The Gastrointestinal Pathology Center of Excellence (COE) is based at UPMC Presbyterian, although it receives material from both UPMC Presbyterian and UPMC Shadyside. The annual workload for GI pathology is about 21,000 specimens, which includes biopsy specimens, resections and an active consultation service. The fellows will also rotate through the Division of Transplantation/Liver Pathology to gain experience in both native and transplant liver pathology, as well as small bowel and pancreas transplant pathology. In addition to a histology lab which provides routine histochemical and immunohistochemical stains, the department has advanced clinical testing in fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and molecular anatomic pathology (MAP). The GI Pathology COE has a very active collaboration with Molecular Anatomic Pathology, which utilizes microsatellite instability assessment, methylation assays and DNA sequencing in a translational fashion, allowing integration of histopathological changes in GI disease to molecular genetic events. A 4-week elective in the MAP laboratory is optional. Facilities also include state of the art instrumentation and informatics support, along with several research laboratories. Numerous teaching, clinical and research conferences are held both within the department and within the institution.
The main faculty for the GI Pathology COE include six fellowship-trained GI Pathologists:
Shih-Fan Kuan, MD, PhD
Jon Davison, MD
Doug Hartman, MD
Reet Pai, MD
Aatur Singhi, MD
And five surgical pathologists:
Sheldon Bastacky, MD
Simion Chiosea, MD
Robert Peel, MD
Karen Schoedel,MD
Raja Seethala, MD
Numerous teaching, clinical and research conferences are held both within the department and within the institution. The GI Pathology COE has a very active collaboration with Yuri Nikiforov, MD, PhD, Director of Molecular Anatomic Pathology. His laboratory utilizes loss of heterozygosity analysis, microsatellite instability assessment, methylation assays and DNA sequencing in a translational fashion, allowing integration of histopathological changes in GI disease to molecular genetic events.