Jerzy P. Szaflarski, M.D., Ph.D.Jerzy P. Szaflarski, M.D., Ph.D., professor and director of the Division of Epilepsy in the UAB Department of Neurology, has been named the first holder of the R. Edward Faught and Janet Jackson Faught Professorship in Epilepsy Research. The appointment was approved at the Board of Trustees’ November 2025 meeting.
“Dr. Faught was and continues to be a nationally and internationally recognized epilepsy research leader and a role model for many young epileptologists – it seems not a long time ago I was one of them,” Szaflarski said. “Dr. Faught’s and his family’s commitment to this endowment underscores his lifelong support and recognition of the importance of clinical epilepsy research. I am humbled by this honor and Dr. Faught’s continued support of our epilepsy program.”
A native of Poland, Szaflarski received his both his medical degree in 1991 and his Ph.D. in 1997 from the Collegium Medicum (Bydgoszcz) of the Nicolaus Copernicus University. He then completed his post-graduate residency training in epilepsy and clinical neurophysiology in 2000 at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he also served as chief resident.
In 2012, Szaflarski joined UAB as a professor in the Department of Neurology and director of both the Division of Epilepsy and the UAB Epilepsy Center. He also currently serves as Vice Chair for Faculty Development in the Department of Neurology.
Szaflarski is regarded as an international authority on the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy, having led numerous clinical trials for novel treatments, published numerous papers in high-impact journals, served on governmental and foundation grant review committees, and presented at multiple national and international meetings on the topic. He serves on national councils and committees for the American Epilepsy Society, Epilepsy Foundation, International League Against Epilepsy, and the NIH. He also currently serves as editor-in-chief of Epilepsy and Behavioral Reports.
In his tenure at UAB, Szaflarski has also served as an educator, having mentored graduate and undergraduate students and co-led and guest lectured in multiple UAB courses. For his teaching efforts, he was awarded the UAB Graduate Dean’s Award for Excellence in Mentorship.
R. Edward Faught Jr., M.D.The establishment of the R. Edward Faught and Janet Jackson Faught Professorship in Epilepsy Research
The R. Edward Faught and Janet Jackson Faught Professorship in Epilepsy Research was established thanks to a generous gift from R. Edward Faught Jr., M.D., Janet Jackson Faught, The Walker Area Community Foundation, and The University of Alabama Health Services Foundation.
This endowment serves to enhance the university's clinical, educational, and research initiatives in epilepsy.
“I am truly honored that UAB has established this professorship,” Faught expressed. “Janet and I are pleased that it will support critical research time for a faculty member. UAB gave me an incredible opportunity to build a new program, and today, UAB Epilepsy has grown to become one of the largest and best in the country. At UAB, anything is possible.”
Faught, originally from Jasper, Alabama, served as interim chair of the UAB Department of Neurology from 2001 to 2003 and was the founding director of the UAB Epilepsy Center in 1985. As a full-time faculty member at UAB from 1980 to 2009, he played a pivotal role in advancing epilepsy care and research. He is currently a professor of Neurology at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.