Calendar of Events:
| Monday, April 15 | Tuesday, April 16 | Wednesday, April 17 | Thursday, April 18 | Friday, April 19 |
| Door decorating contest kicks off | Lunches | Door decorating continues | Door decorating contest judging | Door decorating contest winner announced |
Door Decorating Contest Details
The theme of the door decorating contest this year is, “Zoom in on Your Specialty.” Please feel free to decorate your door with whatever you think makes your team unique.
Please note: Thursday, April 18th is the last day to participate in the door decorating contest. Winners will be announced on Friday, April 19th.
The overall winner of the door decorating contest will receive a pizza party.
Clinical Laboratories
Clinical Hematopathology
Our Hematopathology Coordinators specialize in complex and nuanced testing for the evaluation of lymph nodes, bone marrow, blood, and other hematolymphoid tissue. They assist in the mission to advance the communication and collaboration between laboratories and subspecialties that analyze hematolymphoid tissue.
In the past year, Julie Ackerman celebrated her one-year work anniversary in March 2023. We have a new addition to our team: Ranjit (Ranz) Chauhan. Ranz and Julie both won prizes at the Cardinals opening day department potluck on March 30, 2023. Finally, the team templated 1,072 bone marrow cases last year.
Genomics Laboratory
The Clinical Genomics Laboratory provides clinically validated next-generation sequencing for cancer, somatic overgrowth, and a variety of constitutional diseases. With their extensive technological capabilities, they offer customized tests for clinical trials and clinical research.
Cortex Genomics Laboratory
With access to state-of-the-art technologies for chromosome analysis, karyotyping, chromosomal microarray analysis, and FISH testing the Cytogenomics Laboratory offers full laboratory services for prenatal, POC, constitutional, and cancer testing. The laboratory team is a dynamic group of compassionate, hard-working individuals who put their patients first.
Over the past year, Whole Exome Sequencing launched; our first variant scientist, Alexa Dickson, joined us in the summer from ARUP; and our first genetic counseling assistant, Anelia Wise, started in April 2023.
Dermatopathology Laboratory
The Dermatopathology Laboratory is a state-of-the-art histology lab that empowers healthcare providers with the tools to recommend the best treatment for their patients by delivering definitive diagnoses for skin, hair, and nail specimens. The laboratory team is a diverse, compassionate group that works hard in a high-volume, fast-paced environment.
Pathology Assistants
The Pathology Assistants are highly trained, certified allied health professionals who are qualified by academic and practical training to provide services in anatomic pathology which includes comprehensive macroscopic examination and evaluation of surgical pathology specimens.
Autopsy Services
The Autopsy Technicians are trained and skilled professionals who work alongside our pathologists to assist in performing tests and examinations to determine the cause of death on deceased patients. This group of technicians is an enthusiastic and charismatic group who have a real passion for autopsy services.
Anatomical and Molecular Pathology Core Laboratory
The Anatomic and Molecular Pathology Core Laboratory provides clinical and research services in anatomic pathology with a focus in histology and immunohistochemistry. This team is made up of collaborative, hard-working, and innovative histology professionals.
A special note, one of their histology technicians, Julie Gutierrez welcomed a baby boy.
Hybridoma Center
With decades of experience, the Hybridoma Center assists investigators in the generation of custom monoclonal antibody-producing B cell hybridomas.
Transgenic, Knockout, and Mico-Injection Center
The Transgenic, Knockout, and Micro-Injection Center offers a wide array of mouse embryo manipulation techniques, including cryopreservation of mouse lines, cryopreservation/storage of mouse sperm, embryo rederivation, embryos thawing, and IVF.
Electron Microscope Laboratory
The Electron Microscope Facility provides a variety of electron microscopy services for clinical and research use. These include tissue processing and embedding, preparation of one micron thick toluidine blue stained sections, and routine transmission electron microscopy for cell culture and tissue specimens. This team is small and mighty with a unique and uncommon skill set. Here is more information on EM team members:
- Dr. Robert E. Schmidt M.D., Ph.D.: Dr. Schmidt is the Medical Director of the Electron Microscopy facility, a fantastic mentor who is always ready to assist, educate, and elucidate our team. He is always quick with a joke, as well!
- Karen Green CEMT: Karen Green is the Lab Manager of the Electron Microscopy facility. Karen will have been working at Washington University Medical School for 50 years, as of June 2023! Let’s all congratulate Karen on this great accomplishment.
- Lisa Snipes HT (ASCP), CEMT: Lisa Snipes is the Laboratory Supervisor of the Electron Microscopy facility, and has recently passed the milestone of 30 years of working at Washington University Medical School. She keeps everything in the lab moving smoothly, and is always an early bird!
