PATHOLOGY IN FOCUS

Vol 6 Issue 3 August 2012 Message from the Chair At the start of Our faculty members hold can be productive. In total, it Inside this issue: another aca- numerous leadership positions is the team work and spirit of demic year and in national and international co-operation in the UAB De- Faculty Profile 2 my fifth year as societies and our residents, partment of Pathology that Chair, I would fellows and graduate students defines us and will assure our Accolades 3 like to take a continue to receive accolades continued success. 2012 Pritchett Lecture 3 moment to and career advancing opportu- thank all of nities. Departmental commit- Best wishes, New Course Director 4 you who make ment to excellent clinical care Kevin A. Roth, M.D., Ph.D. the UAB Department of Pa- and quality research and educa- FASEB 4 thology such a special place to tion remains unquestionable. work and train. It seems that In addition to the hard work Mycoplasmology Award 4 virtually every day presents of our faculty and trainees, I new challenges in meeting our am very appreciative of our Experimental Cancer 5 clinical, research, and teaching divisional and departmental Therapeutics missions. Despite reduced support staff who despite in- state support for higher educa- creasingly complex university, Cancer Pathobiology 5-6 tion, an extremely difficult hospital, state, and federal New Tools from UAB 6-7 research funding climate, and regulations and multiple de- increasing demands on clinical mands on their time, daily Where are They Now? 7-8 faculty and trainees, our de- provide assistance to our fac- partment continues to excel. ulty and trainees so that they From the Chief Residents 8-10 Spotlight on Administra- 11

From the Graduate Stu- 11-12 dents Faculty Profile: William H. Benjamin, Jr., Ph.D. Pathology Grants Awarded 12 Dr. Wil- Approval Committee since ate the many new vaccines now liam Benja- 2008. on the market for the prevention min is Pro- of diseases caused by Strepto- fessor in Nationally, he is a member of coccus pneumoniae. the depart- the Editorial Board of Micro- ments of bial Methods, the Journal of In 2006, Dr. Benjamin was part Pathology Clinical Microbiology and the of a team from the American and Microbiology. He was Journal of Clinical Microbiol- Society for Microbiology’s born and raised in the Pacific ogy. He’s performed several International Laboratory Capac- Pathology In Focus Northwest and attended Wash- CAP inspections and has more ity Building Program that trav- Editorial Committee ington State University for his than 70 published abstracts/ elled to Namibia. He spent two Editor-in-Chief: Bachelor of Science, Montana poster exhibits, 80 manuscripts, months collaborating with the C. Bruce Alexander, M.D. State University for his Master and 9 book chapters. Namibian Institute of Pathology of Science and UAB for his and the Centers for Disease R. Pat Bucy, M.D., Ph.D. Ph.D. His research interests focus on Control and Prevention on tu- Rakesh Patel, Ph.D. the epidemiology of Mycobac- berculosis diagnostics. While Walter C. Bell, M.D. terium tuberculosis and how it there, his team proposed a stra- Marisa B. Marques, M.D. Dr. Benjamin is actively in- can be used toward elimination tegic plan for expanding the Majd Zayzafoon, M.D., Ph.D. volved in teaching residents, Namibian Institute of Pathol- Angie Schmeckebier medical students, and graduate of tuberculosis in Alabama and Margaret Dotzler students. He has also mentored the United States. He is one of ogy’s tuberculosis laboratory a number of PhD students only a few UAB faculty mem- system. The priority for the throughout the years. He was a bers involved in the utilization laboratory system expansion Dept. of Pathology Website: Laboratory Medicine represen- of diagnostic procedures for was to improve the quality of www.path.uab.edu tative in the Faculty Advisory tuberculosis control in sub- acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear Committee of our department Saharan Africa (Namibia and microscopy at all levels, with Newsletter E-Mail: from 2006-2012 and has served Zambia). In addition, he also long-term goals being to in- [email protected] on the Research Use Only Test collaborates on the use of serol- crease AFB culture capacity; to ogy/ molecular typing to evalu- Cont’d...

Pathology In Focus Page 2

Faculty Profile: William H. Benjamin, Jr., Ph.D., Cont’d... improve AFB smear micros- in the Section of Microbiology, be counted on and will still copy procedures; and to intro- he is our expert on parasites and have a smile on his face. More duce fluorescence microscopy mycobacteria and has taught recently, he became involved in at the Central TB Laboratory. hundreds of residents with pa- diagnostic molecular biology Dr. Benjamin has been married tience and enjoyment. The and his deep knowledge of the to Sarah for 40 years. They residents truly appreciate his intricacies and pitfalls of the have 2 grown children, Heather quiet and friendly demeanor assays help ensure we provide and willingness to be called to our UAB patients with state-of- and Adam. In his free time, he the hospital any time of day or the-art diagnostic services. likes to garden, bicycle, and night to help review a malaria travel. In his 20 years as a fac- smear. Everyone knows he can ulty member in our department

Faculty Profile: James Robinson Hackney, M.D.

