The Department of Pathology includes 80+ faculty members and diverse clinical, research, and education programs. Our national reference laboratory, ARUP, provides esoteric laboratory testing and consultation services to more than half of the university hospitals in the country, in addition to its role as the primary diagnostic laboratory for the University of Utah Medical Center. With this foundation, we continue to strengthen our clinical and research programs. During the past year, many of our research laboratories moved into the newly constructed Emma Eccles Jones Medical Sciences Building. This 126,000 SF building, shared with the Department of Biochemistry, houses research programs in Immunology, Microbial Pathogenesis, Molecular Biology, and Cancer Biology. Recently, our surgical pathology and cytopathology faculty members were consolidated into new space in the beautiful Huntsman Cancer Hospital. During this same time period, our education programs have benefited from the opening of a new state-of-the-art medical education building.

Basic research in the department is centered in the Cell Biology and Immunology division, which includes research programs in molecular and cellular immunology, microbial pathogenesis, autoimmunity, gene regulation, hematopoiesis, vesicular trafficking, and iron transport. We have a growing translational research program in Molecular Pathology, applying gene expression profiling, proteomics, and other tissue based molecular techniques for diagnostic and prognostic stratification in cancer and other diseases. In addition, many of our faculty oversee research programs funded through our ARUP Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pathology directed towards the development of new diagnostic assays. The Institute is focused on the development of cutting-edge diagnostics in a wide range of areas, including infectious diseases, immunology, clinical chemistry, hematopathology, cardiovascular diseases, molecular genetics, and neoplastic disease.

Our department has a strong Ph.D. program in experimental pathology which is organized by faculty in the Cell Biology and Immunology division. Doctoral students enter this program through the interdepartmental Molecular Biology Program, which provides a common first year curriculum and acts as a conduit for access to a broad range of faculty mentors across the medical center. Outstanding opportunities are also available in the department for postdoctoral research in basic and translational laboratories. Through our residency program, we offer combined postgraduate training in anatomic and clinical pathology, or clinical pathology only. Our goal is to provide flexible training experiences that will prepare physicians for successful careers in academic pathology or community practice. We also provide advanced subspecialty training in a variety of areas through our fellowship programs. The Medical Laboratory Science Programs in the Department of Pathology include undergraduate Bachelor of Science programs in medical technology and cytotechnology, as well as a masters degree program in Laboratory Medicine and Biomedical Science.

A continued focus for the department is to further develop our clinical programs in Anatomic Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, and Pediatric Pathology with emphasis on scholarship and integration of our clinical, research, and educational activities. We make it a top priority to provide the highest quality pathology services to benefit our patients at the University of Utah medical center, and patients across the nation who we serve through our ARUP reference laboratory.

Peter E. Jensen, M.D.

ARUP Presidential Professor
Department of Pathology Chair