A MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF THE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE VOLUME 47 • NUMBER 1 • SUMMER 2020 New Horizons in Cancer Care The people, programs, and plans that are taking UAB’s cancer care to the next level Also in this issue: UAB’s vital role in Alabama’s COVID-19 pandemic response LETTER FROM THE DEAN o say we are living in tumultuous times is an understatement. The events of the past few months have upended Talmost every aspect of our lives. From the spread of the coronavirus pandemic to the ongoing presidential campaigns to the demonstrations sparked by the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and Rayshad Brooks, history may well define the period we are now living through as a turning point for our country. Over the past few months, I have been inspired to contribute my thoughts on aspects of our current moment through interviews and opinion pieces in a variety of media outlets. In April, I was interviewed by MSNBC’s The Beat with Ari Melber about how the pandemic is disproportionately affecting minority communities because of longstanding health disparities in our country. I was also honored to develop an op-ed for USA Today in collaboration with a group of medical school deans and health care leaders who share my grave concern about this phenomenon. Building on this, I wrote an op-ed for the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) about the importance of teaching medical students about health disparities and social determinants of health, in part so our country can be better withstand the next pandemic. The Harvard Center for Primary Care requested a guest blog post on the same topic, which I was pleased to provide. In addition to these recent contributions to academic and public discourse, I hope you’ll enjoy reading this issue, which explores our school’s and UAB’s vital role in helping our city and state confront the pandemic. The issue also spotlights non-coronavirus stories, including our cover story, which highlights several developments that are accelerating our goal of becoming the top cancer care provider and research hub for Alabama and the region. You’ll also read about how UAB Sports Medicine is partnering with Birmingham’s Legion FC to keep these elite soccer players in top form; a high-profile visit from National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins in March; what our Medical Alumni Association leaders see as top priorities for the organization; and more. I want to wish all our alumni health and peace amid the disruption and unrest we are experiencing as a country. I hope we will come through this historic moment a stronger and more just nation. And thank you to our alumni for all you do to serve your own communities at a time when medical leadership is more critical than ever. Sincerely, Selwyn M. Vickers, M.D., FACS Senior Vice President for Medicine Dean, UAB School of Medicine James C. Lee Jr. Endowed Chair University of Alabama at Birmingham Chair, UA Health Services Foundation Board 8 FEATURES Leading the Charge Goal! UAB plays vital role in Alabama’s COVID-19 UAB Sports Medicine teams up with 8 response 18 Legion FC soccer New Horizons in Providing Hope Cancer Care A counselor reflects on the lessons she’s learned working in palliative care 14 The people, programs, and plans that are 22 taking UAB’s cancer care to the next level Cover illustration by Chris Davis A Magazine for Alumni and Friends of the School of Medicine DEPARTMENTS Volume 47, Issue 1, Summer 2020 SCHOOL LEADERSHIP Senior Vice President for Medicine and Dean Selwyn Vickers, M.D., FACS IN BRIEF 3 Executive Vice Dean Research and clinical highlights from across UAB Medicine Anupam Agarwal, M.D. DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS RESEARCH Executive Director of Development, School of Medicine 24 Megann Bates Cain Looking to the future of research with National Institutes of Health Director Executive Director of Development for Strategic Planning, Francis Collins School of Medicine Jessica Towns Senior Director of Development and Strategic Initiatives, MEDICAL EDUCATION School of Medicine 26 Erica Hollins Medical student Zach Sollie plays pivotal role in diagnosing rare Comprehensive Diabetes Center neurological disease Christian Smith Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine Jessica Towns 28 STUDENT PROFILES Department of Dermatology Get to know some of the 2020 Best Medicine Show performers Allison Tillotson Department of Medicine Megann Bates Cain; Christian Smith 30 ALUMNI PROFILES Department of Neurology Medical Alumni Association leaders on current priorities and future goals Katye Fuglaar Department of Neurosurgery Katye Fuglaar GIVING Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology 32 Erica L. Hollins Recent gifts foster diversity and inclusion in medicine, patient