Fourteen faculty were honored by the University of Alabama System Board of Trustees this spring for exceptional achievement and contributions through either Distinguished or University Professor distinction. Nine faculty were designated as Distinguished Professors; five were named University Professors.
Resolutions were passed to acknowledge these faculty, all of whom demonstrate sustained academic excellence, scholarly achievement and impactful contributions to their field, as well as UAB’s mission. Distinguished Professors are recognized for excellence within a specific discipline, while University Professors are recognized for their broader impact across multiple disciplines.
Distinguished Professors
Herbert Chen, M.D., has been named Distinguished Professor in the Heersink School of Medicine Department of Surgery. Chen is a professor and chair of the Department of Surgery, surgeon-in-chief for the UAB Hospital and Health System, senior advisor to the O’Neal Cancer Center, and senior associate dean for Academic Affairs in the Heersink School of Medicine. An internationally recognized endocrine surgeon-scientist, Chen has advanced the surgical treatment and clinical care of thyroid, parathyroid and adrenal diseases.
Chen's research portfolio exceeds $35 million in extramural funding as principal investigator or mentor. His scholarly contributions include more than 580 peer-reviewed publications, 28 textbooks and more than 100 book chapters and invited reviews. He also serves as editor-in-chief of the American Journal of Surgery and has delivered more than 460 invited lectures and visiting professorships around the world.
Chen has held national leadership roles with various professional organizations, and his honors include election to the Association of American Physicians and the American Society for Clinical Investigation. Chen has trained more than 200 residents and fellows and mentored more than 150 research trainees.
Chen’s pioneering research in radio-guided parathyroid surgery helped establish ambulatory programs and clinical practice guidelines that continue to shape patient care worldwide.
James O. Hill, Ph.D., has been named Distinguished Professor in the School of Health Professions Department of Nutrition Sciences. He is also director of the UAB Nutrition Obesity Research Center. Internationally recognized for his work in obesity, nutrition and energy balance, Hill has helped transform scientific understanding of obesity prevention and long-term weight management.
Hill’s research has focused on prevention and treatment of obesity, including the development of sustainable weight-loss maintenance strategies. He co-founded both the National Weight Control Registry and the International Weight Control Registry and founded America on the Move, a national nonprofit organization developed on the “small changes” prevention paradigm. His work has informed national public health strategies and major NIH-funded studies, including Look AHEAD, the Diabetes Prevention Program, and Nutrition for Precision Health. He previously served as president of both the American Society for Nutrition and the Obesity Society.
Hill has authored more than 700 peer-reviewed publications and has maintained continuous NIH funding since 1981, including a $10.8 million award received in 2022. He was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2018. His research and leadership have helped establish UAB as a national leader in nutrition, obesity and precision-health research.
In addition to his scientific accomplishments, Hill is widely respected as an educator, mentor and research leader. He has guided countless trainees and junior faculty members while helping build collaborative research infrastructure that supports interdisciplinary discovery and innovation.
Rajesh K. Kana, Ph.D., has been named Distinguished Professor in the College of Arts and Sciences Department of Psychology. He also serves as associate dean for Graduate and Continuing Education, with additional appointments in the Heersink School of Medicine. An internationally recognized cognitive neuroscientist, Kana is known for groundbreaking research on autism spectrum disorders and brain connectivity.
Kana’s interdisciplinary research integrates neuroimaging, psychology, engineering and translational neuroscience to better understand autism spectrum disorder and related neurodevelopmental conditions. His work has been cited more than 12,000 times and includes more than 120 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters, including the landmark volume "The Neuroscience of Autism." His research program has secured more than $10 million in competitive funding from the NIH, NSF and other major agencies.
A respected global leader in autism neuroscience, Kana has delivered invited lectures and keynote addresses throughout North America, Europe and Asia. He serves as associate editor for Frontiers in Human Neuroscience and on the editorial boards of leading journals.
Beyond his research contributions, Kana has held numerous academic leadership roles at UAB, including interim chair of Communication Studies, co-director of the Undergraduate Neuroscience Program and director of the Center for Innovation Research in Autism. His honors include the University of Alabama President’s Faculty Research Award and UAB Dean’s Awards for Excellence in Teaching and Mentorship.
Mark E. Lockhart, M.D., MPH, was named Distinguished Professor in the Heersink School of Medicine Department of Radiology. He is an internationally respected leader in abdominal and genitourinary imaging, ultrasound and patient-centered radiologic care. Over the course of two decades at UAB, Lockhart has distinguished himself through excellence in clinical care, education, research and institutional leadership.
