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The UAB Department of Pediatrics welcomes two new faculty members during the month of June. Please join us in making them feel at home!

Jonathan Byrnes, M.D., Associate Professor in Cardiac Critical Care
Girish Dhall, M.D., Professor in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology

Jonathan Byrnes, M.D., Associate Professor in Cardiac Critical Care, earned his medical degree from the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Mississippi. Dr. Byrnes completed his pediatric residency at the University of Mississippi. He completed a combined pediatric cardiology and pediatric critical care fellowship at the University of Arkansas in Little Rock, Arkansas. Prior to joining UAB, Dr. Byrnes was an associate professor in pediatric cardiology and pediatric cardiac intensive care at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital/University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio. Dr. Byrnes will be the CVICU ECMO medical director. Dr. Byrnes is active in clinical and translational research involving extracorporeal life support that would benefit critically ill children. This research is primarily focused on the biocompatibility of the patient/device interface and the associated interaction of the coagulation and inflammatory pathways. The aim of these endeavors is to ultimately decrease the incidence of end organ dysfunction and stroke associated with these therapies.

Girish Dhall, M.D., Professor of Pediatrics and Director, UAB Division of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Blood & Marrow Transplantation, earned his medical degree from Grant Medical College in Mumbai, India. Dr. Dhall completed his pediatric residency training New York Medical College in Valhalla, New York followed by pediatric hematology/oncology fellowship at the New York University (NYU) School of Medicine in New York, New York and his pediatric neuro-oncology fellowship at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles, California. Prior to joining UAB, Dr. Dhall was an Associate Professor at the University of Southern California and the Director of Neuro-oncology Program at Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles (CHLA)/USC. His major area of research interest is clinical research in CNS germ cell tumors and infant medulloblastoma and designing early phase clinical trials for patients with pediatric brain tumors.

Congratulations to Colm Travers, M.D., Pediatric PGY-3, on winning the 2019 Quality Improvement Project Award for his project titled "Reducing Severe Intracranial Hemorrhage and Death Among Extremely Preterm Infants." His resident team: Drs. Simi Kuye, Gabriel Lugo, Dave Sanford, and Austin Wheeler

His mentors on this project were Drs. Lindy Winters and Vivek Lal Neonatology.

David Kimberlin, M.D., Pediatric Infectious Diseases, will receive the 2019 Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (PIDS) Distinguished Service Award at this year's IDWeek in Washington D.C. starting on October 2.

Congratulations Dr. Kimberlin!

The Emergency Department presented Shreyas Makwana, M.D., Plastic Surgery with the Friend of the ED Award. Dr. Makwana is a plastic surgery resident who goes above and beyond for our pediatric patients and families. A thank you note from one of our ED patients is evidence of his excellence

Congratulations Dr. Makwana!

For the 10th consecutive year, Children’s of Alabama is ranked among the nation’s best children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report.
 
Six of Children’s pediatric specialty services – Cancer, Cardiology & Heart Surgery, Neonatology, Nephrology, Neurology & Neurosurgery and Pulmonology –  are among the top 50 in the United States in the magazine’s 2019-20 Best Children’s Hospitals rankings. Currently, U.S. News & World Report ranks 10 specialties. The complete listing and corresponding rankings may be found at http://www.usnews.com/best-hospitals.

Read the full story at https://www.childrensal.org/body.cfm?id=1730&action=detail&ref=787. 

It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Mark Prichard, Ph.D., Pediatric Infectious Diseases. He died peacefully at home with his entire family present. We must all remember Mark for the real joy he brought to our lives. His continuing smile through trying times will be remembered by all of us and never forgotten. Further, Mark was a true scholar. As his family loved him, so did all of us. He leaves behind his wife and two sons.
 
Mark joined the Department of Pediatrics in 2003. He ascended to the rank of Professor and, recently, was awarded Emeritus status by the UA Board of Trustees. He was responsible for the Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory. He directed a laboratory that evaluated new drugs to treat viral infections. He published over 150 peer reviewed publications. He will be greatly missed.