care and Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences; research in kidney disease, excellence in microbiology, and more Callahan Eye Hospital Morgan Quarles Department of Orthopaedic Surgery 36 ACROSS CAMPUS Jessica Towns Events, announcements, and achievements in the academic life of the Department of Otolaryngology Ivy Watson School of Medicine Department of Pathology Ivy Watson GET TO KNOW Department of Pediatrics 40 Andrea Martin Meet surgery resident and record-holding powerlifter Samantha Baker Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation; Spain Rehab Ivy Watson Department of Radiology Allison Tillotson Department of Surgery Jessica Towns Department of Urology Lisa Roth Friends and Family Program Ivy Watson Grateful Patient Program Amy Willis Joint Health Sciences Ivy Watson Medical Student Scholarships; Primary Care Jessica Brooks Lane O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB Lisa Roth Patient and Alumni Giving Allison Tillotson Cover illustration by Chris Davis Regional Giving Sarah Weinacker Contributing Writers Contact Information Cary Estes, Rosalind Fournier, Holly Gainer, Tyler Greer, (205) 975-5659 • [email protected] Jeff Hansen, Haley Herfurth, Brian Hudgins, Savannah Koplon, Adam Pope, Bon Shepard, Matt Windsor MEDICAL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION President Contributing Photographers John Wheat, M.D. ’76 Amanda Chambers, Nik Layman, Andrea Mabry, President-Elect Dustin Massey, Steve Wood V. Michael Bivins, M.D. ’96 Executive Director Note: Most photography was shot prior to the corona- Meredith Burns virus pandemic and the widespread adoption of social Assistant Director distancing and mask-wearing protocols. Beth Eddings Business Administrator Michelle Giddens Contact Information CONNECT WITH US (205) 934-4463 • [email protected] UABSchoolofMedicine UABSOM uabschoolofmedicine UAB.edu/medicine UAB MEDICINE STAFF Executive Director of Communications Paige Dorman Managing Editor Jane Longshore Published twice a year by UAB School of Medicine Communications. UAB is an EEO/AA/Disability/Veteran Employer. © 2019 by the Board of Trustees of University of Alabama System for the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Art Director Kristin Farmer Contact Information (205) 934-0256 • [email protected] IN BRIEF Allies in Care The UAB Health System and Ascension St. Vincent’s have entered into an alliance that will increase access to high-quality, innovative medical care through multiple outlets and health programs. Pending appropriate approvals, the strategic alliance will enable the two entities, which have a long history of collaboration, to come together to further enhance patient care and address Alabama’s most challenging health threats. The alliance will use innovative strategies to address health disparities, mental and In Brief behavioral health, and diabetes, with an emphasis on expanded Research access for poor, vulnerable, and The Missing Piece and clinical rural populations. highlights from Congenic mouse strains— “If you think of research as a Leaders of both organizations which have been used for puzzle, we reached a point where across UAB say by bringing the two decades in immunology we knew we were missing a key Medicine together, the alliance enhances research and were thought to puzzle piece, and we couldn’t their longstanding relationship be genetically identical outside go any further without first and affirms each organization’s of a marker locus—have been finding the missing piece,” says ability to help patients receive found to contain previously Weinmann. the right care in the right setting unrecognized genetic variation, The researchers adapted at the right time, including those UAB researchers reported in a existing informatics tools and who need highly specialized study published in the journal devised a new strategy to identify care. Currently, Ascension Immunity. The team, led by Amy regions of the genome that St. Vincent’s facilities receive Weinmann, Ph.D., professor in diverge from the most commonly admissions from UAB’s the Department of Microbiology, used mouse genetic background. Gardendale Emergency discovered this genetic variation Their new approaches will help Department and UAB faculty when performing experiments researchers identify and define perform surgery at Ascension to define the effects of microbial genetic variations among strains St. Vincent’s One Nineteen. metabolites on T cells. of mice, in chromosomal areas of “As health care continues to Conflicting data from these interest. evolve, it’s important for health experiments prompted questions systems to work with each that led to the discovery. other to provide innovative, person-centered care,” says UAB Health System CEO Will Ferniany. “It has always been our shared commitment with Ascension St. Vincent’s to remain