Explore UAB

 Pictured Above: Bassel El-Rayes, MD, Director in the Division of Hematology and Oncology 

The Department of Medicine is delighted to announce Bassel El-Rayes, M.D., will serve as the next Director of the Division of Hematology and Oncology. Dr. El-Rayes is the John Kauffman Family Endowed Professor for Pancreatic Cancer Research at Emory University School of Medicine where he serves as Professor of Hematology and Medical Oncology and Vice Chair for Clinical Research in the Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology. He also serves as Director of Clinical and Translational Gastrointestinal Malignancies Program and Associate Cancer Center Director for Clinical Research in Emory’s Winship Cancer Institute.

He will succeed Kelly Godby, M.D., who has served as Interim Division Director since October, and Ravi Bhatia, M.D., who served as Division Director and Deputy Director of the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center since 2014.

Pending provost approval, Dr. El-Rayes will officially assume the role of division director in February 2022. Welcome to UAB, Dr. El-Rayes!

 Pictured Above: Tasks force co-chairs Drs. Gutiérrez and Lyas. 

Division of Nephrology faculty Orlando Gutiérrez, MD, MMSc (Professor & Director) and Clare Lyas, MD, MPH (Assistant Professor) co-chaired a task force to reevaluate the way UAB Medicine reports kidney function, also known as estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). The current method of reporting requires the use of a race variable, which has come under fire for potentially introducing bias into the diagnosis and treatment of kidney disease. The multidisciplinary group reviewed the currently available data and proposed that UAB adopt the formula jointly recommended by the National Kidney Foundation and American Society of Nephrology—the CKD-EPI creatinine equation refit without the race variable. The group further recommended that the cystatin C assay be routinely available to augment clinical decision making.

Thanks to Dr. Gutiérrez and Dr. Lyas for their leadership on the task force, and to all the members for their thoughtful contributions: Liyun Cao, Ph.D., Jayme Locke, M.D., Denyse Thornley-Brown, M.D., Maria Taylor, Pharm-D, Vineeta Kumar, M.D., Brittany Shelton, Tennille Webb, M.D., Andre Lessears, MBA, Andrea Cherrington, M.D., Desalyn Johnson, Calvin Baker, M.D., and Marshall Lewis.

Tom McElderry, M.D., and William Maddox, M.D., Associate Professors in the Division of Cardiovascular Disease, performed the first commercial procedure in the nation using the Medtronic DiamondTemp™ Ablation system. The two were co-primary investigators for the clinical trial that led to this device receiving FDA approval. The system provides a minimally invasive approach to treating atrial fibrillation, a condition in which an irregular heartbeat can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications. The diamond embedded tool allows for experts to create scar tissue, using heat, to interrupt irregular electrical signals in the heart and restore normal heart rhythm. Kudos on advancing cardiovascular science!

 Pictured Above: Members of the BMT & CT Program, representing more than 300 teammates who care for patients. 

Our Our Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cell Therapy (BMT & CT) program is celebrating 30 tremendous years of patient care. The program offers a wide range of blood and bone marrow transplant options, as well as related and unrelated donor stem cell transplantation. Since launching, BMT and CT has performed over 3,200 transplants, a success story Medical Director Donna Salzman, M.D., (Professor, Hematology and Oncology) attributes to dedicated health care professionals, technological advancements within the Center, and the generosity of donors. Congratulations to you all, and cheers to the next 30 years of service!

 Pictured Above: Tele-ICU Director Steve Stigler, M.D., Associate Professor in the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine.  

During COVID-19’s summer surge, UAB couldn’t spare ICU beds for patients, but it could share its expertise with Whitfield Regional Hospital in Demopolis, thanks to a tele-ICU partnership between the two hospitals announced in April of this year. Tele-ICU Director Steve Stigler, M.D., (Associate Professor, Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care Medicine) and other pulmonary experts were able to conduct exams, check vital signs, review patient records, and monitor alert systems from more than 100 miles away. For the patients who were especially critical and needed different types of life-support, the tele-ICU continuously provided high-quality care.