Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (GRAD)
Graduate work in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine is offered through the Pathobiology and Translational Science graduate program to those interested in acquiring more extensive knowledge of disease pathogenesis. Major emphasis is given to the laboratory investigation of molecular and cellular mechanisms responsible for disease initiation, progression, and treatment. Students are given the opportunity to undertake candidacy for the doctor of philosophy degree. Participation in research activities leading to an original dissertation is required of all advanced degree candidates.
Prospective candidates must hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. Admission to the program is through the Biologic and Biomedical Sciences program.
The department is located across multiple buildings on the UNC campus and offers well-equipped, internationally recognized laboratories for research and advanced work in investigating the mechanisms of diseases.
Please visit the graduate program's website for more graduate program information.
Pathobiology and Translational Science, Ph.D.
The Ph.D. program in Pathobiology and Translational Science offers a structured yet flexible path for students to develop advanced research skills. Key requirements include coursework, passing written and oral exams, developing a research proposal, completing original dissertation research, and successfully defending the dissertation.
In the first year, students participate in the Biologic and Biomedical Sciences Program (BBSP), completing foundational coursework and laboratory rotations. The second year and beyond are spent in the Pathobiology and Translational Science Program, focusing on advanced coursework, seminars, and research project development. While most students complete their research within two years, some may require additional time.
The program allows students to tailor elective courses to their specific scientific and career goals. Research skills development is emphasized through critical experimental design, literature analysis, and regular presentations of research progress in group settings. The completion and defense of an original research project is the program's central requirement, ensuring students demonstrate mastery of their field and preparedness for a career in experimental pathology.
Course Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| PATH 713 | Molecular and Cellular Pathophysiological Basis of Disease: Mechanisms of Disease | 3 |
| PATH 714L | Molecular and Cellular Pathophysiological Basis of Disease: Laboratory I | 2 |
| PATH 801 | Cell Cycle Regulation and Cancer | 3 |
| PATH 850 | Scientific Writing in Pathobiology and Translational Science | 1 |
| BBSP 705 | Best Practices for Rigor and Reproducibility in Research | 1 |
| CBPH 895 | Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) | 1 |
| Electives | ||
| Elective course work can be Pathobiology and Translational Science courses, or any biomedical graduate course. Students may choose from the list below. | 6 | |
| Thesis/Substitute or Dissertation | ||
| PATH 994 | Doctoral Research and Dissertation 1 | 3 |
| Minimum Hours | 41 | |
- 1
Students must take PATH 994 twice for a minimum of 6 credit hours.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Electives | ||
| Practical Considerations for Translational Research | ||
| Cancer Pathobiology | ||
| Current Topics in Cardiovascular Biology | ||
| Molecular and Cellular Biology of Cardiovascular Diseases | ||
| Mouse Efficacy and Disease Models | ||
| Critical Analysis in Biochemistry | ||
| Advanced Topics in Chromatin and Epigenetics | ||
| Advanced Biophysics Laboratory | ||
| Biochemistry of Human Disease | ||
| Cellular Metabolism and Human Disease | ||
| Databases, Metadata, Ontologies, and Digital Libraries for Biological Sciences | ||
| Mathematical and Computational Approaches to Modeling Signaling and Regulatory Pathways | ||
| Sequence Analysis | ||
| Structural Bioinformatics | ||
| Computational Modeling Laboratory | ||
| Introduction to Statistical Modeling | ||
| Population Genetics | ||
| Topics in Statistical Genetics and Genomics | ||
| Data Communication | ||
| Introduction to Statistical Genetics | ||
| Fundamentals of Quantitative Image Analysis for Light Microscopy | ||
| Critical Readings in Biomedical Statistics and Machine Learning | ||
| Introduction to Computational Biology | ||
| Statistical Methods for Gene Expression Analysis | ||
| Molecular Population Biology | ||
| Advanced Light Microscopy | ||
| Human Physiology I | ||
| Human Physiology II | ||
| Experimental Physiology of Human Health and Disease | ||
| Chemical Biology | ||
| Advances in Macromolecular Structure and Function | ||
| Population Genetics | ||
| Fundamentals of Quantitative Image Analysis for Light Microscopy | ||
| Introduction to UNIX and Perl Programming for biomedical data analysis | ||
| Introductory Statistical Analysis in R for Biomedical Scientists | ||
| Biological Sequence Analysis, Protein-Structure, and Genome-Wide Data | ||
| Development of New Applications for Next Generation Sequencing | ||
| Practical RNA-Seq | ||
| Advanced Nutritional Biochemistry: Nutrigenomics and Precision Nutrition | ||
| Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology | ||
| Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology: Introduction and Electrical Signaling | ||
| Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology: Postsynaptic Mechanisms-Receptors | ||
| Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology | ||
| Developmental Neurobiology | ||
| Molecular Modeling | ||
| Foundations of Chemical Biology I: Organic and Medicinal Chemistry | ||
| Introduction to Molecular Pharmacology | ||
| Principles of Pharmacology and Physiology | ||
| Behavioral Pharmacology | ||
| Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology: Introduction and Electrical Signaling | ||
| Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology: Postsynaptic Mechanisms-Receptors | ||
| Adhesion Receptors and Signaling in Cancer and CV Disease | ||
| Neuropharmacology of Alcohol and Substance Use | ||
| Pain and Analgesia | ||
| Discovery Biology and Pharmacogenomics | ||
| Target-Based Drug Discovery and Cancer Treatment | ||
| Reprogramming of Somatic and Stem Cells and Its Applications in Pharmacology | ||
| Contemporary Topics in Cell Signaling: Phosphorylation Control | ||
| Contemporary Topics in Cell Signaling: GTPases | ||
| Contemporary Topics in Cell Signaling: Cell Cycle Control | ||
| Contemporary Topics in Cell Signaling: Signaling Networks | ||
| Topics on Stem Cells and Development | ||
| Intercellular Signaling in Development and Disease | ||
| Practical RNA-Seq | ||
| Proteomics Methods and Applications | ||
| Advanced Toxicology | ||
| Biochemical Toxicology | ||
| Toxicokinetics | ||
Milestones
The following list of milestones (non-course degree requirements) must be completed; view this list of standard milestone definitions for more information.
- Doctoral Committee
- Doctoral Oral Comprehensive Exam (part of DOE)
- Prospectus Oral Exam (part of DOE)
- Doctoral Written Exam
- Dissertation Defense
- Doctoral Dissertation Approved/Format Accepted
- Residence Credit
- Doctoral Exit Survey
- Doctoral Manuscript Submission
Clinical Professors
Frederic Askin, Surgical Pathology, Pulmonary Pathology
Michelle Aurelius, Forensic Pathology
Peter Banks
Russell R. Broaddus, Molecular Pathogenesis of Endometrial Cancer
Leslie G. Dodd, Surgical Pathology, Cytopathology
Ronald J. Falk, Glomerular Disease, Lupus, Vasculitis, Dialysis
George Fedoriw, Hematopathology; Applications of Flow Cytometry
Paul Googe, Dermatopathology
J. Charles Jennette, Renal Pathology, Immunopathology
Susan J. Maygarden, General Surgical Pathology, Cytopathology, Prostate Carcinogenesis
Melissa B. Miller, Molecular Diagnostics, Antimicrobial Resistance, Molecular Epidemiology of MRSA
Volker Nickeleit, Renal Pathology, Fibronectins
Yara Park, Transfusion Medicine
Charles M. Perou, Breast Cancer, Genomics, Microarrays, Tumor Classification, Drug Resistance
