Custodio recognized at American Academy of Pediatricians Alabama Chapter meeting

From left, Sohel Soudagar, M.D.; Sarah Khan, M.D.; 

Haidee Custodio, M.D.; Tania Raygoza, M.D.; and Iboro 

Udoete, M.D. 

Haidee Custodio, M.D., a professor of pediatrics at the Whiddon College of Medicine, was recognized this month for her service as the Continuing Medical Education chair of the American Academy of Pediatricians Alabama Chapter from 2020 through 2024. The infectious disease pediatrician is also director of the pediatrics residency program at USA Health. 

Several pediatrics residents from USA Health attended the meeting through support from Gul Dadlani, M.D., professor and chair of pediatrics. 

“We want to support residents' participation in the chapter meetings to enhance their awareness of the accomplishments and challenges Alabama pediatricians are addressing together,” Custodio said. “We hope this experience will prepare them to continue this important work in the future.”  

During the AAP meeting, Tyler McDonald, M.D., a pediatric orthopaedic surgeon at USA Health and an assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery, gave a presentation on pediatric spine conditions including the challenges in diagnosis and management.  

Melody Petty, M.D., a pediatric hospitalist at USA Health and an associate professor of pediatrics, also attended the meeting. Petty was instrumental in obtaining a grant from the American Academy of Pediatrics Julius B. Richmond Center of Excellence for a talk on youth tobacco use.  

Custodio joined USA Health in 2011 and previously served as associate director of the USA Health pediatrics residency program. She completed medical school in the Philippines before moving to New York to complete a pediatric residency at Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow. She completed a pediatric infectious diseases fellowship at the University of Florida/Wolfson Children's Hospital/Shands Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida. 

Custodio, certified by the American Board of Pediatrics, also serves on the board of the Alabama Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics as a member of the AAP national committee on Continuing Medical Education. 

Surgeon with interest in weight-loss procedures joins faculty

Richard Rieske, M.D.

Richard Rieske, M.D., became interested in surgery as a third-year medical student at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock. He had amazing mentors who took the time to share their passion for surgery and opportunities in the field.

But it wasn’t until his general surgery residency at USA Health that he found a more targeted calling – helping patients with obesity.

“Weight-loss surgery became my passion after working as a resident with Dr. (William) Richards, chair of surgery, and this interest only grew during my fellowship training,” Rieske said. “Watching patients transform their daily lives and overall health is humbling and inspirational, to say the least.”

Rieske recently returned to USA Health as a general surgeon and an assistant professor of surgery at the Whiddon College of Medicine after completing a fellowship in advanced gastrointestinal and minimally invasive surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville.

In his new role, Rieske will focus on weight-loss surgery and foregut procedures, including gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, bariatric endoscopy, and revisional bariatric procedures. He will use his training in laparoscopy, robotics, and upper GI endoscopy to care for patients before and after weight-loss surgery.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 2 in 5 adults in the U.S. are affected by obesity that puts them at risk for many serious diseases and health conditions. Of those, 58% have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, a risk factor for heart disease, and 23% have diabetes.

“The obesity epidemic is the most ignored health crisis to date. Projections from our nation’s health authorities suggest that by 2030 half the nation will suffer from obesity,” Rieske said. “We have effective medical and surgical therapies to treat patients. We just need to be more effective in educating both medical professionals and the public about the treatments and their benefits to patients.”

He chose to return to the academic health system where he trained because of those who played a formative role in developing him “as a surgeon and a human.”

“You come to USA Health to be a part of something bigger, to be a resource for the community and to train future surgeons who will go on to care for thousands of patients,” he said. “There is a lot of opportunity to make a meaningful impact.”

Rieske knows what it’s like to have a close family member endure a serious health event. When he was in medical school, his mother suffered a heart attack and cardiac arrest, and developed a rare blood clot that blocked the blood flow into both lungs. He and other family members watched over her for more than a month in the hospital and facilitated doctor visits and treatments as she recovered.

“I’ve lived firsthand what our patients and their families go through every day,” he said. “This has given me a unique patient- and family-centered perspective to the care that I bring to my practice.”

USA receives $5 million gift for Whiddon College of Medicine building

Businessman Elliot B. Maisel, center, gifted the University of South Alabama $5 million for the new Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine building.

As construction of the University of South Alabama’s new Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine building continues, the project has received its largest gift from an individual. Native Mobilian and local businessman Elliot B. Maisel has committed $5 million to the $200 million facility that will allow the University to graduate more physicians and enhance research and innovation. In recognition of Maisel’s generosity, a large gathering area in the building will be named the Maisel Family Forum.

