3/26/2018
The Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at URMC was well represented at the annual meeting of the U.S. and Canadian Academy of Pathology (USCAP) in Vancouver, BC, Canada from March 17-23.
There were a total 47 members of URMC Pathology who authored or co-authored at least one abstract that was accepted for presentation at the conference. These included primarily faculty, residents and some staff. A full list of poster presentations and abstracts is available here.
In addition to poster, platform, and short course presentations, the department was also pleased to host a successful alumni reception at the Fairmont Waterfront on March 19 for the third consecutive year.
View a photo gallery of USCAP 2018
1/22/2018
About James Musser, MD, PhD
Career – Joined Baylor College of Medicine and Houston Methodist Hospital (1991-99). He then led the Laboratory of Human Bacterial Pathogenesis for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, at Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Montana (99-03), and returned to Texas to work at Houston Methodist Hospital and Research Institute (2004-present).
Current - At Houston Methodist Hospital he is the Fondren Presidential Distinguished Endowed Chair, Chair of the Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine, and Director, Center for Molecular and Translational Human Institute.
Hometown – Originally from Bellefonte, PA and now lives in Houston, TX.
Family – Wife, Dr. Camille Leugers, a family physician (also a University of Rochester graduate and former resident). They have two daughters, Sophie, 23, and Grace, 23, and one dog, Biscuit.
Education – Earned his MD, PhD from University of Rochester (1988). He spent the following year doing a postdoctoral fellowship at Penn State University, continuing research on bacterial pathogenesis and population genetics with Robert K. Selander, previously of the UR Department of Biology. His residency training was at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. James Musser is a distinguished pathologist who got his start at the University of Rochester as a medical student. To this day, he is quick to give credit to the University for putting him on the right career path.
“One of the crucial themes in my career—and I really think in large part it is because of the University of Rochester—has been the desire to work across traditional academic boundaries to weave together seemingly disparate biomedical research areas,” he said.
His laboratory uses molecular pathology, microbial pathogenesis, and population genomics in its approach to important infectious disease problems. Chief among these problems is Group A Streptococcus, the culprit behind strep throat and so-called “flesh-eating” disease (necrotizing fasciitis).
There is currently no licensed vaccine for Group A Strep, which can lead to life threatening illnesses if left untreated. The World Health Organization reports that 700 million cases of infections are caused by the pathogen every year worldwide. These range from common infections like strep throat to more severe infections like necrotizing fasciitis or rheumatic fever.
Musser has devoted much of his career to understanding how Group A Strep causes human infections at the molecular level. He and his research colleagues aim to lay the groundwork for a licensed vaccine for strep throat and its more serious iterations. This is easier said than done.
Group A Strep has many genetic variations that Musser likens to different makes and models of cars; there are different kinds of Fords or Toyotas, and each is built differently. And in the same way some models can go faster than others, the Group A Strep pathogen contains different combinations of genes that allow more severe diseases to spring forth under certain conditions. These genetic varieties have made it difficult for a reliable vaccine to be developed despite decades of research.
“We have a lot of unfinished business,” Musser said. “We still really need to understand all aspects of how the organism causes human epidemics. These are long term problems that are likely to persist well into the future.”
Musser’s early career began at Baylor College of Medicine and Methodist Hospital in Houston, where he moved up through the traditional academic ranks from assistant to full professor. In 1999 he was hired by the NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). There, he was tasked with significantly upgrading and developing new areas of research at Rocky Mountain Laboratories, in Hamilton, MT.
One of his contributions at RML was the introduction of genome-scale investigative strategies and helping to plan a biosafety level 4 laboratory, a so called “hot zone” laboratory.” This Integrated Research Facility houses scientists that study infectious microbes with the goal of finding new ways to treat diseases like ebola, zika, flu strains, and so forth.
Musser resumed working for the 8-hospital Houston Methodist Health System in 2004 where he wears many hats. As chair of Pathology and Genomic Medicine, he divides his time between clinical responsibilities, research, and overseeing a department of 65 faculty.
“Everyone is very busy in academic medicine these days,” he said of his workload. “I don’t think that I’m doing anything especially unique in that regard.”