John L. Schmitz, Flow Cytometry, HIV, Diagnostic Immunology, Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Jan Silverman, Cytopathology, Gastrointestinal Pathology, Genitourinary Pathology
Harsharan K. Singh, Cytopathology, Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy, Renal Pathology
James A. Swenberg, Chemical Carcinogenesis, Toxicology, Mass Spectroscopy, DNA Damage and Repair, Endogenous DNA Damage
Leigh B. Thorne, Molecular Pathology, Autopsy Pathology
Karen E. Weck, Molecular Genetic Pathology
Wendell Yarbrough, Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery
Clinical Associate Professors
Kevin Alby, Clinical Microbiology
Jessica K. Booker, Genetics, Breast Cancer
Christine Bookhout, Surgical Pathology
Benjamin Calhoun, Breast Pathology
Steven Cotten, Clinical Chemistry
Georgette A. Dent, Hematopathology, Medical Education
Nabila Haikal, Forensic Pathology
Laleh Hakima
Jonathon W. Homeister, Leukocyte Trafficking, Inflammatory Vascular Disease, Thrombosis and Hemostasis, Cardiovascular Pathology, Autopsy Pathology
Alina Iuga, Histopathology; Inflammation and Neoplastic Disorders of the Digestive System
Matthew Karafin, Transfusion Medicine
Nicole L. Korpi-Steiner, Clinical Chemistry
Danielle Maracaja
Stephanie P. Mathews, Hematopathology
Jason Merker, Molecular Pathology
Jayson Miedema, Dermatopathology
Siobhan M. O'Connor, Breast Pathology, GYN Pathology, Cytopathology
Lori R. Scanga, Surgical Pathology, Cytopathology
Eric T. Weimer, Histocompatibility, Flow Cytometry and Clinical Microbiology/Immunology
Herbert C. Whinna, Mechanisms of Hemostasis and Thrombosis, Biochemistry and Vascular Biology of Blood Coagulation, Protein Structure-Function
Sara E. Wobker, Genitourinary Pathology
Lee-Ching Zhu
Clinical Assistant Professors
Thomas Alexander
Janet Baranello
Sue Ann Berend, Cytogenetics
Sandra Bishop-Freeman, Forensic Toxicology
Amy Brownlee
Benjamin Cho
Mariama Evans
Jonathan Galeotti, Hematopathology
Johann D. Hertel, Cytopathology
Kimberly Janssen, Forensic Pathology
Steven Johnson
Dona Kanavy
Staci Keene
Vanessa Moreno
Craig Nelson, Forensic Pathology, Water-Related Deaths, Including Drowning of All Kinds and Particularly Scuba, Rebreather, and Freediving Deaths
Lori Ramkissoon, Clinical Cytogenetics, Molecular Genetics
T. Danielle Samulski, Gynecologic Pathology, ENT Pathology, and Cytopathology
Lauren Scott, Forensic Pathology, Preventive Health, Especially Suicide and Accident Prevention, the Value of Autopsy in Medical Education
Bart Singer, Surgical Pathology
Tam Sneddon
Susan Venuti, Forensic Pathology
Alisha Ware
Sam Wu, Dermatopathology
Clinical Instructors
Michelle Bartlett, Pathologists’ Assistant
Kimberly Calabrese, Pathologists’ Assistant
Shelby Currier, Pathologists' Assistant
Nicola Gerken, Pathologists' Assistant
Steve Holmes, Examination of Simple and Complex Specimens, Surgical Pathology
Andre Phelan, Pathologists' Assistant: Surgical Pathology Training for Residents and Students
Research Professors
Claire Doerschuk, Diseases Affecting the Airways of the Lung
Craig A. Fletcher, Vascular Biology
Matthew Flick, Elucidating Mechanisms Linking Coagulation and Fibrinolytic Factors to Inflammatory, Infectious, and Malignant Disease
Virginia L. Godfrey, Veterinary Pathology, Animal Models of Genetic Disease, Autoimmunity
Ajay Gulati, Pediatric Gastroenterology
Tracy M. Heenan, Laboratory-, Exotic- and Companion-Animal Medicine
Mehmet Kesimer, Mucin Glycobiology and Airway Epithelial Pathobiology
Nigel Key, Thrombosis and Hemostasis
Christopher P. Mack, Transcriptional Regulation in the Cardiovascular System, Smooth Muscle Cell Biology
Nigel Mackman, Thrombosis and Hemostasis
Nobuyo Maeda, Molecular Genetics of Atherosclerosis, Transgenic Laboratory Animals as Model Systems, Molecular Evolution
Valerie Murrah, Oral, Head, and Neck Pathology
Timothy C. Nichols, General Cardiology, Cardiac Catheterization, Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty
Volker Nickeleit, Renal Pathology, Fibronectins
Li Qian, Cardiovascular and Stem Cell Biology
Rani Sellers
Jonathan Serody
Harsharan K. Singh, Cytopathology, Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy, Renal Pathology Adhesion Signaling, Cardiovascular Disease