USA President Jo Bonner and Elliot B. Maisel unveil the

naming of the Maisel Family Forum.

“We are truly grateful for the transformational gift from Elliot Maisel; its impact will be felt not only in our local community but also statewide,” said USA President Jo Bonner. “Medical students at the Whiddon College of Medicine perform at the highest levels, outscoring their contemporaries at many of the most prestigious medical schools in the United States, and this new building will enhance learning opportunities in so many ways.”

In 2024, Business Alabama honored Maisel as Alabama’s CEO of the Year in recognition of his vision, leadership and remarkable contributions to the business community and the regional economy. In addition to his contributions to Alabama’s business community, Maisel also serves as chairman of the board of the Mobile Airport Authority.

“As a result of great civic and business leadership, led by Mayor Sandy Stimpson, and including President Jo Bonner, Chamber President Bradley Byrne, the leadership that exists at the Port of Mobile, the leadership that exists at the Mobile Airport Authority, as well as the leadership that exists in many organizations across our city, we are experiencing a wonderful era of growth and cooperation by and among the citizens and leaders of our city, the Golden Age of Mobile,” said Maisel. “The University of South Alabama is the most important institution in the city of Mobile and one of the most important institutions in the state of Alabama.”

One of the unique design features of the 250,000-square-foot facility is a ground-level collaboration space that encourages impromptu encounters that lead to exchanges of ideas among researchers, educators and students. It’s this space that will be named after the Maisel family.

“Our medical and graduate students, as well as our faculty, deserve an environment that fosters interactive learning and best practices; Elliot Maisel’s gift is an investment in the future of healthcare,” said John Marymont, M.D., MBA, dean of the Whiddon College of Medicine and vice president for medical affairs. “We will have the ability to grow the class size for medical students, which will have a positive and profound impact on the shortage of primary care physicians practicing in the state, particularly in rural and underserved Alabama.”

Construction of the new Whiddon College of Medicine building has also received support from many other individuals, corporations and foundations, as well as state and federal officials.

Completion is expected in December 2026, with classes in the new facility starting in January 2027. The building will allow for expansion of the class size from a maximum of 80 students per class to 100, with the ability to eventually grow to 125.

View construction progress on the Whiddon College of Medicine building. 

View more photos from the news conference on the $5 million gift. 

Faculty receive Bander Awards to advance pulmonary research

The USA Center for Lung Biology at the Whiddon College of Medicine recently announced the recipients of the 2024 Murray Bander Faculty Development Awards. The $5,000 awards, which provide support for one year, are intended to foster innovative discoveries in pulmonary research.

Saminathan Anbalagan, M.D.

Saminathan Anbalagan, M.D., a neonatologist at USA Health and an assistant professor of pediatrics at the Whiddon College of Medicine, is one of four award recipients this year. He is investigating how a protein called amyloid precursor protein (APP) might play a role in the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and its link to long-term brain issues. BPD is a chronic lung disease that affects newborns, particularly those born prematurely or who require oxygen therapy.

Premature birth is a growing concern in the United States, with 1 in 10 babies being born preterm. Up to 40% of these premature babies develop BPD. Babies with BPD often face not only lung problems but also brain-related issues such as learning difficulties, low IQ and cerebral palsy. 

“I suspect that a combination of factors before and after birth, such as infections during pregnancy and high oxygen levels used to help premature babies breathe, may trigger harmful forms of APP,” Anbalagan said. “These forms could then lead to both severe lung problems (BPD) and neurological issues like cognitive delays.” 

To study this, his research team will use a special group of mice — some with normal levels of APP and others genetically modified to lack this protein. While the mice are pregnant, Anbalagan will simulate an infection in the womb by injecting a substance called LPS into the amniotic fluid. After birth, the baby mice will either be exposed to high oxygen levels (similar to what premature human babies need) or kept in normal air conditions. 

“After a few days, I will examine their lung and brain health, measuring lung function, brain activity, and the presence of harmful APP proteins,” Anbalagan said.

This research is part of the newly established Research in Organogenesis (RIO) program by the Division of Neonatology, in close collaboration with the Center for Lung Biology. 

Thiago Bruder, Ph.D.

