University of Alabama at Birmingham

What University of Alabama at Birmingham does

The University of Alabama at Birmingham is a public research-intensive university operating within the University of Alabama System. Founded in 1969, UAB is Alabama's largest employer with a workforce of 26,000+ spanning the university, academic medical center, and health system. The institution serves multiple stakeholder groups: undergraduate, graduate, and professional students across 280+ degree and certificate programs; patients across the Southeast through UAB Medicine, which includes the fifth-largest hospital in the nation; clinicians and healthcare providers via genomic medicine eConsult and clinical decision support; and industry partners through sponsored research, clinical trials, and technology commercialization.

UAB's core offerings comprise three integrated platforms: an educational enterprise with undergraduate, graduate, professional, and online modalities; an academic medical center providing patient-centered care and serving as a clinical research site (e.g., DOC1021 in glioblastoma, PAS-004 in NF1); and a research enterprise generating $866M in FY24 expenditures spanning biomedical, translational, genomic, space biology, phage therapeutics, cancer immunotherapy, and AI applications. Notable technical capabilities include cryo-electron microscopy infrastructure used to characterize therapeutic phage architecture, stem cell-derived tissue models leveraged aboard the International Space Station in collaboration with NASA, Redwire, and ESA, and a pending patent on self-cooling textile nanoparticle technology. The AI Integration Hub in the Office of the President coordinates AI initiatives across research and medicine.

UAB's revenue model is hybrid. Research grants and contracts (federal agencies including NASA, NIH, NHGRI, DOE, NNSA; foundations; industry) form one stream, with $866M in FY24 expenditures. Healthcare services revenue is generated through UAB Medicine's hospital, clinics, and specialty practices. Tuition and program fees flow from degree-seeking students and professional education participants (e.g., Applied AI for EHS Certificate cohorts limited to 40 students). Technology transfer and startup formation through the Blazer Bridge Fund and Blazer App Accelerator have supported 20+ startups in five years, generating licensing and equity returns. As a public university, UAB is ultimately governed by the State of Alabama through the UA System Board of Trustees, with affiliated healthcare entities operating as wholly-owned subsidiaries under the institutional umbrella.

Name

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Legal name

The University of Alabama at Birmingham

Website

https://uab.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

The University of Alabama at Birmingham is a public research university and Alabama's largest employer, operating the fifth-largest U.S. hospital and 280+ degree programs. It serves students, patients, clinicians, and industry partners through integrated education, academic medicine, and $866M in annual research expenditures.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education and Academic Medical Center

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Hospitals (8060), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Research Universities with Academic Medical Centers (AMCs) (EDAHAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Academic Medical Centers & Teaching Hospitals (University-Affiliated) (EDAHAGAA), Public Research Universities with Comprehensive Graduate & Professional Schools (EDAHAAAF)

Keywords

• Higher education
• Academic medical center
• Clinical research
• Healthcare services
• Professional certificates

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Research Grants and Contracts: UAB is a major research-intensive institution generating $866 million in research expenditures in FY24. Funded by federal agencies (NASA $37M lunar freezer contract, NIH, National Human Genome Research Institute $7.87M genomic medicine award), foundations, and industry sponsors. Research spans biomedical, translational, clinical, and space science domains.
2. Healthcare Services Revenue: UAB Medicine operates one of the nation's premier academic medical centers, the fifth-largest hospital in the nation. Revenue generated from patient care services, clinical trials, genomic medicine services, and specialty medical practices across multiple disciplines.
3. Tuition and Educational Programs: UAB offers 280+ degree and certificate programs across undergraduate, graduate, professional, and online modalities. Tuition revenue from degree-seeking students supplemented by professional education programs such as the Applied AI for EHS Certificate (limited to 40 students per cohort) and PAHO nursing simulation courses.
4. Technology Transfer and Startup Ecosystem: UAB's technology transfer office supported the launch of more than 20 startups in the past five years through programs including the Blazer Bridge Fund and Blazer App Accelerator, generating potential licensing revenue and equity returns from spin-off companies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The University of Alabama at Birmingham is a public research university that delivers undergraduate, graduate, and professional education across 280+ degree and certificate programs and operates a fully integrated academic medical center. It generates $866M in annual research expenditures spanning genomics, AI, space biology, and phage therapeutics, and provides patient care through UAB Medicine, the fifth-largest hospital in the nation. It also runs technology transfer and startup support programs (Blazer Bridge Fund, Blazer App Accelerator) that have launched 20+ startups over five years.

