People: Alumni

Dr. Aman Bajwa Awarded $3.7 Million to Develop Early Detection Test for Kidney Damage

Written by Lee Ferguson

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Clinical CareResearch
Headshot of Dr. Aman Bajwa

Aman Bajwa, PhD, professor of Surgery at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center has been awarded a multi-principal investigator R01 grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health. The five-year, $3.7 million award supports a groundbreaking project titled, “Utilizing Resazurin Fluorescence to… Read More

Tennessee’s First Brain Bee Comes to Memphis, Nurturing a New Generation of Neurologists

Written by Allyson Lawson

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Clinical CareEducationPublic ServiceResearch
A student and an adult listen to a professor in a white coat while she points to bright green, blue, and yellow images printed on large pieces of shiny paper laying on desks.

Last Saturday morning, 25 Shelby County high school students came to the University of Tennessee Health Science Center campus in Memphis to compete in the state’s first-ever Brain Bee. Not all arrived believing a career in medicine was possible. By day’s end, they could picture themselves as the person in the room who had the… Read More

Leadership to Legacy: Alumnus Dr. Mitch Godat’s Mission of Mercy

Written by Carmin Chambers

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Clinical CarePublic Service
Dr. Mitch Godat at the 2026 Mid-South Mission of Mercy

Before the first patient was seated, the doors at Bellevue Baptist Church had already opened to a line of individuals seeking care. Inside, more than 1,000 volunteers prepared treatment stations, transforming the gymnasium into a fully functioning dental clinic for the 10th annual Mid-South Mission of Mercy. For Mitch Godat, DDS, MS, a graduate of… Read More

UT Health Sciences Hosts Regional Mental Health Summit in Chattanooga

Written by Sarah Small

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Clinical CarePublic Service
Attendees at the Mental Health Summit in Chattaooga talk with each other.

Leaders from state and local government, health care, education, and community mental health organizations gathered in Chattanooga for a Regional Mental Health Summit on Friday, February 20, hosted by The University of Tennessee Health Sciences College of Medicine-Chattanooga to gain support in creating a new psychiatry residency program. The summit featured speakers including Marie Williams,… Read More

Building the Foundation for Research Success: Jennifer Ferris Makes History at UT Health Sciences in Knoxville

Written by Lee Ferguson

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Research
Jennifer Ferris headshot

When Jennifer Ferris, MHS, CCRC, received the 2025 Alston Exempt Staff Award in December, the recognition marked more than a personal milestone. It was a notable moment for the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine – Knoxville. Ferris is the first recipient from the Knoxville campus to earn the university-wide honor, an… Read More

‘An Investment in Tennessee’: Proposed Medicine Building Stands to Improve Health Care in Tenn.

Written by Peggy Reisser

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Clinical CareEducation
College of Medicine Interdisciplinary Building Rendering

When a group of state leaders toured the University of Tennessee Health Sciences’ Memphis campus recently, the elevator they were taking to the College of Medicine on the 10th floor of the 910 Madison Building stalled during the descent. The brief malfunction was evidence of what students, faculty, staff, alumni, and partners know — the building that houses Tennessee’s only statewide public academic medical school is past its prime. A… Read More

Dentistry Marks Another Year of Smiles and Service Through Give Kids a Smile

Written by Carmin Chambers

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Clinical CarePublic Service
A dental student performs work on a young patient

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Dentistry provided free dental care to 73 children during its 10th annual Give Kids A Smile event on Feb. 11. The event delivered more than 600 procedures, valued at $18,148. Faculty and student volunteers provided comprehensive oral examinations, cleanings, fluoride treatments, sealants, and restorative procedures to… Read More

UT Health Sciences Well-Represented Among Exceptional Women in Medicine

Written by Allyson Lawson

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Clinical CareEducationPublic ServiceResearch
The University of Tennessee Health Science Center letters over stone arches, with red flowers in the foreground

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center is well-represented in the Castle Connolly 2026 Exceptional Women in Medicine listing, with dozens of physicians recognized through the peer-nomination process. The achievement is a testament to the exceptional quality of physicians caring for Memphis and the region. UT Health Sciences faculty honored in this year’s awards list… Read More