Thiago Bruder, Ph.D., an assistant professor of physiology and cell biology, is exploring the role of endothelial progranulin, a secreted protein, in the genesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). PAH is a rapidly worsening condition characterized by increased resistance in the pulmonary vessels, often leading to fatal outcomes. Endothelial cells play a crucial role in the development of PAH, and previous research suggests that these cells undergo accelerated aging in the disease. 

“Our latest research aims to investigate the molecular mechanisms driving this premature aging in endothelial cells and explore potential strategies to prevent or slow down this process,” Bruder said. “This work could cover the way for novel therapies to combat PAH and improve patient outcomes.”

Natalie Bauer, Ph.D.

Natalie Bauer, Ph.D., assistant dean for admissions and an associate professor of pharmacology, also focuses on PAH. Her lab group recently published that there are differences between males and females with regard to immune responses in the progression of the disease.

“To understand the mechanism of these differences, we will use the Bander Award to develop a more robust model of the disease that more closely replicates the human progression of PAH,” Bauer said.

Raymond J. Langley, Ph.D., an associate professor of pharmacology, aims to develop a humanized mouse model of pneumonia. In human studies, researchers have found that a number of patients who die from bacterial infections experience a what is called a bioenergetic crisis.   

Raymond J. Langley, Ph.D.

“Simply put, many of these patients’ metabolic profiles suggest that their organs are unable to produce enough energy to survive the infection,” Langley said. “Our results suggest that there is depletion of a key molecule known as Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+). The loss of this molecule can impact mitochondrial energy production.” 

To test this mechanism, Langley’s team will utilize a mouse model of pneumonia to determine the impact of NAD+ depletion due to an infection. Using the mouse model, they can recapitulate many aspects of the bioenergetic response seen in humans. However, mice catabolize, or break down, NAD+ differently than humans. To better understand the mechanism of this process, the researchers will “humanize” the mouse model by reducing the amount of Aox3 enzyme in mice so catabolism of NAD+ is more human-like. 

Langley acknowledged the contributions of Marie Migaud, Ph.D., professor of pharmacology; Jonathon Audia, Ph.D., professor of microbiology and immunology; and graduate student Adeyeye Haastrup. 

The USA Center for Lung Biology comprises more than 40 faculty members and 25 postdoctoral fellows, clinical fellows, and graduate students representing both basic and clinical science departments, all interested in aspects of lung biology.

Murray Bander, a World War II veteran who moved from New York to Mobile to operate a clothing shop, died from complications of pneumonia in 2001. He left his estate to the Whiddon College of Medicine in 2003, and the Murray Bander Endowment for the Center for Lung Biology was established to support scholarly activities in lung biology.

The faculty expressed their appreciation to the Bander family for supporting the awards, which allow them to pursue novel research ideas that hopefully lead to future independent funding.

Neonatologist selected for state quality improvement role

Kelechi Ikeri, MBBS

USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital neonatologist Kelechi Ikeri, MBBS, has been selected as the new neonatal physician lead for the Alabama Perinatal Quality Collaborative (ALPQC).  

The ALPQC is a state perinatal program initiated by the Alabama Department of Public Health and funded by the state and federal government and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

In this position, Ikeri will work with the Alabama Department of Health to implement, coordinate, and oversee perinatal quality improvement initiatives and address health equity across the state at 24 member hospitals.  

“We are proud that Dr. Ikeri’s work for the infants in our community is being recognized,” said Maran Ramani, M.D., who leads the neonatology division at Children’s & Women’s Hospital. “In this new role, he will help the state to set newborn care standards.”  

Developed in 2018, Alabama’s Perinatal Quality Collaborative is a network of stakeholders that aims to improve pregnancy and infant outcomes through identifying and quickly improving problems through implementation of research-based best practices.  

Ikeri, an assistant professor of pediatrics at the Whiddon College of Medicine, said he was drawn to USA Health because of the patient population’s wide range of complexity and cases. He is the author or co-author of 11 research papers. 

Ikeri was born in Nigeria and earned a bachelor of medicine and surgery degree from the University of Lagos College of Medicine in Idi-Araba, in Lagos, Nigeria. An interest in critical care medicine, he said, attracted him to neonatology.  

He worked in hospitals in Nigeria and the island of Tobago before moving to the United States in 2015. Ikeri completed a pediatrics residency at Woodhull Medical and Mental Health Centre in Brooklyn, New York, in 2018 and completed a neonatal-perinatal medicine fellowship at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children in Philadelphia in June 2021. 

Ikeri is certified in general pediatrics and neonatology by the American Board of Pediatrics and is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Medical Association, and American College of Medical Quality.