Pathology

About Us

Sarah Dry, MD
Sarah M. Dry, MD - Chair, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine

March 2026 - Research Support Updates

I am pleased to share exciting updates on the continued growth and impact of our research cores and the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP). These programs remain central to our Department’s and UCLA’s mission, providing essential infrastructure, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and training the next generation of physician-scientists. Our 5 research cores are the most of any department in DGSOM.

Our research cores serve as critical engines of discovery, supporting innovative investigations across basic, translational, and clinical domains. At the same time, the MSTP continues to cultivate exceptional trainees who embody the integration of scientific inquiry and clinical excellence. Together, these efforts strengthen our academic community and advance our shared commitment to scientific rigor, mentorship, and transformative research.

Technology Center for Genomics & Bioinformatics (TCGB) 

In FY2025, TCGB experienced rapid and dynamic growth across technologies, services, research, and education. The center acquired eight new technologies and developed eleven new services covering bulk sequencing, single-cell multiomics, spatial transcriptomics, and sequencing-based proteomics. Additionally, TCGB launched two targeted R&D projects to improve data quality and enhance data management and analysis support, and also delivered 16 seminars/webinars, 11 lectures, three one-day data analysis workshops, and four Q&A/office hour sessions. Powered by these advanced technologies and resources, TCGB processed approximately 60,000 samples for over 300 UCLA laboratories and contributed to more than 80 publications.

Immune Assessment Core (IAC) 

The Immune Assessment Core continues to advance its mission of supporting basic, clinical, and translational research through comprehensive immunological testing. Our goal is to provide standardized and customized assays that evaluate both innate and adaptive immune status, enabling high-quality, reproducible data for investigators.

Core Services Include:

  • CLIA-certified multi-parameter flow cytometry
  • Multiplexed cytokine/chemokine detection (Luminex, MSD)
  • Ultra-sensitive immunoassays (MSD)
  • Cellular immune function assays (T/B cell proliferation, NK cytotoxicity)
  • Customized assay development and data analysis support

Recent Highlights:

New Technology:

  • MSD QuickPlex SQ 120 instrument is the newest multiplexing instrument offering affordable access to high-performance, electrochemiluminescence immunoassays, which allow arrays within each well for increased throughput and multiplexing—up to 10 spots per well and ultrasensitive detection.

Recent Publications:

  • Diffuse neuroinflammation and immature neuron loss in fetal Rhesus macaques after short-term intrauterine infection. Presicce P, Beckman D, Diniz GB, Cappelletti M, Ott S, Bercovici S, Kale S, Babb P, Mohole J, Richardson LS, Kammala AK, Menon R, Miller LA, Crouch EE, Jobe AH, Divanovic S, Chougnet CA, Way SS, Morrison JH, Kallapur SG. J Neuroinflammation. 2026 Jan 15. doi: 10.1186/s12974-025-03686-y. PMID: 41535926.
  • Posttranscriptional control of hepatic CEACAM1 3'UTR by human antigen R (HuR) mitigates sterile liver inflammation. Cheng B, Tibbe TD, Yao S, Wei M, Wong ZY, Torgerson T, Chiu R, Kasargod AS, Nakamura K, Cappelletti M, Sim M, Farmer DG, Kaldas F, Kupiec-Weglinski JW, Dery KJ. JCI Insight. 2025 Sep 23;10(18):e194227. doi: 10.1172/jci.insight.194227. eCollection 2025 Sep 23. PMID: 40985895

Pathology Research Portal (PRP) & Center for Pathology Research Services (CPRS)

  • Pathology Research Portal (PRP): Serves as a CAP-accredited biospecimen liaison, ensuring efficient coordination between researchers and clinical testing for high-quality biofluid sample management.
  • Center for Pathology Research Services (CPRS): Provides centralized access to pathology research resources, improving coordination, cost-efficiency, and navigation of departmental services.

