Aatur D. Singhi, MD, PhD

Associate Professor of Pathology, Division of Anatomic Pathology

Dr. Singhi is a member of the Divisions of Anatomic Pathology and Molecular Genomic Pathology, Director and Coordinator of Anatomic Pathology Research and Director of the UPMC Developmental Laboratory.

Clinical Expertise

Dr. Singhi is a surgical pathologist with subspecialty training in gastrointestinal, liver, and pancreatobiliary pathology. His diagnostic expertise includes both neoplastic and non-neoplastic diseases of the gastrointestinal system, liver, biliary tract, pancreas and peritoneum.

Specialties

Gastrointestinal, Pancreatobiliary and Peritoneal Pathology

Certifications

Board Certified in Anatomic Pathology and Clinical Pathology

Education & Training
MD - Case Western Reserve University, 2007
PhD - University of Illinois at Chicago, 2005
Awards
2003-2005 - Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation Dissertation Research Award
2005 - Finalist, F. Merlin Bumpus Junior Investigator Award, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic
2010-2011 - Chief Resident, Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins Hospital
2012 - Roger Haggitt Gastrointestinal Pathology Society USCAP Abstract Award
2012 - AACR-FNAB Fellows Grant for Translational Pancreatic Cancer Research
2013 - Resident Teaching Award, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Department of Pathology
2016 - Mentor, Dr. Michelle Heayn, Roger Haggitt Gastrointestinal Pathology Society USCAP Abstract Award
2016 - Resident Research Mentor Award, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Department of Pathology
2016 - American Pancreatic Association, Hirshberg Research Award
Research Interests

Dr. Singhi's current research focus is primarily translational in the area of gastrointestinal, pancreatic, hepatobiliary and peritoneal pathology, and can be summarized in the following areas:

  1. Clinical diagnostic test development. In conjunction with other members of pathology, gastroenterology, surgical oncology and radiology, Dr. Singhi has been involved in the development of multiple clinical diagnostic tests for the evaluation of pancreatic cysts, biliary strictures, neuroendocrine tumors, and early detection of neoplasms involving the hepatopancreatobiliary tract. His research is supported by grants from the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN), National Pancreas Foundation (NPF), the University of Pittsburgh and the Institute for Precision Medicine (IPM) at the University of Pittsburgh. For more information regarding such tests as PancreaSeq (pancreatic cysts), BiliSeq (biliary strictures) and PanNeuroSeq (pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms), please refer to the Molecular & Genomic Pathology Laboratory website: http://mgp.upmc.com
  2. Pathologic evaluation of non-neoplastic pancreatic pathology. In collaboration with several investigators, Dr. Singhi is involved in a multi-institutional effort to characterize various non-neoplastic pancreatic diseases, such as genetically- and environmentally-associated chronic pancreatitis.
  3. Co-director of the Biospecimen Repository and Processing Core (BRPC) of the Pittsburgh Liver Research Center (PLRC): http://livercenter.pitt.edu
  4. Histopathologic and genetic characterization of peritoneal mesothelioma. In conjunction with members of the Division of Thoracic Pathology, Molecular & Genomic Pathology, and Surgical Oncology, Dr. Singhi's team has identified the genetic landscape of peritoneal mesothelioma with the goal of identifying biomarkers for prognostication and treatment stratification of patients.
Representative Publications