Rob Hack- fellowship in neuropathology. surgical pathologist in the do- ney, M.D. Rob spent his fellowship re- main of neuropathology. How- joins us as search year with Jonas ever, it may be the case that the Instructor in Almeida, PhD, in the Depart- entire approach of the neuropa- the Division ment’s new Division of Infor- thologist is different from the of Neuropa- matics, tackling projects in surgical pathologist, with much thology, diagnostic image analysis. greater emphasis on detailed having just Rob’s ongoing research inter- patient history, review of prior completed a ests are in the area of web- material, review of radiographic “late-life” fellowship in neuro- based applications for image scans, and a collaborative ap- pathology here at UAB under analysis, including pattern proach involving multiple sub- the guidance of Dr. Cheryl analysis and quantification of specialties. Palmer and Dr. Steven Carroll. immunohistochemical markers Rob graduated from the Univer- for diagnosis and prognosis. Rob is married with six grown sity Of South Alabama College He also has a developing inter- children and ten grandchildren. Of Medicine back in 1979, fol- est in bridging the gap between His interests outside of work lowed by training in AP/CP at surgical neuropathology and include electric guitar (he fa- Ochsner Clinic in New Orleans general surgical pathology, vors German-made Duesenberg and a fellowship in hematopa- especially with regard to the guitars), sports (especially run- thology at the University of training of surgical patholo- ning and swimming), and Pennsylvania. Following a stint gists, pathology Residents and spending time with family. as Director of the Hematology Fellows, and others in the Laboratory at Ochsner Clinic unique perspectives of the sur- from 1985-1989, Rob returned gical neuropathologist. Since to Birmingham to practice sur- we are training neurosurgeons gical pathology and hematopa- at a much greater rate than neu- thology at St. Vincent’s Hospi- ropathologists, much front-line tal, Birmingham, serving as neuropathology will continue to Chief of Pathology from 2002 be done by general surgical until 2010. While at St. Vin- pathologists. While their gen- cent’s, Rob was heavily in- eral diagnostic acumen is more volved in St. Vincent’s breast than equal to the task, the low cancer program and robotic volume of neuropathology prostatectomy program. The cases that they are likely to see latter was for several years one can lead to an erosion of skills of the 3 or 4 largest robotic over the years. This is being prostatectomy programs in the partially addressed by newer, world. In 2010, Rob moved to creative publications by neuro- UAB to undertake a two year pathologists designed to aid the Pathology In Focus Page 3

Accolades:

C. Bruce Drs. Shi Wei Alexander, Michael G. Con- and Gene M.D. was ner, M.D. is now Siegal have awarded the serving as a had a book Gerald T. member of the published Evans Society of Gynecological On- entitled Award at the 2012 Academy of cology (SGO) Membership “Frozen Sec- Clinical Laboratory Physicians Committee and the SGO Edu- tion Library: and Scientists meeting. This cation Committee. The SGO is Bone”. A award is presented annually to a the national society of Ameri- description of member for outstanding leader- can and International specialists the book, ship and/or service to the soci- involved with treating gyn ma- given by the ety. lignancies. Dr. Conner is work- publisher Springer is “Frozen ing with the SGO to put Pathol- sections are performed while a John C. Chat- ogy lectures on the society’s patient is undergoing surgery as ham, D.Phil. website to be used as a part of a basis for making an immediate Was invited to the educational outreach pro- diagnosis that will impact treat- serve as the gram nationally and internation- ment decisions. Frozen section American ally. diagnosis is often a highly de- Physiological manding situation for the pa- Society repre- thologist who must render a sentative to the FASEB Science diagnosis quickly for the patient Policy Committee. and surgeon.”