He was first drawn to the UR because of its signature biopsychosocial model of disease.
“I knew that the UR was the right place for me because it had its head on right about how medical students should be taught, and emphasized the critical importance of biopsychosocial factors in human illness and daily interactions,” said Musser.
UR is also where he met his future wife, Dr. Camille Leugers, and the two remain active in the UR alumni organization in Houston, recently hosting 35 UR graduates at their home.
Musser has returned to the UR since walking the halls as a student. He recently came back to give the Whipple lecture, named after the Medical Center founder and Nobel Prize-winning pathologist. He was also bestowed the Rous-Whipple Award by American Society for Investigative Pathology. This award, whose name is also a nod to his alma mater, is given to a scientist who has worked to advance the understanding of disease.
Looking back, Musser is thankful for the many mentors he encountered at UR along the way, including Ron Yasbin (Microbiology), Marilyn Menegus (Pathology), Bernard Panner (Pathology), and Frank Young (Dean of the School of Medicine), to name a few.
“I believe there are mentors all around us,” he said. “I firmly believe that if we talk less and listen more, they will appear.”
1/4/2018
We recently caught up with Dr. Brooke Koltz, a former Pathology resident at the University of Rochester (2008-2012) and Cytopathology fellow (2012-2013).
After training and working in Rochester, she and her family moved to the Philadelphia, PA area for a year and recently moved to Perrysburg, OH, near Toledo. This is a homecoming of sorts for Koltz, who grew up in nearby Whitehouse, OH.
She will start a new role this month at the University of Toledo Medical Center (where she also attended medical school). Her clinical responsibilities will include surgical pathology, cytopathology, and resident education. Here, she shares more about the experiences that led her to this moment in her career.
Tell us about your family.
I am married to Peter Koltz, who was also a resident at University of Rochester in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. We have four children, Eleanora (9), Henry (7), Cecilia (4), and Simon (2).
What first sparked your interest in pathology?
I went into medical school thinking I would become an emergency medicine physician, but I am so glad that I didn’t. I was one of those rare students that was fascinated by histology and pathology labs in the first and second year of medical school.
Even so, I was still set in pursuing clinical medicine until I took an elective pathology rotation on a whim late in my third year. In about a week, my whole outlook changed. As I sat across the multi-headed scope from the attendings and residents, I realized that what they did was ‘medicine’ to me. From then on I pursued a career in pathology. So far, I have no regrets.
When you look back on your time here, is there a particular person or experience that made a great impact on you professionally or personally?
The entire Cytopathology department had an impact on me both professionally and personally. Not only did the department educate me and prepare me for my future career, but I truly enjoyed being a small part of the talented team for a few years.
I often find myself repeating things that Dr. Giampoli, Dr. Zhou, and Dr. Yao taught me when I sit down with residents. The entire team of cytotechnologists, including Donna Russell, Mary Ann Rutkowski, and Michael Facik, accepted me into their offices, the occasional inside joke, and gave me the benefit of their years of experience and knowledge. I couldn’t have asked for a better fellowship.
Aside from the Cytopathology department, many of the surgical pathology attendings, especially Dr. Hicks and Dr. Whitney-Miller, encouraged me and gave me a solid experience to pursue my career goals. My co-residents were fun and supportive as well. There are too many people to name, but I appreciated my time in Rochester and felt that I received a positive educational and personal experience.
How do you like to spend your free time? Do you have any hobbies/interests?
Like most mothers, my free time is often spent chasing my kids around and getting them to their various activities. But I do love to read books, and I read often. I am happy to read almost anything: fiction, non-fiction, poetry. I also enjoy playing and watching sports, including soccer.
What’s next for you career wise?
I am looking forward to spending more time teaching residents, medical students, and student fellows in my new position. I have always enjoyed teaching, and am happy that I have found a position that puts a large emphasis on education.
What advice would you give up-and-coming pathology trainees looking to start their careers?
Because I am one half of a two physician household, I have had to change jobs frequently in the last four years as my husband’s training has taken him to various hospitals. While I haven’t always wanted to leave positions, the benefit has been that I have gained experience in a lot of different practice settings.
