The Physician Scientist Training Program (PSTP) in the Department of Pathology & Immunology is committed to training the next generation of physician-scientist leaders in anatomic and clinical pathology. The program focuses on providing support, mentorship, and research experience through the clinical and postdoctoral training years, culminating in a trainee who is highly competitive for investigator-track academic pathology faculty positions.
Although the anatomic and clinical pathology residency programs include time for research training, the department recognizes that training for a career as an independent investigator requires substantial additional research time. The department supports PSTP trainees for up to three years after completion of residency or fellowship to dedicate entirely to research training.
The PSTP combines the intensive clinical training environment of Barnes-Jewish Hospital and its affiliates with rigorous research training in laboratories at Washington University. Trainees choose a research mentor from any of the 2,700 faculty members, representing a range of disciplines including cancer biology, microbiology, biomedical engineering, immunobiology, genomics, computational sciences, cell biology and biochemistry.
Eligible applicants include graduates with a combined MD-PhD degree or an MD degree and a strong record of research experience. Applicants must fulfill all eligibility requirements for anatomic or clinical pathology training. The most competitive candidates will have a strong commitment to a research career in academic medicine and an outstanding academic and research record.
Candidates must apply to the anatomic or clinical pathology residency programs or the combined anatomic and neuropathology (AP/NP) program through the ERAS (Electronic Residency Application System) and should be registered through the NRMP (National Residency Matching Program). Applicants for the combined anatomic and clinical pathology program are not eligible.
Applicants are also encouraged to contact one of the PSTP Co-Directors, Jacqueline Payton, MD, PhD or Nima Mosammaparast, MD, PhD to express interest and obtain additional information about the program. Contact should be made as early as possible; it is not necessary that the ERAS applications be complete prior to contacting the directors.
In addition to the ERAS application, candidates should submit the following:
- CV
- Supplemental PSTP application form
- Letter of recommendation from the research mentor that comments primarily about the candidate’s potential for a career as an independent investigator. Letters in the ERAS application are acceptable if they fulfill these criteria.
During the interview season, applicants will meet with clinical and research faculty relevant to their interests. Applicants will present a seminar on their research that will be attended by faculty and trainees who have a range of expertise from clinical and/or research backgrounds. Therefore, please include ~10 minutes of introduction/background and discuss the significance of your findings to your field and to the broader biomedical community.
Trainees complete the clinical training required by the American Board of Pathology for board eligibility in anatomic or clinical pathology, plus fellowship training if appropriate, during the first three-four years of training. During this period, trainees also initiate their research programs. Mentorship is crucial to the PSTP, which includes a collaborative assessment of research training mentors and experiences through regular updates to the PSTP Co-Directors. The goal is to tailor the training experience to foster the development of uniquely trained individuals who will work at the forefront of biomedical science.
At the end of residency/fellowship, trainees embark on up to three years of full-time postdoctoral research training free of clinical commitments, though there are opportunities for continued clinical activities. The selection of an appropriate postdoctoral training environment is crucial to the success of the trainee. To assist in this selection process, trainees will have (in addition to intensive mentoring) the opportunity to attend annual retreats offered by each department and research program within the Division of Biology and Biomedical Science (DBBS). Importantly, trainees can complete their postdoctoral research training in any laboratory at Washington University.
PSTP mentorship continues throughout postdoctoral training, with trainees presenting research-in-progress style talks in regular meetings of the Pathology PSTP. Discussions are encouraged to give feedback to the trainee from other trainees and the PSTP Co-Directors. In addition, trainees have annual meetings with PSTP Co-Directors to discuss their progress and plans for the coming year. Finally, Pathology PSTP trainees have access to career development programs supported by the WUSM Division of Physician-Scientists and other Departments’ physician-scientist programs.
In addition to the established post-graduate clinical training salaries (PGY), PSTP trainees receive $3,000 during the first clinical year for the purchase of a computer and software. During the second and third clinical years, PSTP trainees receive $1,500 per year for professional development. Travel to present research at regional and national conferences is also supported. During the postdoctoral research training years, PSTP trainees receive a salary supplement of $15,000 per year in addition to the PGY level salary. In addition, senior trainees are considered for promotion to Instructor.
Senior trainees are encouraged to apply for mentored career awards to facilitate their transition to independent faculty positions. Funding sources include NIH K and DP mechanisms and foundation grants, such as the Burroughs Wellcome and ASH Scholar Awards. The PSTP provides guidance and advice for trainees assembling an application. The PSTP has an excellent track record of trainees competing successfully for these awards.
Liang-I Kang, MD, PhD
Recipient of K12 Paul Calabresi Career Development Award in Clinical Oncology
Steve Persaud, MD, PhD
Recipient of:
1) A 2-year, $60,000 New Investigator Award from the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (ASTCT), entitled “Nontoxic alloHSCT conditioning with antibody-drug conjugates plus JAK inhibition.”
2) A 2-year, $140,000 Career Enhancement Award from the Specialized Programs for Research Excellence (SPORE) in Leukemia at WashU, entitled “Antibody-drug conjugates for chemotherapy and radiation-free HSCT conditioning”
The overarching goal of these grants is to develop immunotherapeutic approaches to conditioning for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation that avoid the toxicities of traditional chemotherapy- and radiation-based conditioning regimens.