Core Services Include:

  • Processing and storage of plasma, serum, buffy coat,
  • CSFUrine and stool sample handlingPeripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and leukopak processing
  • Short-term and long-term storage rental
  • Specimen shipping

Recent Highlights:

  • New Technologies: 
    • Sysmex XN-350: Offers open tube sampling and an integrated IPU with LCD touchscreen, optimized for cell counts and viability of primary cells from peripheral blood, cord blood, bone marrow, and other complex samples.
    • Cytospin: Concentrates cells from fluid specimens onto microscope slides for subsequent staining and examination.
  • Recent Publications: 
    • Host-microbe multiomic profiling identifies distinct COVID-19 immune dysregulation in solid organ transplant recipients. Pickering H, et al. Nat Commun. 2025 Jan 10;16(1):586.
    • Accelerated Hypofractionated Chemoradiation Followed by Stereotactic Ablativ Radiotherapy Boost for Locally Advanced, Unresectable Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Nonrandomized Controlled Trial. Wu TC, et al. JAMA Oncol. 2024 Jan 11.
    • A phase 1 study of triple-targeted therapy with BRAF, MEK, and AKT inhibitors for patients with BRAF-mutated cancers. Algazi AP, et al. Cancer. 2024 Jan 23.

Translational Pathology Care Laboratory (TPCL) 

The TPCL continues to provide CAP-accredited pathology services for human and animal tissues that support basic, translational, clinical, and population research through advanced diagnostic and molecular techniques.

Core Services Include:

  • Tissue procurement, storage, and provision
  • Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining
  • Multiplex immunofluorescent (IF) staining
  • In situ hybridization (ISH) and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) with RNAScope probes
  • Digital imaging and image analysis services
  • Laser capture microdissection (LCM) specimen preparation

Recent Highlights:

  • New Technologies: 
    • Specimen preparation for spatial gene expression platforms (Visium, Xenium, CosMx, GeoMx, StereoSeq) on both frozen and paraffin-embedded tissue
    • Nine-color multiplex immunofluorescence capability
    • Research-specific needle core biopsies obtained in Interventional Radiology (IR)
  • Recent Publications: 
    • A novel murine carcinogen-induced model recapitulates the progression and heterogeneity of human lung adenocarcinoma. Pandey A, et al. Lung Cancer. 2025 May 10;206:108581.
    • A phase 1 study of triple-targeted therapy with BRAF, MEK, and AKT inhibitors for patients with BRAF-mutated cancers. Algazi AP, et al. Cancer. 2024 Jan 23.
    • Comprehensive tissue deconvolution of cell-free DNA by deep learning for disease diagnosis and monitoring. Li S, et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2023 Jul 11;120(28).

Medical Scientist Training Program (UCLA-Caltech MSTP) 

For over four decades, the University of California Los Angeles-California Institute of Technology Medical Scientist Training Program (UCLA-Caltech MSTP) has trained accomplished physician-scientists dedicated to advancing scientific and clinical discoveries and driving technology innovations to the benefit of human health and disease outcomes. Continuously funded by NIH since 1983, the program currently supports 128 trainees, making it one of the largest MD-PhD programs in the nation. The UCLA-Caltech MSTP will celebrate the graduation of its 300th trainee later this spring and boasts outstanding career outcomes with nearly 80% of alumni participating in the biomedical research workforce across academia, industry, and government.

The UCLA Caltech MSTP, co-directed by Dr. David Dawson (Pathology) and Dr. Olujimi Ajijola (Medicine) recruits accomplished students with a demonstrated passion for scientific knowledge and unwavering commitment to research, medicine, service, and leadership. MSTP students flourish academically and scientifically across a range of research interests with current trainees affiliated with 20 distinct degree-granting programs at UCLA or Caltech. The MSTP provides strong faculty and peer mentorship, didactic and experiential learning, and professional development activities integrated with medical training in the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine and PhD research at UCLA and Caltech. Various program innovations and a dedicated and collaborative team of directors, administrators, student leaders and participating faculty have contributed to outstanding training outcomes even as the MSTP has grown considerably in size (50% increase in the trainee cohort in the past decade). MSTP graduates excel, completing the joint degree in an average of 8.2 years with 5-6 published manuscripts (2-3 as first author). Recent program innovations spearheaded by Drs. Dawson and Ajijola seek to enhance physician-scientist identity and professional development across all years of training while shortening time to dual degree completion. The new DGSOM HEALS curriculum has provided unique opportunities to further innovate dual degree training at UCLA. MSTP students now complete most core clinical clerkships in their second year prior to beginning their PhD training. This robust clinical exposure enhances trainees’ longitudinal clinical activities during the PhD and better informs their choice and direction of their PhD research, improving alignment with clinical specialty interests and future career goals.

The Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine plays an outsized role in the operation and success of the MSTP. In addition to Dr. Dawson’s longstanding role in MSTP leadership, several current faculty members in our department now or have previously served as primary research mentors for MSTP students and/or on the MSTP Admissions Committee. They include Drs. Valeria Arboleda, Corey Arnold, Gay Crooks, Tomas Ganz, Siavash Kurdistani, Dinesh Rao, Michael Teitell (also a former MSTP Associate Director), Peter Tontonoz, and Harry Vinters. The department and its faculty also have a strong track record in helping UCLA MSTP trainees in identifying and pursuing residency training in pathology, including a record-breaking four MSTP students who are applying to pathology programs in the current match cycle (good job everyone!)  Several UCLA-Caltech MSTP alumni are pursuing successful physician-scientist careers in pathology across the country, including our very own Drs. Arboleda and Teitell.

Trainee Appreciation

Resident & Fellow Appreciation Day is observed each year on the last Friday of February. This year, we celebrated on February 26, 2026, by hosting a special event to honor and thank our residents and fellows for their dedication and contributions. 

We celebrated our Trainees with a well-deserved break featuring chair massages and pizza! The event allowed the Trainees to relax and recharge, then enjoy fresh pizza with their colleagues.

Between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026, our trainees (residents and fellows) presented/will present 53 abstracts at meetings, published (or have had accepted) 14 manuscripts, won 4 awards for research and have formal leadership roles in 6 organizations. We are so grateful for their contributions and so proud of them!

Sarah M. Dry, MD
Chair, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine

 

Dr. Mohammad Kamal

Dr. Mohammad Kamal is the founder and CEO of OmniPathology Laboratory in Pasadena, California. He completed his residency training in anatomic and clinical pathology at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in 2002, followed by a fellowship in gastrointestinal pathology at UCLA, completed in 2003. 

His specialized training in gastrointestinal and his interest in head and neck pathology has informed both his clinical practice and research interests. Dr. Kamal has led the development of a novel, noninvasive test to detect oropharyngeal HPV using a swab, reflecting his commitment to innovation in cancer screening and prevention. He regularly lectures on colitis and inflammatory bowel disease, as well as HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer, with a focus on clinically relevant pathology and translational applications. Dr. Kamal continues his contributions to the Department through a donation to trainee professional education programs and attending Q&A sessions for residents.       

Dr. Stephen Koh

Dr. Stephen Koh graduated from the Keck School of Medicine of USC in 2005. He completed a combined AP/CP residency at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine in 2009, followed by Surgical Pathology and Dermatopathology fellowships, completed in 2011. He subsequently joined the Southern California Permanente Medical Group (SCPMG). Comprehensive general training and organ system based signout with subspecialty attendings provided a strong foundation for community practice, which proved invaluable when transitioning to independent practice with a high-volume, multispecialty caseload.

During training, Dr. Koh served as chief resident, gaining meaningful administrative experience. He also focused on research, including work on gene expression microarray technology to distinguish benign nevi from melanoma. This work was supported by UCLA translational research funding and the Sarkaria Fellowship, culminating in the Stowell Orbison Award and Los Angeles Society of Pathologists (LASOP) first prize, as well as national presentations. Research interests continued into practice at SCPMG, where he remains involved in IRB-approved projects. The UCLA residency and fellowship training were instrumental in shaping Dr. Koh’s clinical, academic, and professional development. Dr. Koh continues his contributions to the Department by hiring UCLA Pathology residents and mentoring them on their professional journeys.

Dr. Natalia Liu

Dr. Natalia Liu completed the combined anatomic and clinical pathology residency at UCLA in 2022. She joined her partner at Vanderbilt University, where she completed a GI/Liver Pathology fellowship in 2023. Her training at UCLA provided strong organizational skills and broad surgical pathology experience that formed a solid foundation for managing complex GI/Liver cases at Vanderbilt. She particularly valued the extensive grossing experience at UCLA and the guidance of the pathologist assistants, which proved essential for approaching and staging complex GI/Liver resections during fellowship.

