The Department of Pathology Residency Program -
Molecular Diagnostics

The molecular basis of most, if not all, human disease will ultimately be revealed by scientific and technical advances in the fields of molecular biology, genetics, and recombinant DNA technology. Modern molecular pathology practice in the Division of Molecular Diagnostics is composed of four sections:
  • microbiology, virology, and infectious diseases
  • anatomic and transplant pathology
  • molecular oncology
  • genetics
Residents rotating through this division are exposed to clinicians and scientists working on the identification of genetic sequences involved in neoplastic and non-neoplastic diseases, prenatal and antenatal diagnosis of inherited disorders, determination of genetic susceptibility and predisposition to multigenic diseases, such as atherosclerosis and diabetes, diagnosis of acquired infectious diseases, determination of relatedness and identity in transplantation; and the accurate diagnosis and classification of neoplastic disease, as well as prediction of prognosis and therapeutic monitoring of the cancer patient. Techniques employed include northern and southern blotting; amplification technologies such as PCR, LCR, and 3SR; quantitative gene hybridization; and direct mutation analysis.

Exposure to this evolving practice subspecialty includes rotation through molecular pathology laboratories at Presbyterian and Montefiore University Hospitals, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Magee-Womens Hospital, and the Central Blood Bank.

Research Emphasis

Major research emphases include the role of cytokines in inflammation, regeneration, and neoplasia; experimental models of human diseases and carcinogenesis; transplantation biology; and immunology and immunogenetics, with specific focus on the major histocompatibility loci.

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