Charles O. Elson, M.D., the Basil Hirschowitz endowed chair of Gastroenterology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, has received a $6.8 million program renewal grant from the National Institutes of Health that will extend his research another five years ( Read the full article from UAB News)

The UAB Liver Center commuity education series will present “Fatty Liver Disease in Kids” on Thursday March 3, 2011 at 6:00pm in the Fultondale First Baptist Church Fellowship Hall and on Thursday March 24, 2011 at 6:00pm in the Baptist Church at McAdory Fellowship Hall.

About Fatty Liver Disease in Kids
With at least 12 million children in the United States currently overweight, and the prevalence of obesity has doubled for children 2-5 and tripled for children 6-9, fatty liver disease has become a major health concern for obese children in the United States.  Current estimates show that 15% or more of obese children suffer from fatty liver disease.  Alabama is currently ranked 6th the US for overweight and obese children.

To learn more or register for the upcoming Liver U on Fatty Liver Disease in Kids, please visit, the UAB Liver Center Support Group.  Registration is free.   

May 11, 2010, the Liver Disease Support Group will meet from 6:00pm-7:00pm in the  4th Floor Kirklin Clinic Conference Room (signs will be posted).  The speaker will be Brendan McGuire, MD (Professor and Medical Director of Liver Transplant.  Dr. McGuire’s topic will be “Liver Transplant-Answering your questions about referral, evaluation, and transplant process

June 10, 2010″Liver U-Straight Talk for your Health” will begin around 6:00pm  at Park Place in Gardendale. 

For more information, please visit the UAB Liver Center Support Group

Watch Mohamad A. Eloubeidi, M.D., M.H.S., F.A.C.P., F.A.C.G. (Associate Professor) discuss his paper “A large single-center experience of EUS-guided FNA of the left and right adrenal glands: diagnostic utility and impact on patient management,” with Senior Associate Editor Ian Gralnek.

Visit UAB Intouch, the interactive website, provided by the UAB Health System.  It proves patients with free videos, podcasts, and vodcasts.  You’ll hear from UAB patients as well as renowned physicians talk about such procedures as a Liver Biopsy, Liver Scan, and Sigmoidoscopy.  See how our groundbreaking procedures, expert skills, and compassionate care are improving quality of life and saving lives everyday.

Visit UAB Intouch Now!

Congratulations to Basil Hirschowitcz, MD, PhD, on his recent selection to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Castle Connolly Medical Ltd. National Physician of the Year Awards.  Dr. Hirschowitz served as the first Director of the Division of Gastroenterology/Hepatology at UAB, and was a faculty member in the Department of Medicine at UAB for over 50 yrs.

The Castle Connolly National Physician of the Year Awards recognize physicians and leaders in health care whose skills and dedication have improved the lives of countless thousands of people throughout the world. This event is a tribute to the awardees and also to the excellence of many thousands of practicing U.S. physicians.

Dr. Hirschowitz’s invention of the first fiberoptic endoscope, which has became the standard for visualizing and treating virtually every cavity in the body, He will accept the award at the group’s fifth annual awards dinner Monday, March 22 in the Hudson Theatre of the Millennium Broadway Hotel in New York City.

More about Dr. Hirschowitz’s Lifetime achievement award

http://gastro.dom.uab.edu/wp-content/uploads//2010/03/FinsFendersFun.gif The UAB Liver Center will be hosting its annual Fins, Fenders, and Fun fundraiser on April 17, 2010, which will highlight Alabama’s influence on the sport of NASCAR racing.  The event, featuring Hueytown racing legend Bobby Allison and saluting Talladega Superspeedway President Rick Humphrey, will begin at 6 p.m. Saturday, April 17 in the Zamora Shrine Temple, 3521 Ratliff Road, Irondale.

For tickets or more information, call 205-975-5659 or e-mail samika@uab.edu.

The UAB Liver Center will be hosting Liver U-”Straight Talk for Your Health” from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 11 at The Baptist Church at McAdory, 4954 Eastern Valley Road, McCalla.

The discussion topic for the event will be “50 Ways to Love Your Liver,” a community and patient education event for prevention of liver disease. UAB Liver Center Nurse Practitioner Tracey Gwaltney, CRNP, will discuss nutrition, vaccination and living with and prevention of liver disease.

Admission is free, but pre-registration is requested; call the UAB Liver Center patient line, 205-975-9698 or e-mail LiverCenter@uab.edu.

As a specialized Center within the Division of Gastroenterology/Hepatology the UAB Liver Center, develops programs to support clinical care and educates professionals and the public about liver disease.

There are a number of ways that you can contribute to the Department of Medicine and the Division of Gastroenterology/Hepatology at UAB, and we gratefully accept gifts in support of our divisional programs, research and centers.  For more information about ways to give, please contact the Development Office within the Department of Medicine, and remember to indicate you would like to designate your gift to the Division of Gastroenterology/Hepatolopgy. 

Download a printable gift form

The December 2009 edition of LiverNotes is now available online.  LiverNotes is a newsletter produced by the UAB Liver Center, intended for patients, families, and anyone interested increasing awareness about liver disease.  This edition includes holiday tips, and updated information about upcoming events,  future support group meetings, and Liver U.  LiverNotes December 2009