Product overview

The University of Alabama at Birmingham is a major research-intensive university with an academic medical center, offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational programs and healthcare services. The institution provides over 280 degree and certificate programs across 12 colleges and schools, including undergraduate, graduate, and online options. UAB's research enterprise, generating $866M in annual research expenditures, supports technology transfer through programs like the Blazer Bridge Fund and Blazer App Accelerator. The academic medical center provides integrated patient care while conducting clinical trials. Recent AI initiatives include the Applied AI for EHS Certificate program, the AI Integration Hub in the Office of the President, and the Southeast Genomic Medicine Service (SE-GEMS) partnership with Vanderbilt Health. Additional services include employee benefits administration through the UAB for Me portal, learning management via the Campus Learning System, and performance management through UAB Perform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• UAB Medicine: UAB's academic medical center providing patient-centered healthcare services
• Blazers
• UAB Benevolent Fund

Products and services

• Undergraduate Degree Programs
• Graduate Degree Programs
• Online Degree Programs
• UAB Medicine
• Clinical Trials
• Southeast Genomic Medicine Service (SE-GEMS)
• Applied AI for EHS Certificate
• Integrating Simulation and Technology in Nursing and Midwifery Education Course
• Blazer Bridge Fund
• Blazer App Accelerator

Quantifiable outcome

• Ranked 42nd out of 303 leading biomedical research institutions in the 2026 Cure Innovation Index, making it the only public university in the Deep South in the top 50 and the youngest institution in the top tier.
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

