Michael K. Jacobs, MD

Dr. Jacobs is a founding partner of DermLab and is board certified in both dermatopathology and dermatology. He graduated from medical school at Duke University School of Medicine and completed his dermatology residency and his dermatopathology fellowship at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. Jacobs practiced dermatopathology in a private lab for six years prior to founding DermLab. With board certifications in dermatology and dermatopathology, as well as a background in seeing and treating dermatology patients, Dr. Jacobs enjoys challenging dermatopathology cases. By employing clinicopathologic correlation through discussion with providers and review of any available clinical images, Dr. Jacobs is able to provide the most accurate and clinically helpful histologic diagnosis. He also enjoys teaching dermatopathology to medical residents and other medical learners, helping to prepare them both for dermatology board exams and daily clinical practice. When not in the lab, Dr. Jacobs enjoys gardening, fly-fishing, running and spending time with his family.

Stephen E. Mason, MD

After receiving a B.A. from St. Olaf College, Dr. Mason attended the University of Tennessee College of Medicine and then completed both residency in Anatomic/Clinical Pathology and a Surgical Pathology/Breast Pathology fellowship at Vanderbilt University. While at Vanderbilt he also served as Chief Resident. He subsequently did fellowship training in Dermatopathology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He brings years of experience practicing dermatopathology in private practice and hospital settings throughout different medical centers and Southeastern communities to his position as founding partner of DermLab. Dr. Mason enjoys challenging cutaneous tumors and using immunohistochemistry to phenotype their histogenesis. He is published in multiple medical journals and actively instructs dermatology residents. When not working, he enjoys diverse pursuits, including bird hunting, mountain biking, hiking, tinkering in his home workshop and spending time with his wife, Jennifer and 3 daughters, Elin, Anna and Emilie.

Charles A. Parrish, MD

Dr. Parrish is a founding partner of DermLab and is board certified in dermatology and dermatopathology. He attended the University of South Alabama School of Medicine where he was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society. He completed his dermatology residency at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and, as a clinical trials fellow, participated in extensive clinical research during his residency. He completed his dermatopathology fellowship at the University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas, Texas, and practiced dermatopathology in a private practice for six years before founding DermLab. Dr. Parrish enjoys teaching medical residents and preparing them for board exams through comprehensive review courses. He has a particular interest in clinical-pathologic correlation and enjoys viewing pictures of challenging cases to provide the most accurate diagnosis. In his free time, Dr. Parrish can be found doing crossfit, an occasional triathlon, and spending time with his wife and four children.

Katherine Fening, MD

Dr. Katherine Fening is originally from Chagrin Falls, Ohio, and graduated from the Ohio State University College of Medicine where she was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society. She completed her dermatology residency at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where she was Chief Resident, and went on to pursue a dermatopathology fellowship. She has published articles in leading journals of dermatology and dermatopathology. Dr. Fening has practiced both dermatology and dermatopathology in Boston. She returned to Birmingham in September 2018 and practices dermatology at Village Dermatology and dermatopathology for DermLab. She enjoys clinicopathologic correlation and discussing interesting cases with her colleagues. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, biking, cooking, and spending time with her husband and children.

Nicole Nabors Balmer, MD

Dr. Nicole Nabors Balmer is originally from Gadsden, Alabama. She graduated from Birmingham-Southern College, then from the University of Alabama (UAB) School of Medicine. She completed a residency in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center where she served as President of the Housestaff Association. Dr. Balmer then continued her post-graduated medical training with a fellowship in Surgical Pathology at UAB, and a fellowship in Dermatopathology at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. Dr. Balmer has numerous publications in leading pathology and dermatopathology journals, and serves as a peer-reviewer for such journals. Dr. Balmer has practiced both academic medicine at UAB, as well as in a private practice setting with over a decade of experience at a private practice in Florida. She has experience in leadership in numerous organized medicine associations at local, state, and national levels. She is excited to be working with local colleagues again, using her experience to serve patients and providers both locally and regionally. When not behind the microscope, Dr. Balmer enjoys spending time with her family, including three children, as well as running, painting, and volunteering in the community.

Jeremiah Pasion, MD

Dr. Jeremiah Pasion is from Columbia, Maryland. He completed his undergraduate studies at The College of New Jersey. He spent a considerable amount of time working as a histotechnologist where his passion for pathology was kindled. He attended medical school at the American University of the Caribbean on the island of Sint Maarten. He returned to Maryland and did his residency in anatomic and clinical pathology at the University of Maryland Medical Center. He then completed a fellowship in dermatopathology at the University of Alabama in Birmingham. He is proud to now call Alabama his home and he is joined by his beautiful wife and two amazing daughters. Outside of work, he likes to spend plenty of quality time with his family. His other interests include running, cycling, photography, and playing music.