Named American Society of Hematology (ASH) Scholar for 2023
Nick Borcherding, MD, PhD, MS
Clinical Pathology Resident
Recipient of Williams L. Roberts Young Investigator Award with Distinction for the ALCPS Meeting and was selected for an oral presentation:
Borcherding, N., Crotts, S., Ortolan, L., Bormann, N., & Jabbari, A. (2020, May). Single-cell mRNA sequencing of murine and human alopecia areata identifies immune cell profiles predictive of the human disease state. Presented at the Academy of Clinical Laboratory Physicians and Scientists Annual Meeting in Iowa City, IA.
Recipient of ASCI 2023 Emerging Generation Award
| Name, Credentials | Title | Institution | Year Completed PSTP | Areas of Interest |
| Nicholas Borcherding, MD, PhD | Assistant Professor of Pathology & Immunology Fellow, Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics | WashU Medicine | 2023 | My research has focused on developing computational approaches to distilling and deciphering adaptive immune receptor sequences and tracking immune cell interaction through intracellular mitochondria transfer. |
| Liang-I Kang, MD, PhD | Assistant Professor in Anatomic & Molecular Pathology | WashU Medicine | 2023 | I am interested in the tumor microenvironment of liver metastases in pancreatic cancer (and other cancer types). My research seeks to identify clinical, cellular, and molecular factors that promote this process, to better understand and treat metastatic cancer. My clinical practice involves gastrointestinal and hepatopancreatobiliary pathology subspecialty practice. |
| Gary Grajales-Reyes, MD, PhD | Assistant Professor of Pathology & Immunology | WashU Medicine | 2022 | Developing novel and cost-effective cell-based therapies for Alzheimer’s disease. |
| Carina Dehner, MD, PhD | Assistant Professor of Clinical Pathology & Laboratory Medicine | Indiana University School of Medicine | 2022 | My subspecialty focus is bone and soft tissue and dermatopathology. My research focuses on genomic changes in soft tissue sarcomas. |
| Abraham J. Qavi, MD, PhD | Assistant Professor in Residency, Pathology Director of Innovative Laboratory Diagnostics | University of California, Irvine Medical Center | 2022 | Development of new sensing modalities and technologies with the ultimate goal of implementation into a clinical laboratory setting. |
| Mark Zaydman, MD, PhD | Assistant Professor of Pathology & Immunology | WashU Medicine | 2021 | My primary clinical duties revolve around the practice of informatics – leveraging data and data systems to inform clinical and operational decisions in laboratory medicine. My research efforts can be characterized as applied data science with a focus on developing methods for separating meaningful signals from noise in clinical and biological datasets. |
| Stephen Persaud, MD, PhD | Instructor of Pathology & Immunology | WashU Medicine | 2021 | I am a physician-scientist devoted to the advancement of basic science for the betterment of human health. In pursuit of this, my long-term aim is to establish an independent research career focused on how the immune system recognizes self from non-self, and the ways this critical distinction impacts human disease. |
| Adam Bailey, MD, PhD | Assistant Professor of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Associate Faculty Director of Molecular Microbiology | University of Wisconsin-Madison | 2021 | The goal of my lab is to make meaningful contributions to the fight against global infectious diseases. This includes using patient data and patient specimens to study the pathogenesis of infectious diseases in humans; developing new animal models to explore the pathophysiology of viral diseases; using animal models to evaluate new therapeutics and vaccines; utilizing in vitro technologies and high-throughput screens to investigate molecular mechanisms governing host-pathogen interactions; and developing new tools for the diagnosis of emerging infectious diseases. |
| Arjun Raman, MD, PhD | Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology | University of Chicago | 2020 | My lab is interested in elucidating principles of structure, function, and adaptability relationships with the ultimate goals of (i) characterizing ‘personalized’ variation in biological systems with high-fidelity, (ii) creating tools to genetically engineer variation in a rational way, and (iii) engineering natural-like, adaptive systems de novo. |
| Cole Ferguson, MD, PhD | Assistant Professor of Pathology Director, Ophthalmic Pathology | University of California, San Diego | 2020 | As a molecular neuroscience lab, we study how genes regulate the development and function of the mammalian brain. We use genetically engineered mutant mice to understand how defects in chromatin regulation contribute to human neurodevelopmental disorders such as the ANAPC7 neurodevelopmental syndrome. |
| Vanderlene Kung, MD, PhD | Assistant Professor of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Medical Director, Immunohistochemistry Lab Director, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion | Oregon Health & Science University | 2019 | My clinical role focuses on diagnostic renal pathology and surgical pathology. |
| Jonathan Brestoff-Parker, MD, PhD, MPH | Associate Professor of Pathology & Immunology (with tenure) Director, Immunometabolism Initiative Medical Director, Clinical Flow Cytometry Laboratory, Division of Laboratory and Genomic Medicine, Barnes Jewish Hospital at | WashU Medicine | 2019 | My lab studies how the immune system regulates the function of endocrine organs to contribute to obesity and type 2 diabetes pathogenesis. I also serve as a medical director of clinical immunology, focusing on flow cytometry diagnostic testing. |
