "Save and Continue" and you will be then directed to your billing information.

Joseph Crivelli, M.D., assistant professor and endourologist from the Department of Urology, received a $900k five-year K23 career development grant funded by the National Institutes of Health to assess the social and dietary determinants of kidney stone risk in racially and ethnically diverse populations. 

Jeffrey Nix, M.D., MSHA, FACS, associate professor and Director of Robotic Surgery for the UAB Department of Urology, was recently named the Inaugural holder of the Joe A. Chambliss Prostate Cancer Research and Innovation Endowed Professorship commemorating his contributions to the field of urology oncology, surgical innovations and steadfast dedication to providing premier prostate cancer care for his patients.

Nix joined the Department of Urology in 2014 and specializes in providing comprehensive surgical and non-surgical treatment of patients with prostate cancer and other urologic cancers. Nix is a dedicated researcher and actively engages in prostate cancer research projects and clinical trials on both a regional and national level. His research and treatments aim to identify innovative methods for caring for prostate cancer.

Nix has implemented multiple different surgical techniques, such as robotic and minimally-invasive approaches to improvements in patient outcomes. His focus includes improving surgical methodologies, optimizing treatment plans, and exploring the role of advanced imaging techniques in testing and staging. Nix is recognized both nationally and internationally for his expertise in advanced procedures and helped play a pivotal role in introducing advanced single-incision robotic surgery and focal therapies for prostate cancer treatment at UAB. He was the first physician to bring the use of advanced image-guided prostate biopsy to the southeast, and the first to perform the first focal Nanoknife procedure of the prostate in the state of Alabama.

The Joe A. Chambliss Prostate Cancer Research and Innovation Endowed Professorship supports the Department of Urology and Nix’s ongoing research and contributions to the advancement of healthcare and prostate cancer care.

The department is proud to honor Dr. Jeffrey Nix as the inaugural holder of this endowed professorship for his outstanding patient care, treatment enhancements, and research initiatives at both UAB and within the field of urologic oncology.

David B. Joseph, M.D., Vice Chair of Academic Affairs and a professor of the UAB Department of Urology was honored during the 2023 Annual American Urological Association’s Annual Meeting held in Chicago.

Joseph was recognized with the Distinguished Service Award for his exceptional dedication to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, the American Board of Urology, and the field of pediatric urology.

Pediatric faculty from the UAB Department of Urology have had an amicable, long-term partnership with Children’s of Alabama and are making a difference in the lives of young patients through research and innovative, novel surgical techniques.

Two researchers from the Department of Urology were both granted DOD Kidney Cancer Research Program Concept Awards. This particular grant supports innovative and potentially groundbreaking novel concepts in kidney cancer research.

Department of Urology Associate Professor and Director of Medical Student Education Tracey Wilson, M.D., was elected into the Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine (HSOM) Faculty Council in January 2023

In observance of National Cancer Prevention Month in February, three UAB patients share their experiences about how getting recommended prostate screenings helps save lives.