The General Endowment Fund of the UA Health Services Foundation has announced its annual faculty grants, awarding over $1.5 million to UAB faculty for projects in clinical care, patient research, medical education and laboratory research. Each project must be multi-disciplinary and demonstrate strong potential for long-term success.Since 1996, the GEF has awarded more than $60 million to UAB faculty to support innovation. The winners of the 2016 GEF awards are:
Clinical care
“Expansion of the UAB Student Health and Wellness Sexual Health Clinic”Principal investigator: Nicholas Van Wagoner, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases
Funded: $141,941
“Laboratory Automation: Enhancing Biochemical Genetic Clinical and Research Services”
Principal investigator: Daniel Sharer, Ph.D., associate professor of Genetics
Funded: $98,972
“Computer Aided Design and Computer Aided Manufacture including 3D Printing in Prosthetics and Orthotics”
Principal investigator: Conley Carr, M.D., assistant professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Funded: $126,604
Laboratory research
“An LTQ‐Velos‐Pro Linear Ion Trap Orbitrap Mass Spectrometer”Principal investigator: James Mobley, Ph.D., associate professor of Surgery
Funded: $95,000
“Acquisition of a Mainz COLOVIEW® Systems for Research Using Animal Models”
Principal investigator: Casey Weaver, Ph.D., professor of Pathology
Funded: $58,427
“Acquisition of an X‐RAD 320 Biological Irradiator for Research in BBRB”
Principal investigator: Fran Lund, Ph.D., professor and chair of Microbiology
Funded: $78,616
“A NextSeq500 for Heflin Genomics Core”
Principal investigator: Michael Crowley, Ph.D., associate professor of Genetics
Funded: $150,000
Medical education
“Gross Anatomy Laboratory Upgrades for the Millennial Health Professional Learner”Principal investigator: William Brooks, Ph.D., associate professor of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology
Funded: $80,000
“Creating a Diverse and Inclusive Environment for Academic Excellence”
Principal investigator: Mona Fouad, M.D., MPH, professor of Medicine and director, Division of Preventive Medicine
Funded: $125,000
“UAB IMPACT (Interprofessional Medical Provider Advanced Communication Training)”
Principal investigator: Michael Barnett, M.D., assistant professor of Medicine in the Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics and Palliative Care
Funded: $65,000
“Advancing a Formal Multidisciplinary Surgical Simulation Curriculum through High Fidelity Laparoscopic” Simulation
Principal investigator: Kerri Bevis, M.D., assistant professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Funded: $74,000
“Surgery Boot Camp: An Intern Prep Course for Students Pursuing a Surgical Residency”
Principal investigator: Kimberly Hendershot, M.D., associate professor of Surgery
Funded: $18,000
Patient-oriented research
“Stem Cell Organogenesis Unit”Principal investigator: Phillip Smith, M.D., professor of Medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology
Funded: $180,000
“GE FASTLab2 for the UAB Cyclotron Facility”
Principal investigator: Suzanne Lapi, Ph.D., associate professor of Radiology
Funded: $65,350
“Enhanced Assessment of Organ Lipid and Liver Disease for the Civitan International Neuroimaging” Laboratory
Principal investigator: Amy Goss, Ph.D., assistant professor of Nutrition Sciences
Funded: $91,150
“UAB Lung Imaging Core”
Principal investigator: Surya Bhatt, M.D., assistant professor of Medicine in the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine
Funded: $59,665
“School of Medicine Clinical Investigator Training Program”
Principal investigator: Mansoor Saleh, M.D., professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology and Oncology
Funded: $49,913