The Partnership Research Summer Training Program (PRSTP) at UAB is an NIH-funded cancer research immersion program. PRSTP invites honors-level undergraduate and master’s students from historically black colleges/universities, minority-serving institutions, and UAB students pursuing scientific majors interested in cancer research or health disparities.
Parys Sanders is a rising second-year Health Science major on the pre-medical track at Spelman College, with a strong interest in medicine and addressing health disparities. During the summer she participated in PRSTP where she collaborated with Dr. Gillis and post-doctoral scholars on a research project titled “Enhancing Patient-Centered Thyroid Pathology Reporting: A Pilot Study.”
The project aimed to create a visually enhanced, patient-facing thyroid pathology report informed by direct patient feedback. Participant feedback supported visual diagrams, simplified terminology, and linking educational resources. Input was incorporated into novel reports design until thematic saturation was reached.
The UAB Department of Surgery hosted its annual Pre-College Research Internship for Scholarship and Mentoring (PRISM) over the summer. The program aims to provide high school students, who are interested in careers in healthcare and medicine, with an understanding and appreciation of the research process and how discoveries lead to improved patient care and patient outcomes.
Ashton Hudson participated in the PRISM program under the mentorship of Dr. Andrea Gillis. His project titled “Assessing Patient-Reported Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Surgery For Primary Hyperparathyroidism” looked at survey data from parathyroidectomy patients at UAB. He focused on patients emotional states and quality of life prior to and post treatment.
In summer 2025, the UAB Section of Endocrine Surgery participated in the annual Short-Term Research Experiences Advancing Medical Students (STREAMS) program. Through STREAMS, aspiring surgeons work closely with experienced surgeons, gaining hands-on exposure to surgical research and valuable insight into careers in surgery.
Sanya Nathani is a 2nd year medical student at UAB and spent this past summer conducting endocrine research under Dr. Herbert Chen. Originally from Clermont, Florida, she earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and a master’s in anatomy from the University of South Florida. She is interested in surgery, serves as shadowing coordinator for the Surgery Interest Group, and hopes to further explore endocrine research and surgical specialties.
Sanya’s research, titled “Incidence of Ectopic Parathyroid Glands in Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Hyperparathyroidism“, found that about 25% of patients present with an ectopic parathyroid gland, which may be challenging to localize during parathyroidectomies. Her research also illustrated the anatomical distribution of ectopic parathyroid glands, confirming the thymus as the most common ectopic location.
Naqi Raza is a second-year medical student at the Heersink School of Medicine with an interest in surgery and health equity. Naqi earned his Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering from UAB in 2022 and a Master of Science in Medical Device Engineering from the Keck Graduate institute in Los Angeles, CA in 2023.
During the UAB Surgery STREAMS summer program, he worked with Dr. Herbert Chen. His research titled “Demographic/Geographic Patterns in Patients with Primary vs Secondary/Tertiary Hyperparathyroidism” revealed that patients with secondary/tertiary disease were more likely to be from minority backgrounds, reside in socially vulnerable neighborhoods, and travel farther for surgery – underscoring the influence of social and demographic factors on surgical presentation.
Juan Contreras is a second year medical student from Birmingham, Alabama. He graduated from Auburn University in 2024 with a degree in Biomedical Sciences and a minor in Spanish. He has a strong interest in surgery and spent the summer working on research under Dr. Herbert Chen, on his project “Thyroid Surgery in Children & Adolescents with Thyroid Disorders: Are Complication Rates Higher?.”
His findings demonstrated comparable surgical outcomes across patients aged 5 to 18. Through this experience, Juan developed a deeper appreciation for surgical research and looks forward to further exploring research as he continues his medical education this year.
Mackenzie Sweatt is a second-year medical student at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine with an interest in surgery. During the UAB Surgery STREAMS summer program, she worked with Dr. Andrea Gillis and Dr. Angela Carter to investigate the impact of Fusobacteria on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).
Her research project titled “Impact of Fusobacteria on Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma” revealed that Fusobacteria nucleatum successfully colonized KPC mouse PDAC tumors in both male and female mice following a single retro-orbital F. nucleatum administration. With this established model, further pancreatic cancer research can be pursued, including exploration of the impact of F. nucleatum on tumor growth as well as interrogation of the mechanisms facilitating colonization and impacting tumor behavior.
The Surgical Society of the Alimentary Tract held its annual meeting on May 3rd, 2025 in San Diego, CA. The SSAT is a global community leading the future of GI surgery through innovation, research, advocacy, and dissemination of knowledge to advance clinical excellence.
Dr. Victor Perim presented his study with Dr. Andrea Gillis titled “Older age decreases the likelihood of significant pathological response in patients with PDAC following neoadjuvant therapy.”
Dr. Kerrick Akinola Presented his study titled “Intersection of race and socioeconomic status with pathologic response after neoadjuvant therapy for pancreatic adenocarcinoma” with Dr. Gillis as the PI on the project.
Dr. Andrea Gillis joined colleagues from UAB’s Department of Surgery at the Integrative Health Summit, hosted by the Student National Medical Association (SNMA) on March 22, 2025.
Representing the division of endocrine surgery, Dr. Gillis inspired high school and college students interested in healthcare through an engaging hands-on suturing course and a Q&A discussion panel.
We recently had the honor of hosting Dr. Sareh Parangi at the Endocrinology Grand Rounds. Dr. Parangi is a Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School and an esteemed endocrine surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital. She also serves as the Chief of Surgery at Newton-Wellesley Hospital.
