Transplantation Pathology
This division offers intensive training in the surgical pathology of organ transplantation and the processing of resected native organs and post-transplant specimens. The close and mutually respectful relationship between the clinicians and the transplant pathologist affords the resident a highly integrated view of patient care.
UPMC is home to the largest organ transplant program in the world. Since the inception of this program, approximately 6,000 organ transplants have been performed, including liver, kidney, lung, heart, intestine, pancreatic islet cells, and multiple organ (cluster) transplants.
Research Emphasis: Programs in this division are oriented strongly toward integrating histopathologic observations with the roles of cytokines, viruses, and cellular phenotypes of graft infiltrating cells in allografted organs. Specific areas of research include liver, heart, lung, kidney, and intestinal transplantation. Recent contributions include the demonstration of chimerism within long-term allograft recipients as well as animal studies that guided some aspects of the current efforts in xenotransplantation and tolerance induction.
The transplant group has helped to define many aspects of the rejection processes in these transplantations. Division members played a major role in studies that led to the successful clinical use of the new immunosuppressant FK 506. Important contributions have also been made in the areas of post-transplant infections and lymphoid neoplasias.
