Neonatology division expands with addition of Kasniya

Gangajal Kasniya, MBBS

Board-certified neonatologist Gangajal Kasniya, MBBS, recently joined the staff at USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital to help care for extremely premature and sick infants in the region’s only level III neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).  

As part of the region’s leading academic health system, Kasniya will also serve as an assistant professor of pediatrics at the Whiddon College of Medicine.   

Kasniya earned a medical degree from Sawai Man Singh Medical College in Jaipur, Rajasthan, in India. His pediatric residency was completed at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Chicago, followed by a neonatology fellowship at Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New Hyde Park, New York.  He underwent specialized training at Cohen’s that included ultrasound training and neonatal ultrasound modalities. 

Previously, he served as a neonatologist at Ochsner Baptist Medical Center in New Orleans where he also supervised medical students and those seeking degrees as advanced practice providers. 

His main research interest lies in the use of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in the NICU, a topic he presented during a September 2024 lecture at the American Academy of Neonatal Nurses National Conference in New Orleans. 

“This technology has the potential to significantly enhance the quality of care, improve patient safety, and reduce radiation exposure in neonatal settings,” said Kasniya, who also has published two research articles on the topic.  

“I aspired to become a physician because of the opportunity to help those in need while leading a fulfilling life,” Kasniya said. “I am particularly drawn to neonatology because of its teamwork environment, the chance to perform hands-on critical care procedures, and the unique responsibility of being the first responder for the tiniest patients.” 

The neonatologist said the ability to interact with families and, ultimately, the incredible feeling of fulfillment when a newborn is discharged from the NICU into the arms of its family is truly rewarding. “Caring for newborns and nurturing them into healthy infants is both gratifying and challenging,” he said. “I find great satisfaction in anticipating potential complications in a baby’s condition and being proactive in managing them.” 

He chose to work in an academic health setting because it’s crucial for personal and professional growth: “I am deeply passionate about teaching and mentoring, and my goal is to establish a POCUS program for pediatric residents at USA Health, as well as for our NICU.” 

He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Other memberships include the American Federation for Medical Research; Academy of Physicians in Clinical Research; Trainees and Early Career Neonatologists; and the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin. 

Boatright named assistant dean for medical education

Laura Boatright, M.D.

Following a national search, Laura Boatright, M.D., was recently appointed assistant dean for medical education at the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine at the University of South Alabama. 

In her new role, she is responsible for the development and implementation of simulation activities in Whiddon College of Medicine’s new simulation lab and for advocating for the use of simulation-based medical education at the medical school. She oversees areas such as faculty development, creation of simulation courses, and simulation-based research, while ensuring alignment with accreditation standards from the Society for Simulation in Healthcare and the Liaison Committee on Medical Education. 

Her goals include increasing the availability of simulation for undergraduate and graduate medical education learners and applying continuous quality improvement methodology to all simulation activities. 

“Our long-term goal is to create a collaborative and supportive learning environment that supports the needs of our learners and faculty, leaving a lasting positive impact on our learners, their patients, and our community,” she said.

Since July 2022, Boatright has served as the director of clinical skills and simulation at the Whiddon College of Medicine, where she refined curriculum content, including simulation activities, for the M1 and M2 Clinical Skills courses. As assistant dean, she will continue her work on the Health Resources and Services Administration grant for the Primary Care Pathway.

Boatright said the most rewarding part of her vocation is the opportunity to impact the growth of students and faculty. “Witnessing students develop confidence in their clinical skills and critical thinking through simulation activities is incredibly fulfilling,” she said. “Additionally, working with faculty members to elevate their teaching practices and create meaningful educational experiences gives me a deep sense of purpose.”

Prior to joining the University of South Alabama, Boatright was the director of the Simulation Center at the University of Virginia School of Medicine in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Boatright graduated magna cum laude from the University of Florida in Gainesville with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She completed the post-baccalaureate premedical program at Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Georgia. She went on to earn a medical degree from the University of Florida College of Medicine. 

She is a Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator and a member of the Association of Standardized Patient Educators and the Society for Simulation in Healthcare.

Art of Medicine set for Nov. 19

The Wellness Council and the Gold Humanism Honor Society will host the third annual Art of Medicine on Tuesday, Nov. 19, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the MacQueen Alumni Center Grand Ballroom. 

The evening will showcase the artistic talents of students, residents, faculty/staff and alumni, such as singing, playing an instrument, reading a poem, or displaying artwork. Light refreshments will be served. 

Sign up to attend, participate or donate. 

Donations will support the Dr. Cindy S. Sheets Endowment for Early Literacy. Contributions benefit the local Reach Out & Read chapter, helping to foster a love of reading in our community's youngest learners.

Contact Jess Irvin at ji2122@jagmail.southalabama.edu with any questions. 

BMS student earns poster award at CCTS symposium in Birmingham

Adeyeye Haastrup presents at the 2024 Center for

Clinical and Translational Science Symposium.

Adeyeye Haastrup, a third-year student in the Basic Medical Sciences Graduate Program at the Whiddon College of Medicine, recently earned an award for the poster presentation he made at the 2024 Center for Clinical and Translational Science Symposium in Birmingham.  

Haastrup tied for third place for his research presentation on a study conducted in acute respiratory failure (ARF) patients in collaboration with Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in North Carolina and the University of Kentucky in Lexington.   

“We explored the dysregulated metabolic pathways to determine the potential molecular mechanisms responsible for post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) in survivors of acute respiratory failure,” he said. “We can accurately predict PICS in survivors of ARF and therapy targeted at dysregulated pathways will improve patients' quality of life, prevent/reduce readmission rate and improve survival.”  

The CCTS Translational Science Symposium is a two-and-a-half-day learning event that convenes predoctoral, postdoctoral, and early career scholars, as well as their mentors and training grant leaders. They come from across the CCTS Partner Network to participate in experiential training and career development sessions on translational and design thinking, grant writing, clinical trials, community engagement, and funding opportunities.  

“It was a great honor for our research poster to be recognized amongst multiple high-quality research posters as one of the top three posters, voted for by researchers who attended the symposium,” Haastrup said. 

Haastrup is in the graduate program's biomedical engineering and bioinformatics track and works under faculty mentor Raymond Langley, Ph.D., associate professor of pharmacology. Of his mentors, program leadership and support staff, Haastrup said they are “indispensable to my growth as a graduate student researcher.”  

Dean's Tailgate welcomes students and alumni for Homecoming

Students and alumni celebrated Homecoming at the Dean's Tailgate. Medical student Jasmine Ha, in blue, served as the graduate homecoming maid. 

Whiddon College of Medicine students and alumni celebrated the culmination of Homecoming Week at the Dean's Tailgate on Saturday, Oct. 26, at Hancock Whitney Stadium. 

That evening, the South Alabama Jaguars defeated the ULM Warhawks, 46-17, for a Homecoming victory. 

For the third year in a row, a student from Whiddon College of Medicine was selected as the graduate Homecoming maid. This year, Jasmine Ha, a second-year medical student from Mobile, represented the Whiddon College of Medicine on the Homecoming court.

Ha, who also received her bachelor’s degree from the University of South Alabama, said it was an honor to serve as the graduate maid for 2024.

“I hope to continue to make memories here as I continue my education and spread kindness and compassion along the way,” she said. “Thank you to South, the administration, and my friends and family for everything you’ve done for me. I will continue working hard. And lastly, GO JAGS!” 

View more photos from the Dean’s Tailgate on Flickr.