A highly regarded scholar and educator, Lockhart has authored more than 148 peer-reviewed publications, 39 practice-guideline publications and 43 book chapters. He has been an active member of the NIH Pelvic Floor Disorders Network for more than a decade. He has co-authored or edited leading textbooks including "Genitourinary Cases" and "Diagnostic Ultrasound," and has served in editorial leadership roles for multiple premier journals.
Lockhart is nationally recognized for helping shape standards in radiology practice and education through leadership roles with the American College of Radiology, the American Board of Radiology, and most recently as president of the Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound.
Within UAB, Lockhart has served in numerous leadership positions, including chief of Body Imaging, chief of Genitourinary Radiology, director of the Abdominal Imaging Fellowship, and chair of the Department of Radiology’s Appointments, Promotion, and Tenure Committee. He was a member of the UAB Faculty Senate for nine years in many roles and served as chair of the Faculty Senate in 2009-2010. He also has received multiple teaching honors, including the UAB Radiology Award for Excellence in Resident Education.
Kathy Lu, Ph.D., has been named Distinguished Professor in the School of Engineering Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering. She also serves as chair of the department and its Engineering Leadership Endowed Scholar. An internationally recognized materials scientist and engineer, Lu is known for pioneering work in harsh-environment materials research and advanced ceramic and polymer-derived materials.
Lu’s research has helped elevate polymer-derived high-temperature materials to the forefront of the international materials science community. Her work spans multiple complex research areas, including nuclear materials, solid oxide fuel cells, ceramic processing and advanced manufacturing technologies. She has led numerous multidisciplinary collaborations involving researchers and institutions across the United States and abroad.
Her scholarly portfolio includes more than 200 peer-reviewed publications, four book chapters and more than 20 conference papers. Lu has secured and led large-scale, competitive federal research awards from agencies including the U.S. Air Force, Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, Department of Education, and the U.S. Navy. Through these projects, she has assembled and directed multidisciplinary teams advancing high-impact engineering and materials research.
In addition to her research accomplishments, Lu is widely recognized for leadership, mentorship and service within the engineering profession. She has helped guide students, trainees and junior faculty while strengthening collaborative research opportunities and academic programs within the School of Engineering.
Michael J. Mugavero, M.D., has been named Distinguished Professor in the Heersink School of Medicine Department of Medicine. He is also the inaugural holder of the Endowed Professorship in Outcomes Research and Implementation Science. Additionally, Mugavero serves as associate dean for Clinical and Translational Research in the Heersink School of Medicine and is internationally recognized for leadership in HIV outcomes research, dissemination and implementation science, and patient-centered HIV care.
Since joining UAB in 2006, Mugavero has become a leading scholar in HIV outcomes and implementation science. His research focuses on improving engagement in care, treatment outcomes and health-system innovation for individuals living with HIV. He has authored more than 340 peer-reviewed publications with more than 16,000 citations and maintains an annual publication cadence of 20 to 30 manuscripts.
Mugavero has consistently secured external research support and currently serves as site principal investigator or co-investigator on more than 10 NIH awards. He also leads an AHRQ-funded T32 training grant and directs several large multi-site and center grants supporting the Center for AIDS Research and the Center for Clinical and Translational Science.
A nationally respected research leader, Mugavero directs the Center for Outcomes and Effectiveness Research and Education, co-directs the Center for AIDS Research, and leads the Dissemination and Implementation Science Unit within the CCTS. His leadership in the CFAR Network of Integrated Clinical Systems has helped establish UAB as a national hub for HIV care innovation and learning health-systems research.
Casey T. Weaver, M.D., has been named Distinguished Professor in the Heersink School of Medicine Department of Pathology. He is also the Leonard H. Robinson Endowed Chair in Pathology and professor in the Division of Anatomic Pathology. An internationally renowned immunologist, Weaver is recognized for pioneering discoveries that have advanced scientific understanding of T cells and their role in protecting the body from infection and cancer.
Over more than three decades, Weaver’s research has fundamentally shaped the field of immunology. Since joining UAB from Washington University in St. Louis, he has become a cornerstone of the university’s research enterprise and a leader in translational immunology. His laboratory has maintained continuous support from the NIH and other major agencies while supporting a large multidisciplinary research team.
Weaver’s scholarly record includes nearly 200 peer-reviewed publications in high-impact journals such as Science, Nature, Cell, and Nature Immunology. He is also co-author of "Janeway’s Immunobiology," widely regarded as a foundational textbook in the field. His scientific accomplishments earned him election to the National Academy of Sciences in 2023, one of the profession’s highest honors.
