Click here to read an interview with Mary Halsey Maddox, M.D., Pediatric Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine, on Fox 6 WBRC. It's something adults can easily say we don't get enough of: sleep. But adults aren't the ones some doctors say we should be worried about. A new CDC study shows teens aren't getting enough rest - putting them at risk of injury and even death. It’s a concern Dr. Maddox says needs to be adjusted for kids and teenagers. "Over 50 percent of teenagers nationwide do not get sufficient sleep,” Dr. Maddox said. Dr. Maddox is a sleep medicine specialist. Typically, she says 56 percent of teenagers ages 15 to 17 get fewer than seven hours of sleep.
Continue reading here...
Avi Madan-Swain, Ph.D., Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, was a recipient of the 2015 Dean’s Excellence Award in Service. Click here to read the story in an ongoing series highlighting the 2015 award winners. One of the lessons Avi Madan-Swain learned early in life was the importance of seeing the beauty and good in individuals and reaching out to provide a helping hand to those in need. She observed this directly through her experiences as a young woman studying to be a teacher and working at a school for multi-handicapped children in Kolkata (previously known as Calcutta), India. It was the only school in Kolkata that provided services to school-aged children regardless of their ability to pay.
Continue reading here...
Crystal Rutledge, M.D., Pediatric Critical Care, was selected to receive a 2016-2017 Faculty Development Grant Program award. The proposal, entitled “Assessing Emergency Care for Alabama's Children” has been funded for May 15, 2016 to August 30, 2017 from the UAB Office of the Provost and the Department of Pediatrics.
Gregory Friedman, M.D., Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, received a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) R01 award for his project, "Ph1 of HSV G207 and Radiation to Treat Pediatric Brain Tumors IND16294," in the amount of $250,000 per year through 2018.
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the Blue Ribbon Panel (BRP) has invited Smita Bhatia, M.D., MPH, Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, to participate in the BRP Working Group on Pediatric Cancer. Through participation, Dr. Bhatia will be filling an essential role in advising the Institute and the National Cancer Moonshot. In late January 2016, President Barack Obama announced the establishment of the National Cancer Moonshot initiative, led by Vice President Joe Biden. The initiative aims to accelerate current cancer research efforts and break down barriers to progress, making more therapies available to more patients, while also improving the ability to prevent cancer and detect it at an early stage.
The National Cancer Institute has assembled a Blue Ribbon Panel, a working group of the National Cancer Advisory Board (NCAB) that is charged with providing expert advice on the vision, proposed scientific goals, and implementation of the National Cancer Moonshot. The BRP will consider how to best advance the themes proposed for the Moonshot, including an intensive examination of the opportunities and impediments in cancer research. For more information, please click here. The findings and recommendations of the BRP and its Working Groups will be reported to the NCAB later this summer. Ultimately, the NCAB will use the BRP’s findings and recommendations to provide final recommendations to the NCI Director. Congratulations to Dr. Bhatia on this great honor!
In the UAB Magazine cover story, "The Meaning of Life: Palliative Care Makes Every Moment Count," read about Ashley Nichols, M.D., assistant professor in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics, specializing in Palliative Care at both UAB and Children's of Alabama. Dr. Nichols is the Medical Director of UAB's 12-bed Palliative and Comfort Care Unit. Palliative care helps patients get the most out of life, whether they’re newly diagnosed, a survivor, or nearing the end of their journey. UAB’s palliative care pioneers provide a fresh look at the fast-growing specialty and its emphasis on listening, choices, patient goals, and quality of life.
Continue reading here>>>
From among only 60 physicians selected in the United States, four physicians from the UAB School of Medicine have been named to the prestigious Association of American Physicians. Among those inducted are pediatric faculty members: Smita Bhatia, M.D., professor and vice chair for Outcomes in the Department of Pediatrics and director of the Institute for Cancer Outcomes and Survivorship and William Britt, M.D., professor in the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases in the Department of Pediatrics. The other two faculty members from UAB are Ravi Bhatia, M.D., and Victor Thannickal, M.D.Continue reading here...
An observational study of pregnant women in Brazil to further understand Zika virus and its impact on reproductive health and fetus development has been launched. William Britt, M.D., professor of pediatric infectious diseases at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, leads the study, which complements his current research in Brazil on cytomegalovirus infection during pregnancy. CMV infection can lead to hearing and vision impairment in babies. Suresh Boppana, M.D., and Karen Fowler, M.D., professors in the UAB Department of Pediatrics, are co-investigators on this project.Continue reading here...
You're invited to attend our Town Hall Meeting with Community Leaders! Learn more about Poverty Status, Education, Health Equity in Children and Adolescents with potential solutions to address these issues. This event is free and open to the public. No registration or tickets required. This two-day, mini-conference is sponsored by the American Academy of Pediatrics Leonard P. Rome CATCH Visiting Professorship.Panelist Include:
Frank Franklin, MD, MPH, PhD, Professor Emeritus of UAB School of Public Health
John Stone, MBA, Manager of the Community Action Arm of Children's of Alabama
Kristina Scott, JD, Executive Director of Alabama Possible
Michael Ramsey, MD, Immediate Past President of Alabama Chapter American Academy of Pediatrics
Randall Woodfin, JD, Immediate Past President of Birmingham Public School’s Board of Education
Veda Johnson, MD, Director of Partners for Equity in Child & Adolescent Health at Emory University School of Medicine
To view the agenda, click here.
To view the flyer for the Town Hall Meeting, click here.
For more information contact Dr. Jaime McKinney.
Veronica Sanchez, PhD, Pediatric Infectious Disease, received an appointment as Associate Scientist in the Neuro-Oncology Program effective April 1, 2016. Congratulations to Dr. Sanchez on joining theUAB Comprehensive Cancer Center.