Melissa Troester, Molecular Studies with Human Populations
Cyrus Vaziri, Regulation of DNA Replication, S-Phase Checkpoints, and Post-Replication DNA Repair on Mammalian Cells
Gregory Wilkerson
Alisa S. Wolberg, Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms in Hemostasis and Thrombosis
Maimoona A. Zariwala, Genetic Analysis of Patients With Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD)
Research Associate Professors
Silvio Antoniak, Protease-Activated Receptors in Cardiovascular Diseases, Myocarditis, and Heart Failure Animal Models
Pablo Ariel, Director of the Microscopy Services Laboratory
Andrew Gladden, Epithelial Cell Biology; Reproductive Tract Development and Neoplasia
Peiqi Hu, Immune-Mediated Kidney Disease
Feng Li, Cardiovascular Biology
Jiandong Liu, Cardiovascular Biology
Steven Shipley, Comparative Medicine, Infectious Disease
Young E. Whang, Androgen Receptor, Prostate Cancer
Scott Williams, Stem Cell and Developmental Biology
Melinda Yates
Research Assistant Professor
Hannah Atkins, Comparative Medicine
Jessica Bowser, Dynamics of Epithelial Integrity and Regeneration at the Interface of Inflammation and Cancer, Molecular and Biochemical Mechanisms of Endometrial Cancer Progression
Ilana Galex
Nneka George
Meghan Free, Nephrology and Hypertension
Natalia Isaeva, Otolaryngology
Yukako Kayashima, Atherosclerosis
Boa Kim
Sushant Patil, Bioinformatics
Reinhardt-Boris Reidel, Airway Protein Function in Health and Disease
Allison Rogala, Comparative Medicine, Host-Microbial Interactions
Blake Rushing
Jonathan Schisler, Translational Research in Patients with Myocardial Infarcts
Travis Schrank
Erica Sparkenbaugh
W.H. Davin Townley-Tilson
Haofei Wang
Morika Williams, Comparative Medicine
Research Instructor
Diane Armao, Neuropathology
Adjunct Professors
Albert Baldwin, Biology
Bryan Dangott
Peter H. Gilligan, Diagnostic Bacteriology, Pulmonary Disease in Cystic Fibrosis, Toxin Mediated Diarrheal Disease
M. David Goodman, Medical Education and Autopsy Pathology
H. Michael Jones, Medical Education at Medical Student and Resident Level, Medical History, Autopsy Pathology, Research Support
William Kaufmann
Myla Lai-Goldman, Personalized Molecular Diagnostics
Chad A. Livasy, Surgical Pathology
Roger Lundblad, Consultant
C. Ryan Miller
Judith N. Nielsen, Animal Health Maintenance, Diagnosis and Eradication
Howard M. Reisner, Immunogenetics of Blood Coagulation, Immunochemistry
Gary J. Smith, Prostate Cancer, Cancer Cell-Tissue Microenvironmental Interaction, Angiogenesis
Richard Tidwell
Adjunct Associate Professors
Delores Grant, Cancer Research
David G. Kaufman
Thomas Lightfoot, American Red Cross Blood Services
Christopher McKinney, General Pathology
Stephanie Montgomery
Jay S. Raval, Transfusion Medicine
Nobuyuki Takahashi, Animal Models of Hypertension, Preeclampsia, Diabetic Nephropathy and Obesity
Adjunct Assistant Professors
Edward Bahnson, Vascular Biology, Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome
Victoria Baxter
Nikia Laurie
Brian Le
Nathan Montgomery
Avani Pendse, Surgical Pathology
Ricky Thompson
Tamiwe Tomoka, General Pathology
Patrick Wilson
Professors Emeriti
Nadia Malouf Anderson
C. Robert Bagnell Jr.
Dwight Bellinger
Stuart Bentley
Debra A. Budwit
John D. Butts
John F. Chapman Jr.
Myra L. Collins
Marila Cordeiro-Stone
Robert E. Cross
Frederic G. Dalldorf
Cora-Jean S. Edgell
James D. Folds
Donald T. Forman
Joe W. Grisham
Catherine A. Hammett-Stabler
John E. Hammond
Susan T. Lord
William W. McLendon
James R. Pick
Marjorie S. Read
Harold Roberts
Kinuko I. Suzuki
Michael Topal
PATH
Graduate-level Courses
An intensive and comprehensive hands-on laboratory-oriented course in light microscopy for researchers in biology, medicine, and materials science. This course will focus on advanced quantitative fluorescence microscopy techniques used for imaging a range of biological specimens, from whole organisms, to tissues, to cells, and to single molecules. This course emphasizes the quantitative issues that are critical to the proper interpretation of images obtained with light microscopes.