She remained on faculty at Vanderbilt for one year before transitioning to the University of Vermont through a series of serendipitous professional connections that provided job opportunities that matched the career goals for both her and her partner. She is currently an Assistant Professor at the Larner College of Medicine (LCOM) at UVM in Burlington, Vermont, with clinical and research interests in GI/Liver Pathology. Her academic focus centers on medical student education, where she serves as the primary lecturer for liver pathology in the Nutrition, Metabolism, and Gastrointestinal block and leads the associated gross labs. She is also deeply involved in mentoring and advising through roles as the Pathology Student Fellowship/Post-Sophomore Fellowship Director, LCOM Specialty Advisor for Pathology, and faculty mentor within the pathology residency program for residents interested GI/Liver Pathology.

She hopes her career path highlights the value of building a broad knowledge base during residency and maintaining professional connections, as these relationships can open unexpected and rewarding opportunities. Dr. Liu continues her contributions to the Department by speaking with residents about careers after residency.

Dr. Judy Melinek  

Dr. Judy Melinek is a graduate of UCLA Medical School and completed a Post-Sophomore Fellowship at UCLA in 1994, followed by a combined anatomic and clinical pathology residency in 2001, during which she served as Chief Resident. She pursued subspecialty training in forensic pathology at the New York City Medical Examiner’s Office and has built a distinguished career in academic, governmental, and private practice settings.

Dr. Melinek is a board-certified forensic pathologist and currently serves as Chief Forensic Pathologist for Communio LTD in Wellington New Zealand and as the CEO and owner of PathologyExpert Inc., where she provides forensic pathology legal consultation and expert witness services in the United States. She previously served as a forensic pathologist at the New York City Medical Examiner’s Office from 2001-2003. Working Stiff: Two years, 262 Bodies and the Making of a Medical Examiner, a memoir about her training in New York, was a New York Times bestseller and chronicled her experiences responding to the 9-11 terrorist attacks. She and T.J. also collaborated on fictional detective novels (First Cut and Aftershock), based on Dr. Melinek’s experience as a medical examiner in San Francisco and Alameda County. Widely recognized for her contributions to medical education and public engagement, Dr. Melinek is also an accomplished speaker, with a professional focus on forensic pathology, ethics, and physician wellness. She has also published academic publications on the subjects of gunshot wound trajectory analysis, sharp trauma, and cognitive bias in forensic pathology decision making. Dr. Melinek remains actively engaged with the Department by delivering lectures to residents and facilitating connections between local students interested in pathology and the Department.

Dr. Alex Nobori   

Dr. Alex Nobori completed the combined anatomic and clinical pathology residency at UCLA in 2019, and served as Chief Resident (conference chief). He continued his subspecialty training at UCLA, completing the Bone and Soft Tissue Pathology Fellowship in 2020 and a Dermatopathology Fellowship in 2021.

Currently, Dr. Nobori is a partner physician pathologist at the Kaiser Southern California Permanente Medical Group (SCPMG), where he signs out general pathology cases and serves as the dermatopathologist consultant for his medical center. The training in surgical and clinical pathology at UCLA prepared him extremely well for daily case sign out in general practice. He is also a faculty lecturer in the Health Systems Science Department in the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine. 

Dr. Nobori serves in several leadership roles within the Kaiser system, including as the SCPMG Regional Pathology Practice Support Leader, the chair of the West Los Angeles Blood Management Committee, and the lead for the West Los Angeles Laboratory Test Appropriateness Committee. His experiences at UCLA were critical for his early development in health care leadership. He continues to use tools he developed during his chief residency and through the UCLA Resident Quality Improvement and Informaticist programs. He strongly encourages residents to take advantage of these valuable opportunities. Dr. Nobori continues his contributions to the Department by presenting to residents on career development after residency and mentoring new faculty alumni at Kaiser.

Sarah M. Dry, MD
Chair, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine