Jeffrey P. Blount, M.D., MPH, professor in the Department of Neurosurgery and director of the Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, has been awarded the senior faculty Dean’s Excellence Award for Service.

After earning his medical degree at the University of Rochester, Blount successfully completed his neurosurgical residency at the University of Minnesota before dedicating three years to providing care in the U.S. Navy at the Naval Medical Center San Diego. To further his expertise in pediatric neurosurgery, Blount completed a fellowship at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Blount has devoted his career to improving lifelong care for individuals with spina bifida, and advocates tirelessly for spina bifida prevention, intervention and education.

Blount serves as medical director for the Comprehensive Spina Bifida Program at Children’s of Alabama, where he led the development of a pre-natal spina bifida clinic and was instrumental in establishing the UAB Transitional Spina Bifida Clinic.

As co-founder of the Global Alliance for Prevention of Spina Bifida (GAPSBiF), Blount’s efforts were transformative in the organization’s successful petition of the World Health Organization to adopt resolution 76.19, which calls for countries to implement large scale food fortification to combat micronutrient deficiencies that lead to neural tube defects, like spina bifida. His work advocating for folic acid supplementation has the potential to positively impact the lives of 250,000 babies each year, globally.

Blount remains committed to patient care, student mentorship, resident and fellow training, research, and institutional service.

“This is a well-deserved award for Dr. Blount, who has put so much of his time and energy in caring for patients with spina bifida as a neurosurgeon, but also in the interest of public health and prevention of the disease itself,” says James Markert, M.D., MPH, James Garber Galbraith Endowed Chair of Neurosurgery and Department of Neurosurgery professor. “It's unusual for a neurosurgeon to have such potential global impact, in addition to the day-to-day impact Jeff makes on individual patients and their families’ lives. We are very proud of his perseverance and dedication to this patient population.”