View Dr. Singhi's publications on PubMed

  • Singhi AD, Krasinskas AM, Choudry HA, Bartlett DL, Pingpank JF, Zeh HJ, Luvison A, Fuhrer K, Bahary N, Seethala RR, Dacic S. The prognostic significance of BAP1, NF2, and CDKN2A in malignant peritoneal mesothelioma. Mod Pathol. 2016 Jan;29(1):14-24.
  • Singhi AD, Zeh HJ, Brand RE, Nikiforova MN, Chennat JS, Fasanella KE, Khalid A, Papachristou GI, Slivka A, Hogg M, Lee KK, Tsung A, Zureikat AH, McGrath K. American gastroenterological association guidelines are inaccurate in detecting pancreatic cysts with advanced neoplasia: a clinicopathologic study of 225 patients with supporting molecular data. Gastrointest Endosc. 2016 June;83(6): 1107-1117.
  • Singhi AD and Slivka A. Evaluation of indeterminate biliary strictures: Is it time to FISH or cut bait? Gastrointest Endosc. 2016 June;83(6): 1236-1238.
  • Theisen BK, Wald AI, Singhi AD. Molecular Diagnostics in the Evaluation of Pancreatic Cysts. Surg. Pathol. Clinics. 2016 Sep; 9(3):441-56.
  • Stram M, Liu S, Singhi AD. Chronic Pancreatitis. Surg. Pathol. Clinics. Surg. Pathol. Clinics. 2016 Dec; 9(4):643-59.
  • Theisen BK, Dicianno R, Singhi AD. Pancreatic Frozen Section Nightmares. Diagnostic Histopathology. 2016 Jun; 22(6):236-242.
  • Singhi AD, Liu TC, Roncaioli JL, Cao D, Zeh HJ, Zureikat AH, Tsung A, Marsh JW, Lee KK, Hogg ME, Bahary N, Brand R, McGrath KM, Slivka A, Cressman KL, Fuhrer K, O'Sullivan RJ. Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres and Loss of DAXX/ATRX Expression Predicts Metastatic Disease and Poor Survival in Patients with Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors. Clin Cancer Res. 2016 Jul 12.
  • Chu LC, Singhi AD, Haroun RR, Hruban RH, Fishman EK. The many faces of pancreatic serous cystadenoma: Radiologic and pathologic correlation. Diagn Interv Imaging. 2016 Sep 7. pii: S2211-5684(16)30179-6.
  • Borhani AA, Fasanella KE, Iranpour N, Zureikat AH, Singhi AD, Furlan A, Dasyam AK. Lymphoepithelial cyst of pancreas: spectrum of radiological findings with pathologic correlation. Abdom Radiol (NY). 2016 Oct 13. Review.
  • Ma C, Patel K, Singhi AD, Ren B, Zhu B, Shaikh F, Sun W. Programmed death-ligand 1 expression is common in gastric cancer associated with Epstein-Barr virus or microsatellite instability. Am J Surg Pathol. 2016 Nov; 40(11):1496-1506.
  • Hackeng WM, Montgomery EA, Giardiello FM, Singhi AD, Debeljak M, Eshleman JR, Vieth M, Offerhaus GJ, Wood LD, Brosens LA. Histopathology. 2016 Oct 21.
  • Shaddy SM, Arnold MA, Shilo K, Frankel WL, Harzman AE, Stanich PP, Singhi AD, Yearsley MM, Arnold CA. Crospovidone and Microcrystalline Cellulose: A Novel Description of Pharmaceutical Fillers in the Gastrointestinal Tract. Am J Surg Pathol. 2017 Apr;41(4):564-569.
  • Dhir M, Choudry HA, Holtzman MP, Pingpank JF, Ahrendt SA, Zureikat AH, Hogg ME, Bartlett DL, Zeh HJ, Singhi AD, Bahary N. Impact of genomic profiling on the treatment and outcomes of patients with advanced gastrointestinal malignancies. Cancer Med. 2017 Jan;6(1):195-206.
  • Wood LD, Noë M, Hackeng W, Brosens LA, Bhaijee F, Debeljak M, Yu J, Suenaga M, Singhi AD, Zaheer A, Boyce A, Robinson C, Eshleman JR, Goggins MG, Hruban RH, Collins MT, Lennon AM, Montgomery EA. Patients with McCune-Albright syndrome have a broad spectrum of abnormalities in the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas. Virchows Arch. 2017 Apr;470(4):391-400.
  • Panebianco F, Kelly LM, Liu P, Zhong S, Dacic S, Wang X, Singhi AD, Dhir R, Chiosea SI, Kuan SF, Bhargava R, Dabbs D, Trivedi S, Gandhi M, Diaz R, Wald AI, Carty SE, Ferris RL, Lee AV, Nikiforova MN, Nikiforov YE. THADA fusion is a mechanism of IGF2BP3 activation and IGF1R signaling in thyroid cancer. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2017 Feb 28;114(9):2307-2312.
  • Singh H, McGrath K, Singhi AD. Novel Biomarkers for Pancreatic Cysts. Dig Dis Sci. 2017 Jul;62(7):1796-1807.
  • Singhi AD, Nikiforova MN, McGrath K. DNA testing of pancreatic cyst fluid: is it ready for prime time? Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2017 Jan;2(1):63-72.
