Division Co-Chief: Gautam Dantas, PhD
Division Co-Chief: Ann M. Gronowski, PhD
The Division of Laboratory and Genomic Medicine at Washington University is home to 17 research laboratories that work in broad areas of basic, translational and clinical research.
Genomics and diagnostics
The sequencing of the human genome and the genomes of many pathogens has ushered in the era of genomics in diagnostic clinical medicine. Gene sequencing and microarray technology are now central approaches in diagnostic clinical pathology. We expect the 21st century to bring new clinical tests centered on epigenomics and proteomics, and we plan on being at the forefront of test development and application using these approaches. Two labs run by division leaders have already heeded the call.
With access to state-of the-art technologies for chromosome analysis, karyotyping, chromosomal microarray analysis, and FISH testing, our Clinical Genomics Laboratory offers full services for prenatal, POC, constitutional and cancer testing, providing quality genomic services from chromosome to base pair. The lab, which includes several division faculty, also provides physicians with clinically validated next-generation sequencing for cancer, somatic overgrowth and a variety of constitutional diseases. Finally, the Clinical Genomics Laboratory provides customized tests for clinical trials and clinical research due to its extensive technological capabilities.
Moving forward, new recombinant antibody technologies will make multiplexed, ultra-sensitive and nanotechnology immuno-based assays possible that will revolutionize the field. Future trainees in laboratory and genomic medicine may expect to further the field of medical laboratory diagnostics in many exciting ways.
Key research areas
Research areas in the division include:
- Intercellular mitochondria transfer, immunometabolism, and metabolic disease pathogenesis
- T cell function in autoimmunity and infectious disease
- Molecular mechanisms at the host-pathogen interface
- Transmission and epidemiology of multi-drug resistant microorganisms
- Development of diagnostic methods for infection
- Detection and characterization of antimicrobial resistance
- Translational microbiology
- Comparative pathogen genomics
- Engineering microbial therapeutics
- Antimicrobial resistance surveillance and mitigation
- Microbiome dynamics in health and disease
- Epigenomic mechanisms that drive transcriptional dysregulation in hematologic malignancy
- Pathogen-mediated disruption of host transcriptional immune response
- Ihibitory immune receptors in cutaneous lymphoma and bacterial infection
- Genomics of B-cell lymphomas
- Improvement of cancer variant interpretation for clinical use
- Cancer Genomics and Related Biomarker Development
- Cardiac biomarkers and biomarkers for acute and critical care
- Laboratory diagnostics of endocrinology and reproductive physiology
For more information about research interests, visit the LGM faculty pages and see a list of Grand Rounds speakers.
A broad range of flexible training opportunities
The division offers a competitive, three-year residency that integrates clinical training with basic or applied research experience, and clinical fellowships in transfusion medicine, clinical chemistry, clinical microbiology, and molecular pathology.
Our mission is to train the next generation of leaders in academic clinical pathology through excellence in education, clinical care, basic science, and translational research.
The residency and fellowship training programs in the Division of Laboratory and Genomic Medicine integrate strong clinical training with basic science or translational research training. These programs are appropriate for trainees with MD degrees, MD/PhD degrees, and for some programs, PhD degrees.
The underlying goal of all of our training programs is to train the next generation of leaders in academic clinical pathology. To do so, we have designed all of our programs to have the maximum amount of flexibility in clinical and research training so that they can accommodate the very diverse career goals of our trainees. In addition, in some cases, we can combine fellowships to allow trainees to become experts in more than one area of clinical pathology.
All training programs have research components with trainees taking advantage of research opportunities with mentors throughout the School of Medicine and the university as a whole.
Learn more about our clinical pathology residency program and our fellowship training programs.
Laboratory Utilization Website
The Division of Laboratory and Genomic Medicine (LGM) has created an educational website regarding lab utilization. The website is part of an initiative to educate providers and improve laboratory utilization.
The website offers highlights of key topics for improving utilization curated by our own faculty experts. Its goal is to provide timely and pertinent information to our clinical colleagues. Physicians can browse information divided into four primary categories: Clinical Background; Common Pitfalls; Key Takeaways; and References. These categories are meant to offer a wholistic view of the selected test or topic in laboratory utilization.
The division welcomes your feedback. If you have any questions, ideas for new content, or would like to contribute to the website, please visit the Contact Us page. Webmasters will be reviewing submissions regularly and will respond to your inquiry as soon as possible.
Division contact information
Dionne Brierton
Assistant
Phone: 314-362-3186
Fax: 314-362-1461
Email: bdionne@wustl.edu
Mailing address:
Division of Laboratory and Genomic Medicine
Department of Pathology and Immunology
660 South Euclid Avenue
Campus Box 8118
St. Louis, MO 63110
Street address:
BJC Institute of Health (BJCIH) Building
425 South Euclid Avenue
4th floor, Room 4410
St. Louis, MO 63110