- Stephanie Lawson MS, CEMT: Stephanie Lawson, Clinical Laboratory Technologist II in the Electron Microscopy facility passed her certification exam in late 2022 from the Microscopy Society of America (MSA) to become a Certified Electron Microscopy Technologist. Congratulations, Stephanie!
- Tom Cline, BFA: Tom Cline started as a Laboratory Technologist I in the Electron Microscopy facility in May 2022. He made huge accomplishments in quickly completing his training and is now a fully functional member of the laboratory staff!
Clinical Support Office
The team of dedicated professionals in the Clinical Support Office are the face of Pathology & Immunology. They provide necessary customer service support and prepare all of the clinical cases received by WUSM P&I. They are a diverse group of thoughtful, detail-oriented individuals who consistently go above and beyond to provide the best customer service they can.
Research Laboratories
*Note: this is list is not inclusive and only highlights some of the labs.
Amarasinghe Research Laboratory
The Amarasinghe Research Laboratory’s overarching goal is to develop a mechanistic understanding of host-pathogen interactions with biological consequences to pathogenesis.
Artomov Research Laboratory
The Artomov Research Laboratory aims to discover novel fundamental biology in the areas of immunomtabolism, cancer immunology, and aging by using cross-disciplinary approaches to data generation and analysis together with in vitro and in vivo experimental biology. Most recently they have published eight papers with titles including, Immune aging at single-cell resolution, Itaconate confers tolerance to late NLRP3 inflammasome activation, Cellular and plasma proteomic determinants of COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 pulmonary diseases relative to healthy aging, and more.
Brestoff Research Laboratory
The Brestoff Research Laboratory focuses on understanding how immune cells and metabolic organs interact to maintain normal metabolism and to support adaptation to physiologic challenges such as high-fat diet feeding, changes in environmental temperature, and fasting.
Choi Research Laboratory
The Choi Research Laboratory studies the hematopoietic and endothelial cell development. They focus on the molecular mechanisms that control mesoderm commitment to the hematopoietic and endothelial cell lineages. They also study hematopoiesis and angiogenesis in the context of cancer. Particularly, they investigate mechanisms that lead to hematopoietic stem cell and progenitor changes in the tumor.
Colonna Research Laboratory
The Colonna Research Laboratory is broadly interested in innate immunity, focused on innate lymphoid cells in mucosal immunity, innate immune mechanisms in Alzheimer’s disease and neurodegeneration, and plasmacytoid dendritic cells and IFNα/β in host defense and autoimmunity.
Corbo Research Laboratory
The Corbo Research Laboratory focuses on understanding the molecular and genetic basis of color vision, focusing on how animals both see and produce colors, to elucidate the cis-regulatoy architecture of the retina and utilize this knowledge to treat blindness, and to decipher the role of cis-regulatory variation in human cognition and neuropsychiatric disease.
Edelson Research Laboratory
The Edleson Research Laboratory is a basic immunology research laboratory in the Division of Laboratory and Genomic Medicine within the Department of Pathology and Immunology.
Egawa Research Laboratory
The Egawa Research Laboratory has a long-standing interest in genetic and epigenetic regulation of the development and functions of lymphocytes. Specifically, they focused their research on the characterization of hierarchical dynamics of T and B cell subpopulations that support long-lasting immune responses and roles of gene expression programs initiated by the transcription factor c-MYC that drives both lymphocyte clonal expansion required for normal immune responses and tumorigenesis.
Ellebedy Research Laboratory
The Ellebedy Research Laboratory aims to define the cellular and molecular mechanisms that regulate humoral immune memory generation and maintenance, examine the heterogeneity of memory B cell responses that are elicited by vaccination and how do different memory B cell subsets contribute to protection, and determine the rules for eliciting broadly neutralizing B cell responses against rapidly evolving pathogens.
Fremont Research Laboratory
Fremont Research Laboratory is focused on understanding surveillance processes of the immune system, and the sabotage mechanisms used by pathogens to evade detection and host-mediated elimination. They use techniques of protein biochemistry, x-ray crystallography, and computational biology to determine the three-dimensional structures of proteins and investigate their macromolecular interactions.
Gordon Research Laboratory
The Gordon Research Laboratory aims to understand the nuances for the following question: What are the genomic and metabolic foundations of our relationships with the beneficial gut microbes? Their specific focus is on the role of the gut microbiota in defining our nutritional status. They are developing gut microbial community-targeted therapeutics to treat undernutrition in infants and children living in low-income countries, and obesity in Westernized countries.