A distinguished leader in thyroid cancer research, Dr. Parangi shared insights from her remarkable career, highlighting her groundbreaking work and personal journey in the field of endocrine surgery. Her visit was both inspiring and educational, leaving a lasting impact on the team at UAB.
In her lecture titled “Hope and Resilience,” Dr. Sareh Parangi delivered an inspiring account of her professional journey, reflecting on the challenges she encountered as an aspiring surgeon. She reflected on her career journey, offering valuable lessons on overcoming barriers within the surgical field.
Dr. Parangi further elaborated on the pioneering work conducted by her team in the management of anaplastic thyroid cancer, a historically aggressive disease with limited research focus and poor clinical outcomes. Through their sustained dedication and innovative research efforts, her team has significantly advanced treatment modalities, providing new therapeutic options and renewed hope for patients affected by this formidable condition.
Faculty from the UAB Department of Surgery were invited to the 10th AKU Annual Surgical Conference (10AASC), held at Aga Khan University in Karachi, Pakistan. This year’s conference, themed “Beyond the Scalpel: Quality Care and Patient Safety,” brought together leading surgeons and healthcare professionals from around the world to discuss innovations in surgical quality, patient safety, and healthcare sustainability.
The UAB delegation included Dr. Herbert Chen, Dr. Andrea Gillis, Dr. Jessica Fazendin, Dr. Anabelle Fonseca, Dr. Saulat Sheikh, Dr. Sophie Dream and Dr. Zain Hashmi, who played an active role in the conference through keynote addresses, panel discussions, and expert presentations.
Dr. Herbert Chen delivered the keynote address “Keeping an Eye on Climate – Making Hospitals and OR’s Carbon Neutral – pipe dream or reality.”
Dr. Jessica Fazendin participated in the session “Collaborating to Innovate in Health Care Quality,” where she both delivered a presentation and contributed as a panelist. Her talk, titled “Successful Surgery Quality and Safety Collaborations – Translating Success from HIC to LMIC” explored strategies for adapting effective surgical safety and quality initiatives from high-income countries to low- and middle-income settings.
Dr. Saulat Sheikh was engaged in the session “Implementing Quality; Leadership Perspective,” where she delivered a compelling presentation titled “The Role of Institutional Leadership in Safety and Quality Overall and Surgery in Specific: What Can or Should the Government Do?”
Dr. Andrea Gillis and Dr. Sophie Dream contributed to the session “Roles of Accredited Bodies,” where they delivered insightful presentations on the intersection of accreditation, regulation, and surgical quality. Dr. Andrea Gillis presented “Incorporating Safety and Quality in Surgical Training – Making Sure It’s More Than Just Checking a Box” emphasizing the need for meaningful integration of patient safety and quality measures into surgical education. Dr. Sophie Dream followed with her talk, “The Alphabet Soup of Accreditation and Regulatory Bodies in Surgical Quality and Safety – Help or Hindrance?”
Dr. Anabelle Fonseca delivered a presentation titled ‘Measuring what matters: What are the “right” outcomes measures and how to choose them in Surgical Quality’ during the “Measuring Outcomes Session.”
Dr. Herbert Chen is pictured above with Dean Adil Haider and Chief of Surgery Dr. Saleem Islam, reflecting on the conference’s success. Overall, it was a highly productive and enriching experience.
Faculty from UAB’s Department of Surgery participated in and presented at the 2nd edition of the Association of Academic Surgeons Career Development Workshop held at Aga Khan University, Pakistan. The workshop was tailored for academic surgeons seeking to advance their careers, providing a comprehensive roadmap for professional growth. Sessions covered key topics such as initiating and progressing in academic surgical careers, along with insightful discussions on developing and managing academic surgical projects.
Dr. Jessica Fazendin presented on “How to deliver and effective presentation” and also “What does a career in Surgical Education look like?”
Dr. Sophie Dream spoke about “How to write an abstract for an international meeting and high-impact paper writing” as well as “How to create and promote new clinical programs.”
Dr. Anabelle Fonseca described “Designing your study from hypothesis to methods.” Dr. Herbert Chen also delivered talks on “Effective time management and work-life integration” and “Achieving local and national visibility.” Dr. Zain Hashmi spoke about “Developing networking for collaborative research” and Dr. Andrea Gillis shared her expertise on “Grant writing pearls and pitfalls.”
The team also participated in panel discussions with Q&A sessions from the attendees. They ended the day with a tour of AKU’s campus and facility.
The University of Alabama, Birmingham endocrine surgeons hosted a joint endocrine surgical conference for local surgeons and trainees at The Aga Khan University in Karachi, Pakistan.
The conference included a workshop for local surgeons, endocrinologists, and trainees focused on thyroid and parathyroid disorders. Faculty from UAB delivered lectures designed to be relevant and beneficial for the regional healthcare professionals. The sessions provided practical insights into the advancements in diagnosis and treatment, fostering a productive exchange of knowledge.
Dr. Sophie Dream (Medical College of Wisconsin) presented “Ablative technologies for thyroid disease.”
Dr. Jessica M Fazendin presented “Controlled versus uncontrolled Graves’ disease and surgical planning.”
Dr Herbert Chen gave a talk on “Hyperparathyroidism: the forgotten disease.” Dr. Andrea Gillis discussed the “Management of thyroid nodules.”
The trip also included a seminar with the local student body, where faculty from UAB discussed careers in surgery and shared their professional experiences.
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