| Craig Wilen, MD, PhD | Associate Professor of Laboratory Medicine and Immunobiology Medical Director, Immune Monitoring Core Facility | Yale University School of Medicine | 2018 | My lab is focused on the host-pathogen interactions of RNA viruses including coronavirus and norovirus. We study how noroviruses, coronaviruses, and emerging viruses enter cells, evade the immune system, and cause disease. |
| Edward Stites, MD, PhD | Associate Professor of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology | Yale University School of Medicine | 2017 | My lab focuses primarily on cancer, but we are more broadly interested in math-informed, systems-based, projects that tackle fundamental aspects of biology relevant to disease. |
| David H. Spencer, MD, PhD | Associate Professor, Section of Stem Cell Biology, Division of Oncology | WashU Medicine | 2016 | My lab’s research is a combination of experimental and computational science that is focused on the common theme of the genetics, genomics, and epigenetics of acute myeloid leukemia. |
| Malay Haldar, MD, PhD | Associate Professor (tenured) of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Investigator, Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute Attending Physician, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Member, Penn Center for Genome Integrity (PCGI) Associate Program Director, Physician Scientist Residency Track, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine | University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine | 2015 | My lab studies how tissue microenvironment influence the development and function of mononuclear phagocytes (MP cells) of the innate immune system, which comprises of monocytes, dendritic cells (DC), and macrophages. |
| Bijal Parikh, MD, PhD | Associate Professor of Pathology & Immunology Director, BJH Molecular Diagnostics Lab Director, Molecular Genetic Pathology Fellowship | WashU Medicine | 2013 | My clinical research centers on aspects of laboratory testing involving viral, immunologic, and molecular diagnostics, with a specific focus on the implementation of next-generation sequencing approaches. My translational research focus is the development of novel molecular diagnostics approaches for infectious disease testing. |
| Gerald P. Morris, MD, PhD | Associate Professor of Pathology; Director, Immunogenetics and Transplantation Laboratory | University of California San Diego School of Medicine | 2013 | My lab studies the immunology of transplantation, particularly as related to pathologic responses causing graft versus host disease or transplant rejection. |
| Joshua L. Hood, MD, PhD | Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology Member, Experimental Therapeutics & Diagnostics Program, Brown Cancer Center Scientist, Hepatobiology and Toxicology COBRE, Project PI | University of Louisville School of Medicine | 2012 | My research focuses on the study of extracellular vesical (EV) function, biomarkers and derivative therapeutics. |
| Bradley Ford, MD, PhD | Clinical Associate Professor of Pathology Program Director, Medical Microbiology Fellowship, Pathology Medical Director, Clinical Microbiology | University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine | 2010 | My research focuses on development of new clinical testing methods using a variety of next generation platforms. |
| Brian Edelson, MD, PhD | Assistant Professor of Pathology | WashU Medicine | 2010 | My laboratory is focused on two areas of immunology. First, we are interested in understanding how autoreactive T cells mediate autoimmune disease, particularly in multiple sclerosis (MS) and its mouse model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). We focus on how cytokine expression is regulated in autoreactive T cells in a cell-intrinsic manner through the action of transcription factors, and how these cytokines mediate disease pathogenesis. Second, we are interested in understanding the development, heterogeneity, and function of monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells during immune responses. |
| Jacqueline Payton, MD, PhD | Associate Professor of Pathology & Immunology Co-Director, Physician Scientist Training Program Associate Medical Director, Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory | WashU Medicine | 2010 | My research focuses on gene regulatory mechanisms that promote the development of cancer and infectious disease. My lab uses computational approaches in concert with in vitro and in vivo experimental studies to define new therapeutic strategies for these diseases. |
| J. Stacey Klutts, MD, PhD | Clinical Associate Professor of Pathology; Chief, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine; Staff Pathologist | University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics; Central Iowa VA Health Care Systems | 2007 | My primary research focus is on tracking multi-drug resistant organisms across the VA system in conjunction with VA National Infectious Diseases and collaborators across the VA system (CDC funded) along with leading the development of the national VA clinical microbiology module for the upcoming VA Cerner LIS/EMR that will include modules for tracking infectious diseases. |
| Jack Bui, MD, PhD | Professor of Pathology | University of California, San Diego | 2006 | My research laboratory uses mouse reporter models to elucidate immune responses in cancer formation, pathogen responses, and during immune therapy, with a focus on pathways upstream and downstream of pleiotropic cytokines such as the interferons and IL-17D. I also serve as the Director of Flow Cytometry, Director of Diagnostic Immunology, and Director of the Stem Cell Processing Lab. |
- PSTP co-director: Jacqueline Payton, MD, PhD, jpayton@wustl.edu
- PSTP co-director: Nima Mosammaparast, MD, PhD, nima@wustl.edu
- Coordinator, Education: Maria Turnbough, tmaria@wustl.edu