Kipnis Research Laboratory
The Kipnis Lab’s ongoing studies focus on therapeutic targeting and genetic manipulation of meningeal lymphatics in different models of neurological disease as well as the extension of our findings to novel patient therapeutics.
In the past year, we have recruited several amazing new lab members, published numerous exceptional papers, secured additional funding, and had many of us present at various conferences. We have celebrated numerous accomplishments, ultimately emerging as a stronger and happier lab.
Klechevsky Research Laboratory
The Klechevsky Research Laboratory’s goal is to integrate knowledge of human dendritic cell biology to develop novel effective immunotherapy approaches that harness dendritic cell properties to fight diseases.
Liu Research Laboratory
The Liu Research Laboratory studies the interactions of autophagy, mucosal innate immunity and diet on the physiology and pathology of the gastrointestinal system.
Mosammaparast Research Laboratory
The Mosammaparast Research Laboratory is broadly interested in understanding DNA repair mechanisms and signaling in human cells, and how these processes may be altered in tumors. The laboratory uses a variety of biochemical, cell biological, and animal model systems to answer these questions. Ultimately, their research will assist in improving diagnostic and therapeutic outcomes for cancer.
Payton Research Laboratory
The Payton Research Laboratory focuses on the role of aberrant epigenomic patterns in cancer-specific gene dysregulation. They take an integrative approach to understanding the complex interplay of genomic and epigenomic mutations and their impact on gene regulation, employing translational, and basic biological approaches to understand the progression of hematopoietic cells from healthy to malignant.
Perrin Research Laboratory
The Translational Human Neurodegenerative Disease Research (THuNDR) Laboratory (Director: Richard Perrin) has seen several personal and professional achievements amongst its members and as a team. Haley Bernhardt (Research Coordinator) and her husband Jared welcomed their son “JJ” into the world in June. Scott Karcher (Research Technician II) purchased his first home, and has been renovating/remodeling in his off time from the lab. Dr. Kate Schwetye was one of 10 pathologists to be recognized as Castle Connolly Top Doctors in 2023. The lab collectively brought in over 100 autopsy cases in 2022 and stained/performed IHC on 100 cases total for the year, which was a new lab record. We had a celebration to commemorate this achievement in April and pump ourselves up to complete over 100 in 2023. The lab has hired Ann Chaffee, PA (ASCP) into the THuNDR Lab. The Pathologist Assistant position is a new position within the lab and we are very excited to welcome a new staff member with a new skillset and experience to the team!
Randolph Research Laboratory
The Randolph Research Laboratory conducts research defining how transit cells and molecules out of tissues influences the inflammatory microenvironment. In this context, they focus on two chronic inflammatory disease settings, experimental atherosclerosis, and inflammatory bowel disease.
Ravichandran Research Laboratory
Every day, we turn over billions of cells as part of normal development and homeostasis. Majority of these cells die via caspase-dependent apoptosis. The prompt and efficient removal of these apoptotic cells is fundamentally important for our health. The recognition and phagocytic removal of these apoptotic cells occurs via the process of ‘efferocytosis’. Our laboratory addresses the molecules/mechanisms that regulate efferocytosis. This includes studying how apoptotic cells advertise their presence to phagocytes (‘find-me signal’ release), how phagocytes recognize and ingest the apoptotic cells (eat-me signals and phagocytic receptors), and how the phagocytes digest the ingested corpses. We are also interested in how the engulfment of apoptotic cells promotes immune tolerance (in contrast to other types of phagocytosis) and how this intersects and integrates with innate immune mechanisms. We use a combination of mammalian cell culture studies, knockout and transgenic mouse models, human samples, and genetic studies in model organisms.
Schreiber Research Laboratory
The Schreiber Research Laboratory is focused on elucidating the cellular and molecular underlying natural and therapeutically induced immune responses to developing and established cancers.
This group pioneered the use of immunogenomics approaches to rapidly identify immunogenic tumor-specific neoantigens and target them therapeutically.
Van Dyken Research Laboratory
The Van Dyken Research Laboratory studies how the immune system integrates diverse signals from the external environment and host tissues to maintain homeostasis and organ health.
Watson Research Laboratory
The Watson Research Laboratory is interested in identifying the genomic alterations that contribute to tumor cell metastasis in breast and lung cancer, with the goal of developing advanced genome-based diagnostics to detect, classify, and eradicate metastatic tumor cells to improve long-term patient outcomes.
Thank you so much to Lab Week Committee members for all your hard work and great ideas this year!