2012 Pritchett Lecture Details New Fundamental Mechanisms in Cell Proliferation

This year our endowed lecturer search to a capacity audience in for the Paulette Shirey Pritchett the Spain auditorium defining Lecture in experimental pathol- the key checkpoints in the cell ogy was Sir Salvador Moncada, cycle that integrate mitochon- M.D., Ph.D, D.Sc., University drial function with cell metabo- College London. His major lism. These seminal findings discoveries include identifying give new insight into the the mechanisms through which mechanisms through which prostaglandins and nitric oxide cancer cells adapt their metabo- modulate vascular function and lism to sustain proliferation. At mitochondrial metabolism. the reception following his lec- Professor Moncada has re- ture he received a plaque from ceived numerous honors and is the Pritchett family in apprecia- a Fellow of the Royal Society tion of his contribution to the and a Foreign Associate of the lecture series and generous National Academy of Science participation with the faculty of the USA and in 2010 he re- and trainees at UAB (include Dr. Kevin Roth, Dr. Salvador Moncada, Dr. Robert ceived a Knighthood for his pic). Pritchett services to Science. Dr. Mon- cada spent the morning with UAB researchers and partici- pated in a mini symposium highlighting metabolism and bioenergetics research at UAB. After lunch with the students he described his exciting new re- Pathology In Focus Page 4

New Course Director for Schools of Dentistry & Optometry, “Fundamentals” Robert W. teaching hours and 8 exams human biology. Fundamen- Hardy, Profes- given by 20 faculty members tals II builds on Fundamentals sor of Pathol- from the Joint Basic Health I by teaching the basics of pa- ogy and Sec- Science departments to ap- thology, microbiology, histol- tion Head, proximately 110 combined ogy, and pharmacology. Fun- Clinical students. It is composed of damentals is designed to give Chemistry, Fundamental I and Fundamen- students a basic education in will be the tals II. Fundamentals I is a the life sciences which is neces- course director for the schools multi-track, basic science sary to understand how essen- of Dentistry and Optometry, course that primarily teaches tial organs of the body func- “Fundamentals”. This first the biochemical, genetic and tion and how they are related year course consists of 160 immunological principles of to each other.

FASEB’s 2012 Capitol Hill Day

where possible with John Chatham, University of members of the House Alabama at Birmingham, of Representatives and FASEB Science Policy Commit- Senate to provide infor- tee. This group met with aides mation about NIH and from the offices of: Sen. Rich- NSF budgets for 2013. ard Shelby (R-AL), Sen. Jeff Shown in the photo Sessions (R-AL) , Sen. Marco (from left) are Ed Rosa- Rubio (R-FL) , Rep. Cliff Molinar, University of Stearns (R-FL), Rep. Terri A. L to R: Eduardo Rosa-Molinar, Karen Mowrer, Lynn Puerto Rico - Rio Pie- Sewell (D-AL), Del. Pedro Wecker, Nancy Denslow, John Chatham dras, FASEB Board Pierluisi (D-PR) and Rep. Member; Karen Kathy Castor (D-FL). Such On May 16, John Chatham Mowrer, FASEB Legislative meetings are part of FASEB’s participated in FASEB’s 2012 Affairs Officer; Lynn Wecker, ongoing strategy to build sup- Capitol Hill Day. On this day University of South Florida port for sustained and predict- more than 40 members of College of Medicine, FASEB able funding for biomedical FASEB Societies participated Treasurer-Elect; Nancy research; such advocacy efforts in about 70 meetings with Denslow, University of Flor- are especially important in the Congressional Aides and ida, FASEB Board Member; and current economic and political environment.

International Organization for Mycoplasmology Award Ken B. Waites, France in July, 2012. This the organization as Secretary- M.D., Professor award, normally given every General and as well as Chair of of Pathology two years recognizing up to the International Research Pro- was the co- two individuals chosen by a gram on Comparative My- recipient along majority vote of the Board coplasmology and the Chemo- with Professor members recognizes sustained therapy Working Team. The John I. Glass of the J. Craig and outstanding service to the IOM is an international scien- Venter Institute of the 2012 IOM as an elected officer, com- tific professional organization Board of Directors Award mittee chairperson or member with members throughout the given by the Board of Directors and noteworthy contributions to world who have a common of the International Organiza- the advancement of the science interest in the study of my- tion for Mycoplasmology of mycoplasmology. Dr. Waites coplasmas which are the small- (IOM) during the 19th IOM has been a member of the IOM est free-living microorganisms Congress held in Toulouse, for thirty years. He has served and cause a variety of diseases in humans, animals, and plants. Pathology In Focus Page 5

New Endowed Professorship in Experimental Cancer Therapeutics

The Depart- of targeted AAV for human member of the American ment of gene therapy. Dr. Ponnaz- Association for the Ad- Pathology is hagan has an outstanding re- vancement of Science, the pleased to cord of continuous and sub- American Association for announce stantial extramural support for Cancer Research, the the appoint- his research and serves on the American Society of Gene ment of Dr. editorial boards of multiple Therapy, and the Ameri- Selvarangan scientific journals including can Society of Microbiol- Ponnaz- Genes, Gene Therapy, Journal of ogy. He was recently hagan as the inaugural En- Hematotherapy and Stem Cell recognized as an out- dowed Professor of Experi- Research, and Technology in standing mentor for his mental Cancer Therapeutics. Cancer Research and Treat- contribution to teaching ment. and mentoring by the Dr. Ponnazhagan’s research Dean of the UAB Gradu- Photo Session for is focused on identifying novel Dr. Ponnazhagan is a ate School. Dr. Ponnaz- Physician anti-cancer targets and devel- Professor of Pathology in hagan’s expertise in cancer Directory— oping gene- and cell-based the UAB Department of immunology, metabolic Clinical Faculty therapeutics to treat a variety Pathology, Senior Scien- bone disease, and cancer of cancers including metastatic tist at the UAB Compre- metastasis and osteoim- Professional breast and prostate can- hensive Cancer Center, munology research pro- photosessions for clinical cer. Dr. Ponnazhagan has an Center for Metabolic vides him unique insights faculty will be held from 7 international reputation as an Bone Disease, Center for into the development of a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, outstanding scientist with his Structural Biology, Ne- novel therapeutic strate- Aug. 22 in the West Pavilion Conference Center research focusing on develop- phrology Research and gies for a variety of hu- and from 11:30 a.m. to 6 ing adeno-associated virus Training Center, and the man diseases. We look p.m. Thursday, Aug 23 in (AAV)-mediated gene therapy BioMatrix Engineering forward to his continued success at UAB. the Kirklin Clinic fourth for cancer and metabolic bone and Regenerative Medi- floor conference room. To disease, including development cine Center. He is a secure an appointment time, contact Kathryn McKelvey at [email protected] or 934-7804; walk-ins are welcome. New Endowed Professorship in Cancer Pathobiology

The Depart- cans promote tumor growth supports leadership in this area ment of Pa- and metastasis of multiple in the Department of Pathol- thology is myeloma and breast cancer, ogy and UAB. pleased to two tumors with a propensity announce the to metastasize and grow Dr. Sanderson is a Pro- appointment within bone. The long-term fessor of Pathology in the of Dr. Ralph goal of the Sanderson labora- UAB Department of Pa- Sanderson as tory is to determine how tu- thology and Senior Scien- the inaugural Endowed Profes- mor-stromal interactions medi- tist and Co-Leader of the sor in Cancer Pathobiology. ated by heparan sulfate and Cancer Cell Biology Pro- heparanase regulate the tumor gram at the UAB Com- Understanding the role that microenvironment and to use prehensive Cancer Cen- the tumor microenvironment this knowledge to design new ter. He is an internation- plays in the regulation of tu- cancer therapies. The founda- ally recognized leader in mor growth and progression tion of this Endowed Profes- tumor microenvironment has become a major focus of sorship in Cancer Pathobiol- and myeloma research cancer research. Dr. Sander- ogy is in recognition of the and received the son’s laboratory has shown importance of basic cancer that heparan sulfate proteogly- pathobiology research and Cont’d... Pathology In Focus Page 6

New Professorship in Cancer Pathobiology, Cont’d...

Distinguished Faculty Award (jointly with his collaborator, dition to his many scientific in 2003 at the Arkansas Cancer Dr. Michael Vlodarsky) in accomplishments, Dr. Sander- Research Center, the Out- 2010. He held the Drs. Mae son is a dedicated teacher and standing Faculty Award from and Anderson Nettleship En- institutional leader in graduate the Molecular and Cellular dowed Chair in Oncologic education. We look forward Pathology Graduate Program Pathology at the University of to his many future successes at in 2008, and the Neufeld Me- Arkansas prior to his recruit- UAB. morial Research Award ment to UAB in 2006. In ad-

New Tools From UAB for Doctors’ Virtual Black Bags—Cloud Computing, Apps and Bioinformatics?

newly formed Division of lished Friday about a new app Informatics in the med they created for image bioin- school’s pathology depart- formatics. This app, called ment. ImageJS, is like one version of At MD Anderson as a profes- Angry Birds, because it oper- sor of bioinformatics, Almeida ates inside a Google Chrome was deeply involved in the web browser. Cancer Genome Atlas, a ImageJS started with a com- Doctors and medical re- shared site for cancer data mon pathology problem — a searchers are dealing with in- started with the help of Na- patient has had a brain biopsy, creasingly large sets of data. tional Cancer Institute funding and a slice of the brain has Genetic sequences, images in 2006. Its utility was seen been put on a slide and stained from pathology biopsies and just last week in a TCGA with one dye to color the nu- lab tests, and information study of gene mutations in clei of cells and with another about how patients respond to colon and rectal cancers. dye to create a different color treatment, to name just a few. Researchers used the shared in nuclei that are replicating. Along with this data are the data to show that the patterns Normally a pathologist will bewildering names of new in colon and rectal cancers look at an image of the stained disciplines that try to make were the same, regardless of cells and through individual sense of this information over- where they came from. This skill and possible help from load — genomics, proteomics, means the two are actually a image processing software, immunoproteomics, metaba- single type of cancer. The dis- figure how much replication is lomics, transcriptomics. And covery is considered an impor- going on. A high amount overarching all of this is an tant step in understanding the means cancer. effort commonly called bioin- foundations of that disease. “Pathologists face two major formatics, which tries to use An effort like the Atlas, problems that have been in- computing to find better ways Almeida said, takes advantage soluble for many years,” to coordinate the data, make of “the cloud” — a web-based Almeida said in a telephone sense of it all and mine it for set of programs and standard- interview from Germany. valuable discoveries. ized data formats that allows First, they would run into Which brings us to Jonas researchers to build interactive difficulties about patient pri- Almeida. masses of data. Almeida lik- vacy if they had to send the Almeida is a recent addition ened this use of the cloud to images off to some other com- to the University of Alabama the popular pastime Farm- puter site to be analyzed, and at Birmingham medical center, Ville, a farming simulation any software they might want recruited away from the pres- social network game. to put on their own hospital tigious University of Texas- Another approach in infor- computers would create a secu- MD Anderson Cancer Center matics is seen in a paper rity question. in January 2011 to launch a Almeida and colleagues pub- Cont’d... Pathology In Focus Page 7

New Tools From UAB Cont’d….

Second, if they wished to Free code informatics division. make any changes to the algo- Furthermore, the code is UAB pathology chairman rithms used to analyze images, freely available from hosting Dr. Kevin Roth was the key to they would need to get the services such as GitHub and luring Almeida to UAB. software rewritten by its pro- Google Code. Users will be ducer, and then go through the “He offered me something able to write a few lines of that is special — a strategic long and tedious process of code to slightly alter the image getting that software cleared vision about the future,” algorithms, something akin to Almeida said. “He sees biosta- by the information technology an Angry Birds player being folks. tistics and bioinformatics to be able to change the colors of part of the tools of select medi- ImageJS, a simple and fast the birds, Almeida said. cal centers.” program written in JavaScript, While ImageJS addresses a Almeida gave another exam- sidesteps both of those prob- pathology problem, it also lems. ple of the potential use of bio- doubles as an experiment in informatics for clinicians — It lets the pathologist work at informatics. Almeida said he shared cancer databases in the his or her own computer but hopes to see it lead to interac- cloud where oncologists can avoids adding any new pro- tions where researchers use find answers to questions that gramming files to the com- and modify the app’s simple could improve patient care. puter. The ImageJS app does architecture to build a collabo- this by operating in a Google rative computational ecosys- Such questions, Almeida said, Chrome browser which acts as tem. include, “What patients have been seen before that were like a “sandbox where code is exe- To see a demonstration of cuted without direct access to the one that I’m seeing? What ImageJS, as well as other work happened to those patients? the machine’s file system,” by Almeida, look for Almeida, pathologist Dr. What drugs did they respond “jalmeidamathbiol’s channel” to?” James Hackney and four other on YouTube. division of informatics col- leagues wrote in their Journal At UAB, the Portuguese- born Almeida has hired five —reprinted with permission of Pathology Informatics pa- from Jeff Hansen at the Bir- per. faculty and now has about 15 researchers and staff in the mingham News.

Where Are They Now?:

Dr. Diane Resident in 2008-2009, and in court 10 times. She is the Infec- Peterson 2009-2010, she completed a tious Disease and Biosafety received her Forensic Pathology Fellowship Officer for the Jackson County residency at UAB. She became Board Medical Examiner Office and training in Certified in AP/CP in 2009 and also educates local physicians Pathology at in Forensic Pathology in 2010. on death certification. UAB from July 2005 to Currently, Dr. Peterson is a In addition, Dr. Peterson is a June 2009. Deputy Medical Examiner in Clinical Assistant Professor of Previously, she received her the Office of the Jackson Pathology at the University of M.D. degree from The Univer- County Medical Examiner in Missouri-Kansas City School sity of Kansas School of Medi- Kansas City, Missouri, where of Medicine and at the Depart- cine in 2005 and her BS degree she has performed over 400 ment of Pathology and Labora- in Microbiology from Kansas autopsies since her appointment tory Medicine at the University State University in 2000. Dr. in August 2010, and testified in Peterson was the AP Chief Cont’d... Pathology In Focus Page 8

