UAB Wins Grant to Study Developmental Disabilities
UAB’s Civitan International Research Center (CIRC) is 1 of 12 institutions to receive a $5.24 million grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to spur new research into developmental disorders. The 5-year grant will create the UAB Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, which will promote research into treatments for autism, Rett Syndrome, cerebral palsy, behavioral disorders, and rare genetic diseases. “This award demonstrates that UAB is recognized nationally as a leader in research on intellectual and developmental disabilities,” says Alan Percy, MD, CIRC medical director and principal investigator.
Roth Is Chair of Pathology
Kevin A. Roth, MD, PhD, is chair of the Department of Pathology. He succeeds Jay McDonald, MD, who stepped down after 18 years at the helm.
“We are extremely enthusiastic about the vision that Dr. Roth has for the Department of Pathology,” said Robert Rich, MD, senior vice president and dean of the UAB School of Medicine. “With his focus, energy and resources, he is poised to lead the department to an even higher level of accomplishment and esteem.”
Roth joined UAB in 2002 as director of the Division of Neuropathology. He is founding director of the UAB Comprehensive Neuroscience Center, an interdisciplinary collaboration for neuroscience research, clinical care, and education. That center draws on a variety of disciplines, including neurology, psychiatry, neurobiology, neurosurgery, psychology, vision science, and biomedical engineering.
Roth earned his MD and PhD degrees from Stanford University School of Medicine after graduating with highest honors from the University of Michigan. He completed residency at Washington University before joining its faculty.
He is editor in chief of the Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry. He is a member of the Histochemical Society, the International Association of Neuropathologists, the American Society for Investigative Pathology, and the Society for Neuroscience.
UAB Designated O’Brien Center for Acute Kidney Injury
UAB is one of eight George M. O’Brien Kidney Research Centers. Division of Nephrology Director Anupam Agarwal, MD, will direct the $4.2 million, 5-year award creating the UAB-University of California O’Brien Core Center for Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) Research. AKI is a major cause for morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients, developing in 5% to 7% of all general medical-surgical patients and complicating recovery in 15% to 25% of intensive care unit patients. Despite advances in renal replacement therapy, mortality of AKI patients has remained relatively constant for some 40 years, Agarwal says.