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November is National Epilepsy Awareness Month, and the Epilepsy Genomics Clinic at UAB is reimagining how to treat epilepsy in adults with an innovative approach. Ashley Thomas, M.D., director of the clinic and associate professor in the Department of Neurology, and Elizabeth Rothrock, M.S., LCGC, genetic counselor of the clinic and in the Department of Genetics, started the clinic roughly five years ago, and it has expanded since.

When Shin J. Oh, M.D., started at UAB in 1970, Richard Nixon was president, the Apollo 13 mission made its safe return home, and the price of gas averaged $0.36.

Also in 1970, Oh recalls that parking at UAB was a lot different.

“UAB was a small medical community,” Oh said. “At Jefferson Tower by the main hospital, all the faculty were able to park their car in one area. We had about 40 cars, and you could meet all the faculty of every specialty there. Now it’s amazing the size of UAB.”

A native of Haeju, Korea, Oh’s career in the field of neurology spanned 43 years before he retired in 2014: one of the longest neurology tenures in American medicine. A distinguished professor emeritus in the Department of Neurology who served four department chairs, Oh is a pioneer in neuromuscular disease – a subspecialty that he largely helped establish in the region.

Assistant professors in the Department of Neurology, Patricia Aguilar Calvo, Ph.D., and Mariangela Scarduzio, Ph.D., have been awarded research grants from the American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA).

Photos lining a long corridor adjacent to the new Brain Aging and Memory Hub at UAB at first glance show a couple in love, a smiling family, and colorful scenery. Beyond the surface, however, exists a deeper implication – one not only between husband and wife, but between patient and caregiver.

Front Row (left to right): Katie Fountain, PA-C, (HCoE team member); Emily Lane Schlitz Fortenberry, M.D., (HCoE Director); and Lynnie Harrison, PA-C, (HCoE Vice Director). Back row (left to right): Victor Sung, M.D., (Assistant Chief of Neurology, BVAMC); Morgan Rambo, Pharm.D., (HCoE team member); Nicole George, LICSW, (HCoE team member); Nidhi Kikkeri, M.D., (HCoE team member); Matthew McCay, M.D., (HCoE team member); Peter King, M.D., (Chief of Neurology, BVAMC).The Birmingham VA Headache Center of Excellence (HCoE) has recently been designated as a Hub, which is the highest level in the national HCoE program. The Birmingham program will receive an annual budget of $1.1 million to provide headache management to veterans in the Southeast. This will include an opportunity to participate in clinical trials for new headache treatments.

Forty-six providers in the Department of Neurology were recently recognized by the UAB Office of Patient Experience and Engagement for the exceptional care they delivered to patients during FY24. These providers achieved a 95 percent or higher top box rating (n ≥ 30) in care satisfaction based on patient feedback in Medallia. 

The UAB Department of Neurology welcomed Matthew McCay, M.D. to the faculty as an assistant professor in July 2024.

Image Source: Children's of AlabamaThe transition to adult health care is a critical time for young adults with chronic illnesses like epilepsy. This demographic often faces heightened risks, including increased emergency department visits, significant gaps in care, and higher mortality rates.

Sushmita Bhandari, M.D., PGY1, joined the UAB Department of Neurology in June 2024. A native of Nepal, Bhandari completed her undergraduate education in Nepal and pursued her medical degree at Fatima Jinnah Medical University in Lahore Pakistan.

Two faculty members in the Department of Neurology, Brittney Davis, PharmD., and Karen Jaunarajs, Ph. D., are recent recipients of grants from the Adair Family Junior Faculty Development Fund. This new grant, created specifically for Department of Neurology faculty, was established to support young faculty and their career development.

Eight faculty members in the UAB Department of Neurology have received promotions or tenure effective Oct. 1, 2024.

The UAB Department of Neurology welcomed Rebeka Sipma, M.D. to the faculty as an assistant professor in July 2024.

The UAB Department of Neurology welcomed Melissa J. Greenfield, Psy.D., to the faculty as an assistant professor in July 2024.

The UAB Department of Neurology honored department members for their years of service during a reception earlier this month. Honorees were recognized for 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 years of service. See the full list of names here.

Certain department members, including Shirley Gibbs, Program Director II in the Division of Neuro-Oncology and Clerkship Coordinator; Sandi Mumfrey-Thomas, Clinical Program Manager II in the Division of Neuromuscular Disease; Burt Nabors, M.D., William Austin Brown Endowed Professor, Vice Chair for Research, and Director of the Division of Neuro-Oncology; and Alan Rushing, MSHA, Director of Administration and Finance, were recognized for exceptionally long periods of dedication and service to the department, with Gibbs and Mumfrey-Thomas celebrating 30 years and Nabors and Rushing celebrating 25 years.

Maintaining brain health as we age can seem challenging in today's fast-paced world. However, making small, manageable changes in your daily routine can significantly enhance your cognitive well-being.

The Division of Epilepsy within the UAB Department of Neurology will soon be relocating to a newly renovated 12,000-square-foot space on the sixth floor of the UAB Sparks Center.

Currently, members of the Division of Epilepsy are housed in several locations, including the Civitan International Research Center and other floors in the Sparks Center. However, with the division's continued growth, the need for additional space has become necessary.

U.S. News & World Report has ranked UAB Hospital number 42 among the “Best Hospitals for Neurology & Neurosurgery” in the country out of a total of 4,855 hospitals evaluated.

Navigating life with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a journey filled with challenges, resilience, and hope. Venus Richardson, who has been living with ALS for a decade, has faced profound milestones with unwavering courage.

Her story of strength, with the support of the UAB ALS Clinic, offers a powerful testament to the ability to triumph over adversity.

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a genetic condition that leads to the development of benign tumors in multiple organs, including the brain, eyes, heart, kidneys, skin, and lungs. This condition can arise from inherited genetic factors or mutations occurring during conception or early embryonic development.

TSC is relatively rare, affecting approximately 1 in 6,000 newborns. Globally, nearly one million individuals live with this disorder, with an estimated 50,000 cases in the United States.

Common treatments for Parkinson’s disease, a neurodegenerative disorder that affects an estimated 1 million people in the U.S. and 10 million worldwide, address short-term symptoms. However, in the long term, these treatments can cause extensive problems for patients, namely in the form of uncontrollable movements and postures called dyskinesia.

A recent study published by UAB researchers in the departments of Neurology and Pathology has revealed that approaching dyskinesia the same way the brain reacts to a “bad memory” could lead to a way to halt its progression and in turn, better treat the disease.