A graduate course on cell injury and pathogenesis of disease with emphasis on basic mechanisms at the molecular, cellular, and organismal levels. Three lecture hours with a complementary two-and-a-half-hour laboratory each week.
A graduate-level laboratory course on basic mechanisms of disease pathogenesis, emphasizing cell and tissue-based examples of major disease mechanisms.
Permission of the instructor. A multi-disciplinary course providing students principles involved in translating basic science into clinically applicable diagnostics and therapies to improve human disease outcomes. The course is focused on bioinformatics, bioethics, trial design, FDA approval, and commercialization of laboratory diagnostics.
Permission of the instructor. This course examines pathobiological features of cancer. An interdisciplinary approach draws from epidemiology, genetics, molecular biology, and clinical medicine to investigate cancer etiology, pathogenesis, prevention, and treatment.
This course will study human disease processes that are induced or exacerbated by our environment. Environmental disease stressors include solar radiation, air and water pollution, bioreactive substances in foods, pesticides, metals, dusts, particles, and allergens. Lectures will emphasize epidemiology, mechanisms of toxicity, and human disease pathogenesis.
The goal of this graduate-level course is to learn about recent advances in the field, acquire specialized knowledge and to develop a foundation of critical thinking skills in cancer immunology. The course format will combine lectures and in-class discussion of assigned readings, with particular emphasis on state-of-the art research methods. Students should be familiar with modern concepts of immunology and should consult with the course director before enrolling. The course meets for half a semester.
Permission of the instructor. Second-year graduate students only. This manuscript-based course will emphasize recent advances in heart and blood vessel development, the molecular mechanisms that regulate cardiovascular cell function, and current methodologies in the cardiovascular field. It will be team taught by members of UNC's McAllister Heart Institute.
Second year graduate students or permission of the instructor. Course reviews the molecular, cellular, and organismal pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. It is team-taught by faculty with topic expertise and stresses primary literature and current methodologies. May be taken as a companion to PATH 766 or on its own.
The Mouse Efficacy and Disease Models class is designed for second to third year students who intend on performing in vivo animal research. This course is intended to familiarize graduate students in the issues associated with the development and interpretation of mouse models and also an introduction to alternative models.
Permission of the instructor. Survey of classical and current literature on selected critical issues in carcinogenesis. Students discuss experimental methods and observations as well as theories and generalizations. Two seminar hours a week.
This journal club-style discussion course explores the molecular mechanisms regulating normal cell cycle progression and how their deregulation leads to cancer. We will trace the historical development of the cell cycle field, illustrating how scientific inquiry has shaped current paradigms. This course is ideal for students interested in cell proliferation and cancer biology, regardless of prior knowledge.
The students will develop a research plan based on their thesis project and write a 6-page grant in the style of a NRSA F31 application. Students will learn to edit and critique their fellow student's proposals which will help prepare the students for writing and editing their preliminary exam and future grant applications. Restricted to students currently earning a degree in a Biological & Biomedical Sciences Program (BBSP) with preference given to students in the Pathobiology and Translational Science Graduate Program.
A study in special fields under the direction of the faculty. Offered as needed for presenting material not normally available.
Permission of the department. This is a research course in which advanced students in pathology carry on investigations on mechanisms of disease. Six or more laboratory hours a week, to be arranged. May be repeated.
Permission of the instructor. Participants in the Interdisciplinary Vascular Biology Training Program only. Students will be required to present their thesis work as a formal seminar, give an introductory lecture to introduce their project (in cooperation with their thesis advisor), and to attend and discuss the seminars of other students.
A series of scientific seminars by graduate students, Post-doctoral Fellows, research faculty, and others in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. Students will develop the skills necessary to deliver an effective and engaging oral scientific presentation of their research. They will become proficient in understanding the pathogenesis of the wide range of diseases being studied in the department, and the methodologies employed to determine the pathogenesis of those diseases.
May be repeated.
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