My advice would be to learn as much as you can from each place you end up, even if it isn’t necessarily your dream job. Seek to find what you can take away from each place or experience that will grow your knowledge. Each place (and person!) has something unique to teach you that will contribute to your success as a physician, a pathologist, and a person.
8/21/2017
Current institution: Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
Lives in: Hanover, NH
Family: Husband, Raymond, son, Michael, and daughter, Joycelyn
Originally from: Tianjin, China. She came to the U.S. to pursue her Ph.D. in microbiology
Specialties: Gastrointestinal, liver and pancreatic pathology, genitourinary pathology
MD: West China University of Medical Sciences (1995),
PhD: University of Alabama (2003)
AP/CP Residency: University of Rochester (2010-2014)
Fellowships: Surgical and Oncologic Pathology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Gastrointestinal and liver Pathology at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
How did you first become interested in pathology?
My interest in pathology started in medical school when I took histology and pathology courses. With a basic and translational research background, I know pathology is the right choice for me because it allows me to work on both basic and molecular mechanism and clinical management of diseases.
What kind of research are you interested in?
My research is focused on the gastrointestinal and pancreatic pathology, especially in colon cancer.
How would you describe your job to someone who’s never heard of it before?
I examine human tissue under a microscope to tell whether it is normal or abnormal. If it is abnormal, I diagnose and interpret the pathologic changes and underlying causes.
What’s one piece of advice you would give to pathology students or trainees?
A good pathologist does not only issue correct diagnoses. As pathologists, our role is to help clinicians treat and manage patients. It's important to be aware of how your diagnosis will affect treatment. Communicating with clinicians and frequently attending the tumor board conferences will help you stay up to date on current clinical practice.
How do you like to spend your free time?
Hanover has plenty of opportunities for outdoor activities. I like hiking, biking, swimming and skiing with my family. I also enjoying reading and cooking with my children.
6/19/2017
Hometown: Uniontown, OH. Now lives in Buffalo, NY.
Family: Wife, Bonnie McMichael, and three daughters, Lorna (20), Rebecca (18) and Kathryn (15)
Pathology Residency at URMC: 1991-1995
Education: Completed a six-year BS/MD program at Kent State University and Northeast Ohio Medical University. He then spent two years doing antiviral research.
Current Role: Laboratory Director at the Women and Children's Hospital of Buffalo, Laboratory Director at the Center for Laboratory Medicine in Williamsville, and Director of the Transfusion Service at Kaleida Health. He is also a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences at the University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.
What first inspired you to get into pathology?
My medical school had three pathologists that were role models and teachers (Ray Clarke, Howard Igel and Robert Novak). They were able to show how the pathology department made a difference to all clinicians and patients, and I could see that they practiced pathology in a way that crossed between different medical specialties.
How would you describe your job to someone who’s never heard of it before?
If a clinician has a question that can be answered with a test, my job is to make that diagnosis or arrange for it to get done. I am often presented with troubleshooting missions – things that went wrong in testing or workflow. I think I do this well, but those projects are challenging because I need to understand what was supposed to happen, what appears to have gone wrong, and how to quickly investigate to confirm and correct the problem.
What does your daily work consist of?
I get to practice both anatomic and clinical pathology across four hospitals in the Buffalo area. Over time, I have had responsibilities and leadership roles at all of them. I got my job originally because I was willing to cover the transfusion service as well as general anatomic pathology. Over time, I’ve been given opportunities to practice Clinical Chemistry, Microbiology and Medical Informatics. The training I had in residency prepared me to help my partners cover areas that they weren’t as comfortable with, so I see something interesting every day.
What advice would you give to pathology residents?
Spend time getting to know your fellow residents. The time you spend helping each other makes the residency more pleasant and the studying easier. In the longer term, your fellow residents will become a network of friends and references. A senior resident linked me to the job I have today, and his guidance on what to expect as a junior attending helped me avoid early problems.
How do you like to spend your free time? Do you have any hobbies or interests?
My children are convinced that I spend my free time deleting spam. When it’s quiet, I spend my free time reading (mystery and science fiction) and running (distance running, but slow).
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