Whiddon College of Medicine at the University of South Alabama

Becky Smith, Ph.D., director of health and wellness at the Whiddon College of Medicine, has partnered with the South Alabama Regional Inservice Center to deliver a comprehensive series of wellness and resilience workshops for Mobile County Public Schools. This strategic collaboration is designed to support regional K-12 educators by addressing the real challenges of educator burnout.
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Haley Kominek, a Ph.D. candidate in the Basic Medical Sciences Graduate Program, recently presented her research at the 31st Annual Meeting of the RNA Society, an international conference held in Montreal, Canada. Her poster, titled "RNA modifications facilitate the transmission of extracellular RNA between cells," highlighted research from the laboratory of Glen Borchert, Ph.D., professor of pharmacology. Well done, Haley! 👏
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With a mission to improve pediatric and maternal health outcomes, USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital neonatologist Maran Ramani, M.D., who is also a professor of pediatrics at the Whiddon College of Medicine, recently published findings from a rigorous global study in the scientific journal Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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Scientists at the Whiddon College of Medicine are investigating whether amyloid-beta (Aβ), a protein long associated with Alzheimer's disease, contributes to kidney damage during urinary tract infections (UTIs). Allyson Shea, Ph.D., assistant professor of microbiology and immunology, and Jonathon Audia, Ph.D., professor of microbiology and immunology, are leading the project with support from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
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🛠️Construction crews are making steady progress on the new Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine building, set to open in 2027. Designed to support innovative medical education and research, the 295,000-square-foot facility will offer spaces that foster collaboration, scientific discovery and hands-on learning.

Magan Pittman, a graduate student in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, delivered her first conference talk at the 25th Annual Midwest DNA Repair Symposium. She was selected as one of 22 invited oral presenters from among submitted abstracts and presented her work titled, “NEIL1 control of mitochondria-related gene expression and isoform usage.” Congrats, Magan! 👏
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Richard Honkanen, Ph.D., has helped shape the University of South Alabama through groundbreaking research, collaborative leadership, and a sincere commitment to mentoring the next generation of scientists. Now, after 33 years of service, he is retiring as professor and chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Thank you for your many contributions to the Whiddon College of Medicine, Dr. Honkanen, and congratulations on your well-deserved retirement! 👏
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The Department of Emergency Medicine recently showcased the work of its resident physicians during the annual Emergency Medicine Resident Academic Research Day. Through oral presentations and scholarly discussions, residents shared research and quality improvement projects while honing the skills needed to advance patient care and evidence-based medicine.

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New research from the Whiddon College of Medicine is shedding light on how gastric (stomach) cancer spreads throughout the body. Published in Cancer Letters, the study identified a new molecular mechanism that helps explain how gastric cancer cells break away from neighboring cells and metastasize. The research was led by Debanjan Chakroborty, Ph.D., assistant professor of pathology, with postdoctoral fellow Sooraj Kakkat, Ph.D., serving as lead author.

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