Where Are They Now? Cont’d...

of Kansas Medical Center. dously to be a better court wit- Dr. Peterson belongs to the Beginning this year, she is an ness and gave her confidence College of American Patholo- Adjunct Instructor on forensic on the stand. Remembering her gists, the American Society for toxicology in the Division of residency at UAB, she found Clinical Pathology, the Acad- Pharmacology and Toxicology the wide variety of electives emy of Clinical Laboratory at the University of Missouri- and excellent education invalu- Physicians and Scientists, the Kansas City School of Phar- able in her current role of American Academy of Forensic macy. teaching and helping medical Sciences (where she presented students and residents. The a poster at the AAFS Annual Some of Dr. Peterson’s favorite clinical pathology rotations at Meeting this year), and the memories of her time at UAB provided a wealth of National Association of Medi- UAB are her days as a Forensic knowledge and experience, cal Examiners. Fellow in the court- which she has used extensively room listening to her attendings in her profession and her aca- Dr. Peterson lives with her hus- testify, and "performing" in demic career. She appreciates band, Dr. William Peterson Mock Trials with Dr. Greg her residency autopsy rotation, (Nephrology private practice) Davis at the Cumberland which provided her with in- and two children, a five-year- School of Law at Samford Uni- sights for teaching residents the old daughter and a newborn versity. She says that these basics of autopsy technique. son, in Overland Park, KS. experiences helped her tremen-

From the Chief Residents:

We’re off to a great start this National Meetings: Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase year with six strong first year The following abstracts have Positive Diffuse Large B-cell residents, twelve fellows (some been accepted to the College Lymphoma with Minimal Nodal new faces, and some previous of American Pathologists Involvement – John Ross, Xiao- UAB residents) and nineteen (CAP) meeting which will Congratulations to our returning residents. As you will take place in San Diego from jun Wu and Vishnu Reddy th th residents! Dr. Bruce Smoller, see below, we continue to have September 9 to 12 : Executive Vice President of significant numbers of abstracts The following abstracts have USCAP announced that accepted for national pathology Anaplastic Large Cell Lym- been accepted to The Ameri- UAB has been recognized as meetings, thanks to support phoma (ALCL) Associated With can Society of Dermatopa- top 5% of all medical from both the pathology depart- a Breast Implant Capsule - Jie thology (ASDP) meeting Xu, MD, PhD, Amberly Nunez, which will take place in Chi- institutions of first-authored ment and from Adams grants. th MD, Vishnu Reddy, MD, and cago from October 11 to scientific abstracts accepted UAB was recently recognized th for presentation at the 101st as being in the top 5% of all Shi Wei, MD, PhD 14 : Annual Meeting of the medical institutions in terms of Aggressive digital papillary USCAP in Vancouver, BC. the number of scientific ab- A Giant Tubular Adenoma of adenocarcinoma in an 11-year- This extends UAB’s stracts accepted for presenta- the Breast in a Premenarchal old female - Caitie Halverson and Aleodor Andea outstanding record another tion at the last annual meeting Girl - Yaolin Zhou, MD; Shi year. of the United States and Cana- Wei, MD, PhD; Heidi Um- dian Academy of Pathology phrey, MD WT-1 Immunohistochemical (USCAP) – a great accomplish- Profile in Desmoplastic and ment which we hope to repeat An Autopsy Case Report of Spindle Cell Melanoma – Tay- this year. Finally, the residents Terbinafine-Induced Liver Cir- lor Deal and Aleodor Andea are looking forward to partici- rhosis - Yaolin Zhou, MD; pating in the upcoming 8th Clarethra N. Lyas, MD; Bren- The following abstracts have dan M. McGuire, MD; D. Annual Department of Pathol- been accepted to the Ameri- ogy Trainee Research Day in Ralph Crowe, MD; Stephanie can Society of Clinical Pathol- October. D. Reilly, MD ogy (ASCP) meeting which Johnny Ross and Amy Treece Strumal Carcinoid Masquerad- will take place in Boston from Chief Residents, 2012-2013 ing as Adenocarcinoma- Taylor October 31st to November 3rd: Deal, L Novak and M Conner Cont’d... Pathology In Focus Page 9

From the Residents Cont’d...

