The department of Pathology supports a robust research program including over 100 research faculty in over 40 laboratories, with 12 endowed professorships. Broad areas of research interests encompass basic, translational and clinical sciences, and utilize state of the art multi-disciplinary approaches investigating the pathobiology of human disease. Research programs in U-M Pathology encompass a wide range of topics in the areas of Aging, Allergy, Cancer Biology, Development & DNA repair, Inflammation and Immunology, Mucosal Inflammation and Epithelial Pathobiology, Neurobiology/Pathology and Bioinformatics. Research strengths are further complemented by innovative clinical and translational research programs in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology.
Pathology research at U-M is supported by funding from the NIH, NSF, DOD, private foundations and pharmaceutical industry and ranks in the top ten nationally among Pathology Departments. Our recruitment efforts as well as recent funding successes have positioned U-M Pathology as a leading research destination in Pathology nationally.
Congratulations are due to Dr. Asma Nusrat, F. Peyton Rous Professor of Experimental Pathology and Director of Experimental Pathology, and Dr. Charles Parkos, Carl V. Weller Professor and Chair of Pathology, on being named 2022 American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellows. The AAAS is the world’s largest general scientific society and publisher of the Science family of journals. The 2022 class was comprised of 505 scientists, engineers and innovators from around the world and across all disciplines. Being selected as an AAAS Fellow is one of the most distinguished honors within the scientific community. The newly elected Fellows are being recognized for their scientific and socially notable achievements spanning their careers.
One of the most fascinating aspects of a career in cancer research is that one never knows when or where the next great discovery will occur. This was true of a recent breakthrough discovery made by the Dr. Russell Ryan laboratory at the University of Michigan Medical School. They were shocked to find that active regulatory elements in B-ALL contained not only typical protein binding sequences but also simple repeats of the sequence “GGAA”, usually considered a form of “junk DNA” with no regulatory function [...]
Members of the University of Michigan Department of Pathology and Michigan Center for Translational Pathology, in collaboration with the Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium, recently published a large study on clear cell renal cell carcinomas (ccRCCs), which represent about 75% of the RCC cases and account for the most RCC-associated deaths. This study set out to create a comprehensive profile of ccRCC, combining histologic and molecular profiles. By analyzing both the microscopic cell structures and the genetic makeup of the cells, these researchers discovered significant intratumoral heterogeneity in 90% of ccRCCs. This indicates that ccRCCs originate from multiple tumor cell lines, called tumor subclones, that may become metastatic and could independently influence response to therapies. Through this study, the team was able to molecularly stratify aggressive histopathic subtypes, which may lead to more effective treatment strategies for patients and improved survival.
Walk through a 30-year career with Dr. Gabriel Nunez--highlighting his key discoveries, perspectives on work/life balance, and those he mentored.