Rich Whitley

Friday, July 19 | 7:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. | Bradley Lecture Center

The 2019 UAB Perinatal Conference will be held Friday, July 19 at the Bradley Lecture Center. This year’s conference is titled "Brains and Things”. This one-day conference will begin at 7:30 a.m. with registration and breakfast and conclude at 5:15 p.m. Click here for the informational brochure and to register.

Pediatric faculty elected David Kimberlin, M.D., Pediatric Infectious Diseases, to serve a three-year term on the Pediatric Appointment, Promotion and Tenure Committee. Tim Coghill, M.D., Neonatology, was re-elected to serve a second three-year term. The Department thanks you for agreeing to represent our pediatric faculty peers on this important committee!

Donna Murdaugh, Ph.D., Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, has been appointed as Associate Scientist in the Cancer Control and Population Sciences Program by the O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center. 

Congratulations Dr. Murdaugh! 

Tamera Coyne-Beasley, M.D., Adolescent Medicine, has been selected as the 2020 Adele D. Hofmann Visiting Professor in Adolescent Medicine and Health. The Hofmann Professorship is one of the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine's (SAHM) highest honors. Her selection will be announced at the 2020 Annual Meeting in San Diego, California.


Congratulations Dr. Coyne-Beasley!

Congratulations to Aman Wadhwa, M.D., Third Year Fellow, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology on receiving the UAB Subspecialty Research Achievement Award. Under the guidance of Smita Bhatia, M.D., Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, he has worked on investigating the association of body composition in treatment-related toxicities among children undergoing treatment for cancer. This award honors a graduating fellow who has made achievements and advancements in research during his or her fellowship.

Below is what our graduates will be doing after residency:

Matthew Adams, M.D.          Fellowship, Cardiology, Indianapolis, IN
Hilary Anderson, M.D.          General Pediatrics, Birmingham, AL
A. Reid Burks, M.D.              Chief Resident 2019-2020, UAB, Birmingham, AL
Joshua K. Cooper, M.D.        Fellowship, Critical Care/ID, UAB, Birmingham, AL
Eunice E. A. Dixon, M.D.      Chief Resident 2019-2020, UAB, Birmingham, AL
Austin Doss, M.D.                 General Pediatrics, Auburn,  AL
Emily Foreman, M.D.             Fellowship, Critical Care, San Diego, CA
Amelia B. Freeman, M.D.      Fellowship, Neonatology, UAB, Birmingham, AL
Maria Gutierrez, M.D.            Fellowship, Cardiology, Houston, TX
Spandana Induru, M.D.         Chief Resident 2019-2020, UAB, Birmingham, AL
Kristyn Jeffries, M.D.            Fellowship, Hospital Medicine, Kansas City, MO  
Eric Jorge, IV, M.D.               Fellowship, Emergency Medicine, UAB, Birmingham, AL
Ashley Love, M.D.                General Pediatrics, Auburn, AL
Anna Magliolo, M.D.             General Pediatrics, Birmingham, AL        
Margaret Marks, M.D.           Fellowship, Endocrinology, UAB, Birmingham, AL
Leen Matalka, M.D.                Fellowship, Endocrinology, UAB, Birmingham, AL
S. Taylor McClanahan, M.D. General Pediatrics, Birmingham, AL
Nathan Menaker, M.D.          Residency, Adult Emergency Medicine, Austin, TX
Jamie Oakley, M.D.               Fellowship, Hematology-Oncology, Atlanta, GA
Nicholas Rockwell, M.D.       Fellowship, Critical Care, UAB, Birmingham, AL
Victoria Sivils, M.D.              General Pediatrics, UAB, Birmingham, AL
Colm Travers, M.D.               Faculty, Neonatology, UAB, Birmingham, AL
Alicia Webb, M.D.                 Fellowship, Emergency Medicine, UAB, Birmingham, AL
Madeline Eckenrode, M.D.    Faculty, Medicine & COA Nocturnist, UAB, Birmingham, AL
Jane Marie F. Freeman, M.D. Fellowship, Allergy Immunology, UAB, Birmingham, AL
Christa R. Nevin, M.D.          Faculty, Adolescent & Adult HIV Care, UAB, Birmingham, AL
David  W. Windler, M.D.        Fellowship, Palliative Care, UAB, Birmingham, AL  

