Immunopathology
The first month of the initial rotation is structured around assigned readings and tutorial sessions to ensure a firm conceptual grounding in basic immunology, immunopathology, tumor immunity, and organ transplantation, depending on the needs of each individual. The emphasis during these sessions gradually changes from basic principles of test procedures to interpretation of results.
Residents follow up abnormal test results from the beginning of their rotation and review a computer-generated list of all abnormal results for the previous 24 hours each morning. They initially focus on tests dealing with material covered in their tutorial sessions prior to visiting the patient units to review charts and discuss the use of pathological information in diagnosis or management. Residents present their most interesting cases at the weekly clinical pathology residents conference.
Following completion of the tutorials, residents spend one week in each of the two main sections of the laboratory, serology/immunochemistry and transplantation immunology, where they review instrumentation and methodology options. During the final two weeks they review, interpret, and comment on all test results from both sections of the lab and discuss their findings with one of the staff before signing out.
Research Emphasis: Research carried out by this division is both clinical and experimental. The major areas are human histocompatibility genetics, maternal- fetal interaction in humans, the immunological classification of lymphomas and leukemias, the role of lymphocyte mediators in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, the genetic and immunologic factors involved in insulin-dependent diabetes, the role of lymphokines in lymphocyte regulation, and the identification of primary tumors by immunologic techniques.