That same year, Weaver was selected to deliver UAB’s Distinguished Faculty Lecture, the university’s highest honor for scientific and academic achievement. Beyond his research, he is deeply committed to education and mentorship and has trained numerous predoctoral and postdoctoral scholars who now serve as leaders in academic medicine and biomedical research.
Yogesh K. Vohra, Ph.D., has been named Distinguished Professor in the College of Arts and Sciences Department of Physics. Vohra serves as associate dean for Research and Innovation in the College of Arts and Sciences and is a University Scholar. An internationally recognized physicist and materials scientist, Vohra is known for pioneering research in high-pressure physics, synthetic diamond technologies and nanostructured biomedical materials.
Vohra’s research has advanced scientific understanding of materials under extreme pressures and temperatures while contributing to innovations in lab-grown diamonds and biomedical implant technologies. He is the founding director of the UAB Center for Nanoscale Materials and Biointegration and currently leads major interdisciplinary research initiatives, including the National Nuclear Security Administration-funded Center of Excellence.
A highly accomplished scholar and inventor, Vohra has authored more than 400 peer-reviewed publications in physics and materials science and holds six U.S. patents related to synthetic diamond growth and applications. He also directs multiple federally funded education and workforce development initiatives, including NSF and NASA-supported Research Experiences for Undergraduates programs and a U.S. Department of Education GAANN graduate training grant.
In addition to his research leadership, Vohra serves as campus director for the NASA Alabama Space Grant Consortium and UAB member councilor for Oak Ridge Associated Universities. As a mentor, he has guided 32 doctoral students and expanded interdisciplinary research opportunities across the university.
Jianyi (Jay) Zhang, M.D., Ph.D., has been named Distinguished Professor of Medicine and Engineering. He serves as chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering, a joint department of the Heersink School of Medicine and the School of Engineering, where he holds the T. Michael and Gillian Goodrich Endowed Chair of Engineering Leadership. An internationally recognized physician-scientist and engineer, Zhang is a pioneer in cardiovascular regenerative medicine, cardiac tissue engineering and stem cell-based therapies for heart failure.
For more than three decades, Zhang’s research has focused on developing regenerative approaches to myocardial repair and cardiovascular disease treatment. His laboratory has maintained continuous NIH funding support and has led major translational research initiatives, including multiple R01 awards, an NIH Program Project Grant, and participation in a U01 through the NHLBI Progenitor Cell Translational Consortium.
Zhang has authored more than 230 peer-reviewed publications, and his large-animal research studies have advanced the understanding of regenerative potential in neonatal porcine hearts and other innovative therapeutic strategies for heart repair. A fellow of the American Heart Association, he serves on the editorial boards of Circulation and Circulation Research.
His accomplishments have earned numerous international honors, including the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Society for Heart Research, North American Section. In addition to his scientific leadership, Zhang has mentored more than 90 trainees, many of whom now hold leadership positions in academia, medicine and industry — further elevating UAB’s global profile in medicine and engineering.
University Professors
Yuying Chen, M.D., Ph.D., was named University Professor in the Heersink School of Medicine Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Chen is the department's vice chair of Research, co-director of the UAB Center for Engagement in Disability Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, and associate director of the NIH-funded Disability Health Promotion Research Center. An internationally recognized leader in spinal cord injury research and rehabilitation medicine, Chen has devoted more than two decades to advancing outcomes and quality of life for individuals living with disabilities.
Chen currently serves as director of the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, on the HSOM Faculty Councils, and as a core scientist for several major UAB research centers, including the Comprehensive Neuroscience Center and the Center for Clinical and Translational Science. Within her department, she chairs both the Research Faculty Search Committee and the Resident Research Oversight Committee.
Her scholarly portfolio includes more than 100 peer-reviewed manuscripts, seven books or book chapters, and more than $17 million in research funding as principal investigator. Chen’s research and leadership have earned national recognition, including the 2023 Margaret Nosek Award from the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (ACRM) and the Most Cited Original Research Article Award from the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation journal. She also serves on the board of directors for the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) and is an elected fellow of both ASIA and ACRM.
Beyond her research accomplishments, Chen is recognized as a dedicated mentor and educator who has guided postdoctoral fellows, residents, medical students, visiting scholars and junior faculty members toward successful academic careers.
Renee Heffron, Ph.D., MPH, has been named University Professor in the Heersink School of Medicine Division of Infectious Diseases in the Department of Medicine. She holds a secondary appointment in Epidemiology. An internationally recognized leader in HIV prevention and public health, Heffron is known for pioneering work in pre-exposure prophylaxis implementation science and global HIV prevention strategies.
