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Associate Dean for Genomic Medicine and Distinguished Professor of Genetics, Bruce Korf, M.D., Ph.D., FACMG, retired on September 30, 2024, after over 40 years of dedicated service, and over 20 years at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB).

Anindya Dutta, MBBS, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Genetics, will be honored as the 2025 recipient of the American Society for Investigative Pathology (ASIP) Rous-Whipple Award.

Starlette Jones Dabbs, Joint Health Sciences Administrator III of Precision Medicine, Genomics and Genetics, has been named a recipient of the Dean’s Excellence Awards for Staff.

As part of the Department of Genetics’ series of roundtable discussions, two faculty members are taking time out of their schedules to discuss their particular areas of research, their inspirations for the work that they do, and how they hope their research will impact the future. Our first discussion is between assistant professors Chen Huang, Ph.D., and Bo-Kuan Wu, Ph.D.

Yuva Biosciences, a startup company founded by Keshav K. Singh, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Genetics, has secured $7.5 million in seed funding that will be invested in resources aiming to restore mitochondrial dysfunction for multiple indications while helping to combat hair loss.

Professor Ludwine Messiaen, Ph.D., a long-term faculty member of the Department of Genetics who established and directed the Medical Genomics Laboratory at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), has passed away. Our deepest condolences go out to her family, friends, and colleagues.

Bruce Korf, M.D., Ph.D., FACMG, Associate Dean for Genomic Medicine and Distinguished Professor of Genetics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), has been named the recipient of the 2024 American College of Medical Genetics (ACMG) Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine’s David L. Rimoin Lifetime Achievement Award in Medical Genetics.

Alexander Davis, M.D., has had the opportunity to enhance his studies and skillset as part of the Pediatric/Medical Genetics Program here at UAB. Recently, he took the time to speak about his journey, what UAB has provided for him in his time here, and his plans for the future. 

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Undiagnosed Disease Program (UDP), an affiliate site of the Undiagnosed Diseases Network (UDN) since 2022, was recently designated as a Diagnostic Center of Excellence. The UDN is supported by the National Institutes of Health, providing resources to improve strategies for understanding and diagnosing rare diseases.

Bo-Kuan Wu joined the Department of Genetics as a new assistant professor this summer. He received his Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Iowa. Under the guidance of Dr. Charles Brenner, he investigated the roles of DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) and ten-eleven translocation 1 (TET1) in regulating DNA methylation for cancer formation.

Anindya Dutta, Ph.D., Chair of the Department of Genetics, and Andrew Carroll, Ph.D. recently visited Dr. Wayne Finley, the Founding Chair of the Laboratory of Medical Genetics. During their visit, Dr. Finley presented them with a copy of a report he wrote at the time of his retirement, entitled “A History of the Laboratory of Medical Genetics.” 

Zhangli Su obtained her Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Biology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she focused on investigating the relationship between chromatin-reading modules and histone modifications in John Denu’s lab.

Coral Wille is a new Assistant Professor in the Department of Genetics. She completed her PhD in Microbiology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the laboratory of Dr. Shannon Kenney.

The Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama System has further approved joint plans to create a state-of-the-art genomic diagnostic lab, marking a significant milestone in the development of the joint endeavor between UAB and Southern Research.

Dr. Sharer obtained his Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Rutgers University and performed postdoctoral training at the National Cancer Institute and Emory University. He became board certified in Clinical Biochemical Genetics in 2005 and was recruited to UAB the same year to establish the UAB Biochemical Genetics Laboratory.

Wioletta Czaja, Ph.D., who joined the Department of Genetics in October 2022, comes to UAB with a fresh energy ready to immediately make contributions to the university as well as the department. She has arrived with a great knowledge of genetics and a tireless work ethic, with the intention of establishing partnerships and collaborations that lead to innovative discoveries. 

Among all racial groups, African American men have the highest rate of prostate cancer, and their cancers exhibit more aggressive biology, leading to higher rates of death. Although systemic treatments have been developed for this disease, these are primarily palliative and additional treatment strategies need to be developed.

Since she came to UAB in 2004, Starlette Dabbs has earned the reputation as a true financial and administrative professional who gets things done because of her broad knowledge of her profession, her relationships across UAB, and her personal initiative and work ethic. 

Anindya Dutta, Ph.D., MBBS, has been named chair of the Department of Genetics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine.

School of Medicine administrators have tapped Gene Siegal, M.D., Ph.D., to serve as the interim chair of the Department of Genetics beginning Jan. 15.

Siegal replaces former chair, Bruce Korf, M.D., Ph.D., who was named the Chief Genomics Officer for UAB Medicine in 2017 to lead the implementation of clinical medicine at the School of Medicine.

“I look forward to working with an expanded group of outstanding colleagues to take the Department to the next level of excellence in research, teaching and clinical practice,” said Siegal.

A prominent physician and researcher with more than 25 years’ experience, Siegal recently served as the interim chair of the UAB Department of Pathology. He continues to serve as the executive vice-chair of the UAB Department of Pathology, a position he has held for nearly 10 years. Previously, he was the director of the Division of Anatomic Pathology at UAB for 25 years.

“We greatly value the contributions he has made to the Department of Pathology through the years, both scientific and administrative, and look forward to his leadership in this role serving the Department of Genetics,” said Selwyn M. Vickers, M.D., FACS, senior vice president of Medicine and dean of the UAB School of Medicine.

As the interim chair, Siegal will chart the strategic direction of the Department, including its clinical and research productivity, and its compliance with School of Medicine and UAB policies. He will serve on the School of Medicine Executive Committee and represent the department in the Joint Health Sciences chair meetings.

Siegal earned a medical degree from the University of Louisville in 1974 and a doctorate in molecular biology from the University of Minnesota in 1979. He completed residency and fellowship training at the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine and the University of Minnesota and a postdoctoral experience at the National Cancer Institute, NIH.

The search for a permanent chair is expected to take 12-18 months.