Expression of Syndecan-1 Pictures: Residency Program (CD138) in Breast carcinomas A 12 year autopsy review of Director: with associated Distant Metas- infective endocarditis - Yaolin From the outgoing reception: tasis - Thuy Nguyen and Shi Zhou, MD; Sean R. Wilkinson; C. Bruce Alexander, M.D. Wei Matthew D. Cain MD; Silvio H. Litovsky MD; Stephanie D. Residency Program Highlighting the Need for Cor- Reilly, MD Support: relation of Clinical and Patho- logic Features: Discovery of an Neuroendocrine Dedifferentia- Karen Lewis Epithelioid Hemangioendo- tion Post-Chemotherapy in a thelioma Diffusely Involving an Patient with Severe Lung Injury 934-4060 Explant Liver - Thuy Nguyen - Yaolin Zhou, MD; D. Ralph and Leona Council Crowe, MD; Shantel Hébert- Magee, MD A Case Report of T-Cell/ Refractory Anemia with Ringed Histiocyte-Rich Large B-Cell Sideroblasts and Thrombocyto- Lymphoma Arising in the Back- sis (RARS-T): a case study of ground of Thymic Follicular emergent therapeutic interven- Lymphoid Hyperplasia - Jie tion for life-threatening throm- Xu, MD, PhD, Xiaojun Wu, bocytosis – Taylor Deal, X Wu, MD, PhD, W. Ford Simpson, V Reddy, J Adamski MD, Vishnu Reddy, MD Macrophage activation syn- drome, ferritin, and the hook T Lymphoblastic Leukemia with effect – John Ross and Robert t(9;22): Blast Phase of Chronic Hardy Myelogenous Leukemia or BCR -ABL-Positive T-Acute Lym- Committees: phoblastic Leukemia? - Jie Xu,

MD, PhD, Shaoying Li, MD Yaolin Zhou is joining Alex (Vanderbilt University) Hanna as an ASCP resident

representative. Noncirrhotic hyperammonemic encephalopathy in a liver/renal Caitie Halverson and Taylor transplant patient with Entero- Deal are joining Chris Kragel coccus faecium sepsis: a case and Thuy Nguyen as CAP resi- report – Caitie Halverson, dent representatives. Stephen Moser and Robert

Hardy. Evan Alston and Jason Brazel- Expression of Receptor Activa- ton are the new pathology rep- tor of Nuclear Factor κβ resentatives on the UAB house Ligand (RANKL) in Breast staff council. Cancer, and Its Relations with Hormone Receptors and Dis- Adams Grants: tant Metastasis - Rong Li, Thuy Xiaoyan Cui, John Ross, and Nguyen, WE Grizzle, K Zhang, Zhiyong Ren have all been O Hameed, GP Siegal and S awarded Adams grants during Wei the past quarter.

Gastrointestinal ischemia as the initial presentation of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura - Yaolin Zhou, MD; Vishnu V. B. Reddy, MD; Stephanie D. Reilly, MD; Sil- vio H. Litovsky, MD; Marisa B. Marques, MD Pathology In Focus Page 10

From the Chief Residents Cont’d...

L-R: Dr. Lea Novak, Dr. Walter Bell, Dr. Amberly Nunez, and Dr. Charles Nunez Our beloved outgoing chiefs—Emily Gorman and Am- berly Nunez

Pictures from USCAP:

From left to right) Bethaney Vincent, George Garib, Dr Andea, Taylor Deal, and Caitie Halverson From left around table): Amy Treece, Rong Li, Taylor Deal, Qian Dai, Jessie Xu, Zhiyong Ren, Amberly Nunez, Dr Wei, Dr Reddy, Dr Pan, Dr Brandwein-Gensler and Dr Hebert-Magee

Dr. Gene Siegal and Jessie Xu Pathology In Focus Page 11

Spotlight on Administration—Margaret Dotzler Cont’d... Margaret Alexander’s extensive profes- “Where Are They Now” col- Dotzler is an sional travel logistics and keeps umn. OAII in the his busy calendar. She func- Department of tions as an editorial assistant Margaret followed her hus- Pathology for his manuscripts, white pa- band’s career move to Alabama Chair’s Of- pers, and official correspon and, in spite of living 75 miles fice. She dence. She also oversees the south of Birmingham in Elmore provides as- Autopsy Call Schedule, and County, she never considered sistance and support to Dr. C. interfaces with Pulmonary any other place of employment. Bruce Alexander, Vice Chair Medicine and Surgical Pathol- She made this commute for 10 and Autopsy Section Head. ogy concerning pulmonary years before moving to Chilton Before joining the Department conferences and his consulta- County 7 years ago and short- of Pathology in 1996, Margaret tions with pulmonary research. ening her commute to 50 miles. was an Editorial Assistant in As Dr. Alexander is a Medical Margaret and her husband, the Department of Surgery at Examiner for Jefferson County Tom, live on “God’s Little Vanderbilt University Medical and an Officer of the Court, Acre” amidst the peach or- Center in Nashville for ten Margaret is his liaison to the chards and pastoral landscape years. Medical Examiner’s Office and of Chilton County. They have the District Attorneys’ Office two grown children, a daughter She has a wide range of duties, concerning court appearances. Elizabeth who lives in Shelby reflecting Dr. Alexander’s In addition, she is a copy- County and a son, Asa, who many areas of involvement. editor/writer for the Path In lives in California. She arranges and organizes Dr. Focus newsletter and writes the

