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Department of Pathology
University of Pittsburgh
School of Medicine
S-417 BST
200 Lothrop Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15261
(412) 648-1260


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Department of Pathology


Division of Hematopathology

The Division of Hematopathology, based at UPMC-Presbyterian, has a broad and varied agenda achieving the classic academic triad of service, education and research. The Division staff includes six faculty members with varied areas of expertise, two fellows and an administrative staff.

Service: The Division serves as the Diagnostic Hematopathology resource for the UPMC-Health System and The Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh (CHP) as well as for others in our region and beyond. It is directly responsible for all the diagnostic hematopathology at UPMC-Presbyterian, UPMC-Shadyside and CHP. In addition to diagnostic lymph node/solid tissue and adult and pediatric bone marrow services, the Division supervises a large Flow Cytometry Laboratory, a special hematology laboratory and the general hematology laboratories located at UPMC-Presbyterian and UPMC-Shadyside. The division has active Consultation Services, accepting both fresh specimens for full evaluation or for special studies as well as previously fixed specimens. We emphasize a multiparameter approach to hematopathology that incorporates morphology, flow cytometric and paraffin section immunophenotypic data, genotypic data from the Division of Molecular Oncology and conventional and other cytogenetic data from the Pittsburgh Cytogenetics Laboratory.

Education: The Division is active in medical student education including a senior elective in hematopathology. Much of our educational efforts are spent on resident education and on training our hematopathology fellows. Electives are also provided for clinical hematology/oncology fellows and other fellows in our department. More senior visitors are also welcome. Divisional members are also involved in a variety of national/international teaching activities.

Research: The Division emphasizes several major areas of investigation. Current ongoing basic research focuses on the roles of cell signaling abnormalities in the development and progression of acute leukemia. A large area of ongoing investigations is the use of a multiparameter approach in the study principally of the non-Hodgkin lymphomas and related lymphoid proliferations. Specific areas of interest have included MALT lymphomas (especially of the salivary gland), other extranodal B-cell lymphomas, diffuse large B-cell lymphomas and post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders. Techniques range from standard morphology to complex genotypic studies. The role of flow cytometric studies in dealing with selected problems in diagnostic hematopathology is another specific area of interest as in the evaluation of new instrumentation in diagnostic hematology. Cutaneous lymphoid infiltrates are also being studied. The Division also provides support for studies undertaken by our clinical colleagues.

The second/third year core hematopathology rotation of approximately 12 weeks offers the resident an introduction to the many facets of this complex field. The resident will begin to become familiar with the multiparameter approach to adult and pediatric diagnostic hematopathology (bone marrows and lymph nodes) as well as with techniques used in the general and special hematology and the flow cytometry laboratory. Finally he/she will learn about major neoplastic and non-neoplastic disease entities that involve the hematopoietic and lymphoid cell lineages. If interested, more advanced rotations can be arranged in one or more areas within the division. It is recognized that the resident cannot fully achieve all of the objectives listed within a period of 12 weeks.

Rotations:

  • Adult Bone Marrow signout including clinical hematology experience (~4 weeks)
  • Lymph node pathology and flow cytometry laboratory (~4 weeks)
  • Pediatric Hematopathology and General/Special Hematology Laboratory (~4 weeks)
  • Performance of bone marrow aspirations and biopsies (with Hematology/BMT Division)

Copyright 1995-2006, Department of Pathology
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine