David G. Hicks, M.D.

Contact Information

Phone Numbers

Office: (585) 275-3191

Fax: (585) 273-3637

A member of the University of Rochester Medical Faculty Group

An Accountable Health Partner

Not Accepting New Patients

Biography

Dr. Hicks Professor and Director of IHC-ISH Laboratory and Breast Subspecialty Service at URMC. His innovative approaches to improving efficiency and quality in surgical pathology have been highlighted in publications and invited lectures sponsored by national pathology organizations. He has implemented a subspecialty-based surgical pathology system, combining disease-specific diagnostic and prognostic expertise with translational research based on organ systems and disease categories.

As a member of the Ad Hoc Committee on Immunohistochemistry Standardization, and co-author of their consensus recommendations, he is a leader in the emerging effort to achieve the full potential of immunostaining as a tissue-based quantitative ELISA test. He has been appointed to an ASCO/CAP panel that is developing national guidelines on estrogen receptor testing in breast cancer, having served recently on a similar panel that made important recommendations to improve HER2 testing in breast cancer.

Research

Dr. Hicks' first research interest was in bone pathology. He received NIH funding to study the effects of lead on the epiphyseal plate, and collaborated on related studies with faculty in the Department of Orthopaedics at the University of Rochester. He published extensively on metabolic and neoplastic bone disorders. While Director of Surgical Pathology and Co-director of the Morphologic Molecular Pathology translation research resource at the Cleveland Clinic, he expanded his interests in breast pathology, with particular focus on prognostic molecular markers and development of advanced tissue-based diagnostic techniques.

His current clinical translational research interests focus on molecular risk factors for breast cancer and preanalytical variables that affect the accuracy of new diagnostic technology in surgical pathology.

Credentials

Education

1984
MD | University of Rochester

Post-doctoral Training & Residency

07/02/1985 - 06/30/1989
Residency in Pathology - Anatomic at Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

07/01/1984 - 07/01/1985
Internship in Internal Medicine at UPMC Credentials Verification Office

Awards

2006
Dr. Edith E. Sproul Teaching Award
Sponsor: Pathology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute

2002
John Beach Hazard Distinguished Teaching Award
Sponsor: Pathology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation

1997
Duthie-Evarts Education Award
Sponsor: Dept of Orthopaedics, URMC

1996 - 1999
Andrew W. Mellon Dean's Teaching Scholar
Sponsor: University of Rochester

1995
Kappa Delta Elizabeth Winston Lanier Award for Outstanding Orthopaedic Research
Sponsor: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

1993
Certificate of Commendation for Excellence in Medical Student Teaching
Sponsor: University of Rochester

1991
Arthur Purdy Stout Award
Sponsor: US and Canadian Academy of Pathology

1989
Stowell-Orbison Award
Sponsor: US and Canadian Academy of Pathology

1984
Award in Honor of George H. Whipple, M.D.
Sponsor: Rochester Academy of Medicine

1984
Member, Alpha Omega Alpha

1984
Robert Katz Award for Clinical Research Excellence
Sponsor: University of Rochester

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Publications

Journal Articles

3/5/2024
Zhang H, Finkelman BS, Ettel MG, Velez MJ, Turner BM, Hicks DG. "HER2 evaluation for clinical decision making in human solid tumours: pearls and pitfalls." Histopathology.. 2024 Mar 5; Epub 2024 Mar 05.

1/10/2024
Karakas C, Giampoli EJ, Love T, Hicks DG, Velez MJ. "Validation and interpretation of Pan-TRK immunohistochemistry: a practical approach and challenges with interpretation." Diagnostic pathology.. 2024 Jan 10; 19(1):10. Epub 2024 Jan 10.

12/20/2023
Tyburski H, Karakas C, Finkelman BS, Turner BM, Zhang H, Hicks DG. "In ER Positive, HER2 Negative Breast Cancers, HER2 mRNA Levels Correlate Better with Clinicopathologic Features and Oncotype DX® Recurrence Score than HER2 Immunohistochemistry." Laboratory investigation; a journal of technical methods and pathology.. 2023 Dec 20; :100309. Epub 2023 Dec 20.

Books & Chapters

2010
Chapter Title: The pros and cons of automation for immunohistochemistry from the prospective of the pathology laboratory
Book Title: IHC & Antigen Retrieval Technique Based Res & Dx
Author List: Hicks DG, McMahon L
Edited By: Shi S, ed.
Published By: Artech House Publishers, Inc. 2010 in Boston, MA

2010
Chapter Title: The histopathology of skeletal metastases
Book Title: Bone cancer: progression and therapeutic approaches
Author List: Tang P, Hicks DG
Edited By: Heymann D (ed.)
Published By: Academic Press 2010 in San Diego, CA

2008
Chapter Title: Molecular Pathology of Breast Cancer
Book Title: Cell and Tissue Based Molecular Pathology
Author List: Hicks DG
Edited By: Series Editors: Tubbs R, and Stoler M
Published By: Saunders 2008

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