AI capability7 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Vanderbilt HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 June 2026UAB and Vanderbilt Health launched the Southeast Genomic Medicine Service (SE-GEMS), a regional initiative to expand access to genomic medicine for clinicians and patients across the Southeast United States. Funded by a $7.87 million multiyear award from the National Human Genome Research Institute, the partnership creates a genomic eConsult service. Initially focused on general genetics, pharmacogenomics, prenatal genetics, and cancer genetics, with the goal of building a scalable model for broader regional and national implementation.
• Diakonos OncologycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 June 2026UAB is an active clinical trial site for Diakonos Oncology's DOC1021 (dubodencel) dendritic cell immunotherapy. UAB participated in the presentation of updated pooled Phase 1 and expanded access data for newly diagnosed glioblastoma at ASCO 2026, showing 90% 12-month overall survival. UAB is also enrolling patients in DOC-RM, a Phase 1/2 study in refractory melanoma. DOC1021 has received FDA Fast Track designation for GBM, pancreatic cancer, and melanoma.
• Redwire SpacecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 May 2026Collaboration with Redwire Space, NASA, and ESA on the MVP Cell-09 investigation aboard the International Space Station's Expedition 74. UAB researchers use stem cell-derived heart tissue models to study how Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria cause long-term heart damage in microgravity, where bacteria are more severe and drug-resistant. Findings inform treatments for cardiovascular complications following pneumonia on Earth while supporting human health strategies for long-duration space missions.
• American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 May 2026UAB and ASSP launched the Applied AI for EHS Certificate, a first-of-its-kind professional education program helping environmental health and safety professionals build AI competencies for workplace safety applications. The eight-week online certificate program covers AI literacy, technology evaluation, AI governance, and responsible AI use in hazard identification, risk visibility, and data-driven decision-making. Limited to 40 students per cohort with cohorts beginning June 22, 2026.
• Armata PharmaceuticalscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 May 2026Research collaboration using cryo-electron microscopy to characterize the near-atomic structure of phage P7-1, a component of Armata's AP-PA02 phage cocktail for treating Pseudomonas aeruginosa respiratory infections in cystic fibrosis and non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis patients. The structural atlas provides a blueprint for engineering next-generation phage therapeutics with enhanced stability and precisely tuned host specificity.
• U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 April 2026UAB researchers are engineering improved hyperaccumulator plant strains for phytomining rare earth elements from contaminated soil, funded by the DOE. This research supports development of alternatives to China's 90% dominance in rare earth processing and aims to make phytomining economically competitive with conventional mining while simultaneously cleaning Superfund sites.
• Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2026UAB School of Nursing collaborated with PAHO and the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies to develop a bilingual course on Integrating Simulation and Technology in Nursing and Midwifery Education. The free, self-paced course consists of seven modules totaling 24 hours, available on PAHO's Virtual Campus for Public Health in both English and Spanish, strengthening teaching competencies and expanding access to quality nursing education across the Americas.
• Baird Medical Investment Holdings Ltd.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 February 2026Baird Medical deployed its microwave ablation technology for treating benign thyroid conditions at UAB under Medical Director Dr. Sophie Dream. This supports Baird Medical's U.S. expansion strategy, validating its commercial roadmap in the Southeast academic and private practice market.
• Huffman High SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 February 2026Huffman High School students constructed their fourth solar-powered, wheelchair-accessible tiny house in partnership with UAB, funded by the EBSCO Community Impact Fund with in-kind support from CCE Engineering. The completed structure will be relocated to UAB's on-campus Solar House and Sustainable Community demonstration site, providing students with hands-on trade and STEM skills while advancing sustainable living practices.
• NASAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 December 2025NASA awarded UAB a $37 million contract to develop a lunar freezer system for returning temperature-sensitive samples from the Moon. The contract spans up to June 2033 and supports NASA's Artemis mission objectives, reflecting UAB's advanced capabilities in cryogenic sample preservation and space science.
• Pasithea TherapeuticsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 November 2025Pasithea Therapeutics activated UAB as a clinical trial site for its ongoing Phase 1/1b trial of PAS-004, a drug for treating NF1 (Neurofibromatosis type 1) patients. The trial aims to assess safety, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy in adult NF1 patients, with enrollment expected to begin immediately at the UAB site.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• University of Florida: Major public R1 research university with integrated academic medical center (UF Health), comparable scale in research expenditures and clinical footprint. Direct peer in the same category of large public research-AMC hybrids competing for NIH funding and patient volumes in the Southeast.
• University of Pittsburgh: Public R1 university tightly coupled with UPMC, a top-ranked academic medical center. Directly comparable in combining large biomedical research enterprise with major hospital operations and tech transfer activity.
• University of Michigan: Public R1 university with Michigan Medicine, one of the nation's largest academic medical systems. Comparable scale in research expenditures, healthcare delivery, and graduate/professional programs spanning 12+ schools.
• University of Virginia: Public R1 research university with integrated UVA Health academic medical center. Comparable profile across biomedical research funding, clinical services, and graduate education footprint.
• Vanderbilt University: Private R1 university with Vanderbilt University Medical Center; already a direct partner via the SE-GEMS genomic medicine initiative. Closest functional peer given shared focus on genomics, biomedical research, and regional clinical influence in the Southeast.
• University of Cincinnati: Public R1 university with UC Health academic medical center. Comparable in combining research-intensive operations with major hospital footprint and a similar mix of NIH-funded biomedical research programs.
• Medical University of South Carolina: Public health-sciences-focused university with an academic medical center, headquartered in a Southeast city. Closely comparable in mission mix (biomedical research, clinical care, professional education) and regional market dynamics.
• Indiana University: Public R1 university system with IU Health, a large academic medical center. Comparable in scale of research enterprise, health-system integration, and reliance on state appropriations and federal research funding.

Broad incumbents

• Emory University: Private R1 university with Emory Healthcare, a major academic medical system in the Southeast. Comparable research portfolio, particularly in infectious disease and oncology, and competes for similar NIH and biopharma partnership dollars.

Others

• University of Alabama System: Parent system of UAB, including the flagship University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa and University of Alabama in Huntsville. Relevant context for governance, appropriations, and intra-system research collaboration rather than direct competition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights8 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/uab
• Xx.com/uabnews
• Facebookfacebook.com/118776374862740

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds13 records

Investors8 records

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about University of Alabama at Birmingham