  • Singhi AD, Ali SM, Lacy J, Hendifar A, Nguyen K, Koo J, Chung JH, Greenbowe J, Ross JS, Nikiforova MN, Zeh HJ, Sarkaria IS, Dasyam A, Bahary N. Identification of Targetable ALK Rearrangements in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2017 May;15(5):555-562.
  • Barnett D, Liu Y, Partyka K, Huang Y, Tang H, Hostetter G, Brand RE, Singhi AD, Drake RR, Haab BB. The CA19-9 and Sialyl-TRA Antigens Define Separate Subpopulations of Pancreatic Cancer Cells. Sci Rep. 2017 Jun 22;7(1):4020.
  • Singhi AD, Arnold CA, Lam-Himlin DM, Nikiforova MN, Voltaggio L, Canto MI, McGrath KM, Montgomery EA. Targeted next-generation sequencing supports epidermoid metaplasia of the esophagus as a precursor to esophageal squamous neoplasia. Mod Pathol. 2017 Jul 21.
  • Nguyen KT, Kalyan A, Beasley HS, Singhi AD, Sun W, Zeh HJ, Normolle D, Bahary N. Gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel as second-line therapy following FOLFIRINOX in metastatic/advanced pancreatic cancer-retrospective analysis of response. J Gastrointest Oncol. 2017 Jun;8(3):556-565.
  • Hamad A, Singhi AD, Bahary N, McGrath K, Amarin R, Zeh HJ, Zureikat AH. Neoadjuvant Treatment With Trastuzumab and FOLFOX Induces a Complete Pathologic Response in a Metastatic ERBB2 (HER2)-Amplified Duodenal Cancer. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2017 Aug;15(8):983-988.
  • Cancer Genome Atlas Research Network (coauthor: Singhi AD). Integrated Genomic Characterization of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. Cancer Cell. 2017 Aug 14;32(2):185-203.e13.
  • Cohen JD, Javed AA, Thoburn C, Wong F, Tie J, Gibbs P, Schmidt CM, Yip-Schneider MT, Allen PJ, Schattner M, Brand RE, Singhi AD, Petersen GM, Hong SM, Kim SC, Falconi M, Doglioni C, Weiss MJ, Ahuja N, He J, Makary MA, Maitra A, Hanash SM, Dal Molin M, Wang Y, Li L, Ptak J, Dobbyn L, Schaefer J, Silliman N, Popoli M, Goggins MG, Hruban RH, Wolfgang CL, Klein AP, Tomasetti C, Papadopoulos N, Kinzler KW, Vogelstein B, Lennon AM. Combined circulating tumor DNA and protein biomarker-based liquid biopsy for the earlier detection of pancreatic cancers. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2017 Sep 5.
  • Ocuin LM, Miller-Ocuin JL, Zenati MS, Vargo JA, Singhi AD, Burton SA, Bahary N, Hogg ME, Zeh HJ 3rd, Zureikat AH. A margin distance analysis of the impact of adjuvant chemoradiation on survival after pancreatoduodenectomy for pancreatic adenocarcinoma. J Gastrointest Oncol. 2017 Aug;8(4):696-704.
  • Lee LS, Andersen DK, Ashida R, Brugge WR, Canto MI, Chang KJ, Chari ST, DeWitt J, Hwang JH, Khashab MA, Kim K, Levy MJ, McGrath K, Park WG, Singhi A, Stevens T, Thompson CC, Topazian MD, Wallace MB, Wani S, Waxman I, Yadav D, Singh VK. Endoscopic Ultrasound and Related Technologies for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Pancreatic Disease - Research Gaps and Opportunities: Summary of a National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Workshop. Pancreas. 2017 Nov/Dec;46(10):1242-1250.
  • Lee LS, Andersen DK, Ashida R, Brugge WR, Canto MI, Chang KJ, Chari ST, DeWitt J, Hwang JH, Khashab MA, Kim K, Levy MJ, McGrath K, Park WG, Singhi A, Stevens T, Thompson CC, Topazian MD, Wallace MB, Wani S, Waxman I, Yadav D, Singh VK. EUS and related technologies for the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic disease: research gaps and opportunities-Summary of a National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases workshop. Gastrointest Endosc. 2017 Sep 20.
  • Singhi AD, McGrath K, Brand RE, Khalid A, Zeh HJ, Chennat JS, Fasanella KE, Papachristou GI, Slivka A, Bartlett DL, Dasyam AK, Hogg M, Lee KK, Marsh JW, Monaco SE, Ohori NP, Pingpank JF, Tsung A, Zureikat AH, Wald AI, Nikiforova MN. Preoperative next-generation sequencing of pancreatic cyst fluid is highly accurate in cyst classification and detection of advanced neoplasia. Gut. 2017 Sep 28.
  • Singhi AD and Klimstra DS. Well-differentiated pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (PanNETs) and poorly-differentiated pancreatic neuroendocrine carcinomas (PanNECs): concepts, issues and a practical diagnostic approach to high-grade (G3) cases. Histopathology. 2018 Jan; 72(1): 168-177.