From the Graduate Students: Awards: Angela Gullard—received the Robert Bone—gave the oral Mengrui Wu—received the 2012 Hispanic Dental Associa- presentation entitled 2012 ASBMR President’s tion Foundation Scholars "Autophagy during the Progres- Award, which is given to the Award. The award is given in sion of Insulitis in the Non- highest-ranking abstract and support of meritorious work by Obese Diabetic Mouse" at the awarded yearly. Mengrui is a students who seek to advance 3rd Annual UAB Diabetes Re- visiting foreign graduate stu- their scientific and applied search Day held on May 1, dent in Dr. Yi-Ping Li’s class. clinical knowledge as they enter 2012. One of only two students into the oral health profession. to receive an oral presentation. Yanna Ding—received the AAI Angela will receive a $1,000 Trainee Award and gave an oral scholarship, which she will use Robert also presented a poster presentation titled "IL-17- to help pay her dental presentation entitled induced Rgs16 is essential for school tuition and fees this fall. "Autophagy during the Progres- follicular T helper cell localiza- sion of Insulitis in the Non- tion in the germinal centers of Publications/Presentations: Obese Diabetic Mouse" at the autoimmune BXD2 mice " in Ryan Stapley—Stapley R, 5th Annual Midwest Islet Club 99th AAI annual meeting , Bos- Owusu BY, Brandon A, Cusick Meeting held May 23-24, 2012 ton, May 2012. Yanna also M, Rodriguez C, Marques MB, at the University of Pittsburgh. received the UAB GSA Travel Kerby JD, Barnum SR, Grant for 2012 summer. Weinberg JA, Lancaster Jr JR, Robert also had the following Patel RP. Erythrocyte storage publication: Zhang Y*, Zhang Qinglan (Helen) Liu—was increases rates of NO- and Ni- Y*, Bone RN, Cui W, Peng J- awarded the UAB Diabetes trite scavenging: Implications B, Siegal GP, Wang H, Wu H. Research Training Center for transfusion related toxicity. (DRTC) travel award. Biochem J. 2012 Jun 21. Cont’d...

Pathology In Focus Page 12

From the Graduate Students Cont’d…. (2012) Regeneration of Pancre- muscle cells" at 72nd ADA atic Non-β Endocrine Cells in (American Diabetes Associa- Adult Mice following a Single tion) Scientific Sessions an- Diabetes-Inducing Dose of nual meeting in Philadelphia, Streptozotocin. PLoS ONE 7 PA, June 2012. (5): e36675. doi:10.1371/ journal.pone.0036675

Qinglan (Helen) Liu— Presented a poster "Small molecule agonists of NR4A3 augment glucose transport system activity and AS160 phosphorylation in L6 skeletal If anyone has any news items, accolades, etc. to be put in the quarterly newsletter, please send it to the Path In Focus e-mail address at: [email protected].

Thank you. Pathology Grants Awarded:

JOHN C. CHATHAM MARGARET BRANDWEIN JOHN SHACKA (Floyd, McMahon) -GENSLER VA-IPA (Tonia Tse) UAB/SOM AstraZeneca/Vanderbilt $115,673 05/01/12-04/30/14 O-GleN Acylation as a Novel Predicting Response to Mo- Therapeutic Strategy for Treat- lecular Therapeutics Targeting ment of Traumatic Brain Injury ATR in Head and Neck $415,981 03/15/12-02/28/14 Squamous Cell Carcinoma $23,135 04/18/12-04/16/13 MARGARET BRANDWEIN -GENSLER YABING CHEN UAB/CCC VA-IPA (Hong Li) HPV Oncoprotein Gene Ther- $92,750 07/01/12-06/13/14 apy: A Novel Treatment Strat- egy for Non-HPV Mediated YABING CHEN Carcinomas American Heart Association $29,000 04/01/12-03/31/13 O-GlcNAc Modification in Dia- betic Vascular Calcification $50,360 07/01/12-06/30/14