Last November, representatives of the Wolverine Foundation, which funds research of rare diseases, arrived at UAB for the dedication of a bench honoring Bertrand Might, who passed away in 2020 at age 12 from a rare neurodegenerative condition.

In October, UAB announced a $5 million gift to establish the James Milton and Sallie R. Johnson Fund to Support Alzheimer’s Disease Research in the Department of Neurology and the UAB Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics.

On July 1, 2022, Renee Heffron, Ph.D., MPH, joined the Heersink School of Medicine as the new director of the Center for AIDS Research (CFAR), one of the first seven CFARs established by the National Institutes of Health in 1988.

From October 2021 to February 2022, nine pediatric patients in Alabama were diagnosed with severe hepatitis. Pediatric physicians from the Heersink School of Medicine and Children’s of Alabama began investigating the unusual cluster.

In April 2022, when John Holcomb, M.D., FACS, a professor in the UAB Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, was asked if he would join a medical nonprofit to assist surgeons in Ukraine amid Russia’s invasion, he didn’t hesitate to volunteer.

In November, the UAB Heersink School of Medicine was notified it had achieved the highest level of accreditation available to a medical school in the United States—valid for eight years—by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME).

On October 17, UAB announced that three Heersink School of Medicine faculty members were invited to join the National Academy of Medicine, one of the highest honors that a physician or scientist in the United States can receive.

An incredible year has passed since the September 2021 announcement of a transformational $95 million gift from longtime UAB supporter Marnix E. Heersink, M.D.

Maria Grant, M.D., FARVO, professor in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, and her colleagues have published a study that provides hope in the treatment of diabetic retinopathy.

The Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health hosted guest seminar speaker Mosa Moshabela, MBChB, M.Med, M.Sc., Ph.D., associate professor and deputy vice chancellor of Research and Innovation at the University of KwaZulu-Natal on Dec. 14, 2022.

The Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama System recently approved the establishment of the Emmet O’Neal II Endowed Professorship in the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB. This endowed professorship, funded from the bequest of O’Neal Industries in memory of Emmet O’Neal II, will support lung cancer research. O’Neal Cancer Center Senior Scientist Suzanne Lapi, Ph.D., has been appointed as the first holder of this endowed professorship.  

After a two-year pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Medical Alumni Association (MAA) hosted Dine with the Docs from Nov. 3-5. Dine with the Docs is a dinner event that connects current medical students with Heersink School of Medicine alums in small groups.

One year ago, our medical school received a historic gift from longtime supporter Marnix E. Heersink, M.D., and his family. The $95 million contribution named our school the UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine while setting us on a transformational path of excellence and opportunity.

Tenured Professor and 1917 Clinic Director James Raper, Ph.D., CRNP, J.D., FAAN, FAANP, FIDSA, retires Dec. 1, 2022 after four decades of service in HIV care in the southeast.

UAB Medicine Institute for Leadership has named their next cohort for Spring 2023: cohort six.

Staff Grand Rounds is launching July 27 and aims to empower and educate staff on topics of professional advancement, engagement, belonging, professional adaptability, and more. 

The first-ever Staff Grand Rounds session launched July 27 and featured a presentation by Megan McMurray Hays, Ph.D.

Heersink faculty and staff gathered in different spots around Birmingham to welcome the incoming class of medical students with celebrations.

Women in Medicine Month, observed throughout September, serves as a timely reminder of the invaluable contributions that women physicians, biomedical scientists, educators, and health care professionals have made to the field of medicine.

In Part 2 of the Women in Medicine month series, we hear inspiring moments from the career journeys of Boni Elewski, M.D., chair of the Department of Dermatology, and Marie Carmelle Elie, M.D., chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine.

In Part 3 of the Women in Medicine month series, we learn about the work and the career journeys of three more chairs: Cheri Canon, M.D., FACR, FSAR, FAAWR, chair of the Department of Radiology; Adrienne Lahti, M.D., chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology; and Teresa Wilborn, Pharm.D., Ph.D., interim chair of the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology.

The Heersink School of Medicine Office for Diversity and Inclusion celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month with an in-person gathering at University Tacos on Oct. 6 at 5:30 p.m.

The Heersink School of Medicine Office for Diversity and Inclusion hosts a commemorative event for the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Movement.

The second event in the series is presented by Kellie Carter, Ph.D., senior leadership development specialist.

Native American Heritage Month is observed every November and serves as a reminder of the contributions and deep-rooted traditions of indigenous people, American Indians, and Alaska Natives.

The Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration at UAB is hosted this year on Thursday, Jan. 18, from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at Margaret Cameron Spain Auditorium, and the event will offer lunch to the first 100 guests.

On Jan. 18, the Heersink School of Medicine Office for Diversity and Inclusion and UAB Health System hosted a Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration that brought together the entire UAB community.

For Black History Month, the Heersink School of Medicine Office for Diversity and Inclusion sat down with a few employees and learners who are making a difference around UAB to hear why the commemorative month is important to them.

For Black History Month, the Heersink School of Medicine Office for Diversity and Inclusion sat down with a few employees and learners who are making a difference around UAB to hear why the commemorative month is important to them.

For Black History Month, the Heersink School of Medicine Office for Diversity and Inclusion sat down with a few employees and learners who are making a difference around UAB to hear why the commemorative month is important to them.