Since joining UAB in 2022, Heffron has served as director of the UAB Center for AIDS Research and senior associate director for Research in the Division of Infectious Diseases. She also chairs the UAB Council of Center and Institute Directors and co-leads the Dissemination and Implementation Science Section within the Center for Clinical and Translational Science.
Heffron’s scholarly portfolio includes nearly 200 peer-reviewed publications and more than $20 million in direct research support as principal investigator on high-profile grants. Under her leadership, strategic restructuring efforts secured a $12 million National Institutes of Health renewal award for the UAB Center for AIDS Research. She also serves in editorial leadership roles for prominent journals including JAIDS and the Journal of the International AIDS Society.
In addition to her research leadership, Heffron is a highly regarded mentor and educator. She has guided more than 60 trainees and faculty members, served on more than 30 dissertation committees, and established innovative mentoring programs designed to support early-career investigators.
Lisa C. McCormick, DrPH, has been named University Professor in the School of Public Health Department of Health Policy and Organization. She serves as senior associate dean for Academics and Practice and professor at the School of Public Health. She also is the interim program director for the DrPH in Preparedness Leadership program. A nationally recognized leader in public health preparedness and workforce development, McCormick’s work spans research, education, practice and community engagement.
For more than three decades, McCormick has advanced public health preparedness and infection prevention through large-scale interdisciplinary initiatives and statewide community partnerships. She helped lead Alabama’s COVID-19 response efforts through statewide school testing initiatives and the UAB Nursing Home and Long-term Care Facility Strike Team and Infrastructure Project. She also served as principal investigator for the Alabama Regional Center for Infection Prevention and Control.
McCormick has led or contributed to major federally funded projects supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, NIH and others. Her scholarly work focuses on workforce development, emergency preparedness, disaster management, program evaluation and community-engaged public health practice.
A respected educator and mentor, McCormick has developed innovative curricula in preparedness leadership, interprofessional simulation, hybrid learning and global public health education. Her teaching excellence has been recognized through multiple honors, including the UAB Provost’s Award for Faculty Excellence in Education Abroad.
Allison Shorten, Ph.D., has been named University Professor in the School of Nursing. She is professor and inaugural senior associate dean of Professional Development and Faculty Affairs for the School of Nursing, founding executive director of the Women and Children’s Health Initiative, interim chair of the Department of Acute, Chronic, and Continuing Care, and, until recently, served as the director of the UAB Office of Interprofessional Curriculum. An internationally recognized nurse scientist and educator, Shorten is known for advancing maternal and infant health, shared decision-making and interprofessional education.
Shorten’s research and leadership have significantly influenced patient-centered maternity care and collaborative health care education around the world. Her Birth Choices decision aid has been adopted internationally and adapted for use in countries including Canada, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand and Argentina. She has also helped develop innovative interprofessional curricula and simulation models used across health professions education.
Her scholarly portfolio includes more than 130 publications, more than 4,500 citations and more than $16.4 million in grant funding as principal investigator or co-investigator. Her work has appeared in leading journals, including The Lancet, Nurse Educator, Social Science and Medicine, and the Journal of Professional Nursing.
As a department chair and institutional leader, Shorten has mentored faculty, expanded interdisciplinary partnerships and strengthened collaborative health care training initiatives across UAB. Her honors include a fellowship in the American Academy of Nursing, the National Academies of Practice, and the Australian College of Midwives.
Ellen M. Lavoie Smith, Ph.D., has been named University Professor in the School of Nursing, where she also serves as professor and Marie O’Koren Endowed Chair in Nursing and interim associate dean for Research and Scholarship. Internationally recognized as a pioneering cancer-symptom scientist, Smith is known for groundbreaking research focused on chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy assessment and management.
Smith’s research has transformed supportive cancer care and influenced clinical standards worldwide. Her landmark clinical trial published in JAMA established duloxetine as the first effective treatment for painful chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy and remains the only intervention recommended by American Society of Clinical Oncology guidelines.
Since joining UAB in 2021, Smith has served as a senior scientist in the Center for Outcomes and Effectiveness Research and Education and the Center for Addiction and Pain Prevention and Intervention. She also leads NEUROACT, a multidisciplinary initiative focused on cancer-related nervous system dysfunction, and co-leads UAB’s NCI-funded Cancer Prevention and Control T32 training grant.
Smith’s scholarly portfolio includes more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and more than 50 funded studies totaling over $20 million in research support. Her innovations include the development of the first pediatric chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy screening tool, now used internationally.
An exceptional educator and mentor, Smith has guided more than 80 students, trainees, postdoctoral fellows and junior faculty members.