UAB Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery Assistant Professor and Benjamin-Carver FIRST Scientist Demario Overstreet, Ph.D., has been chosen as a recipient of the 2024 Community Trailblazer Award by the Birmingham NAACP.

The Trailblazer Award is a prestigious recognition bestowed upon community members who have made significant contributions in their respective fields. This award acknowledges Dr. Overstreet’s exceptional achievements, innovation, and leadership.

Overstreet is a prominent leader at UAB and in the Birmingham community. He has made significant contributions to medical science, particularly in the areas of chronic pain and racial disparities. He also mentors many young scholars from underrepresented backgrounds in medicine and science.

"I am grateful to have been chosen as the recipient of the 2024 Community Trailblazer Award. It is an honor to be recognized, and I am committed to supporting initiatives that encourage and motivate historically disadvantaged students to pursue higher education," says Overstreet.

Overstreet conducts research guided by the biopsychosocial pain model. His work focuses on understanding how biological, psychological, and social factors influence acute and chronic pain in patients who have undergone surgery and those with gastrointestinal disorders. Additionally, his work aims to identify the factors that contribute to health disparities among racial minorities, women, and individuals living in poverty.

“Dr. Overstreet is an exceptional candidate for this award, and we are thrilled to see him recognized for his hard work and dedication to creating educational opportunities for future scientists and researchers,” adds Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery Director Daniel Chu, M.D., MSPH, FASCRS. “We are thrilled to see him recognized and are excited for the continued contributions he will make in research and to our community.”