Congratulations to Brad Anding, M.D., and Emily Floyd, M.D., for winning the Joe LaRussa Intern of the Year Award!

Pictured L to R: Drs. Will Sasser, Michele Nichols, Emily Floyd, Brad Anding, Candice Dye and Lauren Nassetta

Anisha Bhatia Attawala, M.D., Second Year Fellow, Neonatology, has been selected to participate in the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Young Physicians Leadership Alliance (YPLA) presented by the Section on Early Career Physicians (SOECP). The YPLA is designed to develop leaders and build a leadership community among early career pediatricians and pediatric subspecialists. The program incorporates a longitudinal, developmental curriculum that is delivered face-to face annually at three sequential AAP National Conferences and in intersession learning modules held three times a year between conferences.

Congratulations Dr. Attawala!

Congratulations to Taylor McClanahan, M.D., Pediatric Resident PGY-3,  on being chosen as this year's recipient of The Carolyn Ashworth, M.D. Pediatric Primary Care Award. This award is given in recognition of a graduating resident’s excellence in primary care pediatrics; in their provision and coordination of care to meet the patient's medical, social, emotional and psychological needs which define high-quality, comprehensive care in the context of the family and society; and for a demonstrated commitment to life-long learning and advocacy.

Eleven Pediatric faculty members have been appointed to the Center for Women's Reproductive Health (CWRH). The mission of the CWRH is to conduct research aimed at improving the reproductive health and survival of all women, especially minority and under-served women and offspring, and their families, and to facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration between UAB researchers and others and developing scholars interested in women's reproductive health.

UAB Faculty Appointed
Namasivayam Ambalavanan, M.D., Neonatology
Suresh Boppana, M.D., Pediatric Infectious Disease
William Britt, M.D., Pediatric Infectious Disease
Waldemar Carlo, M.D., Neonatology
Krista Casazza, Ph.D., Adolescent Medicine
Karen Fowler, Ph.D., Pediatric Infectious Disease
David Kimberlin, M.D., Pediatric Infectious Disease
Charitharth Lal, M.D., Neonatology
Myriam Peralta, M.D., Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics
Shannon Ross, M.D., Pediatric Infectious Disease
Brian Sims, M.D., Neonatology

Congratulations!

Matthew Stoll, M.D., Pediatric Rheumatology, has been named to the Spondyloarthritis Research and Treatment Network (SPARTAN) Board of Directors. He will serve a three-year term beginning in May 2019 through May 2022.

Congratulations Dr. Stoll!

Jennifer Guimbellot, M.D., Ph.D., Pediatric Pulmonology, was recently elected to serve as a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics Executive Committee. Her three year term will begin on November 1, 2019 and run through 2022. The SOCPT serves to advance the mission and vision of the section and ultimately the health of infants and children.

Congratulations Dr. Guimbellot!

Margaux Barnes, Ph.D., Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, and Robby Richter, M.D., Pediatric Critical Care, have been awarded funding from the UAB Faculty Development Grant Program (FDGP) for their proposed projects. 

Dr. Barnes' project is titled "Resistance Training Intervention to Promote Lean Mass in Youth with IBD." Dr. Richter's project is titled "Evaluation of Roneparstat as a Novel Treatment Strategy in Sepsis." As part of the program all participants are required to present a poster detailing their project at a poster session hosted by the Provost and Faculty Senate in Fall 2020. 

Congratulations Drs. Barnes and Richter!