Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Bulletin of Yale University
 
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Experimental Pathology

342 Brady Memorial Laboratory, 785.6721
www.yalepath.org/
M.S., M.Phil., Ph.D.

Chair
Jon Morrow (Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology)

Director of Graduate Studies
David Stern (785.4832, df.stern@yale.edu)

Professors
Philip Askenase (Internal Medicine), Richard Bucala (Internal Medicine), Young Choi, José Costa (Internal Medicine-Oncology), S. Evans Downing (Emeritus), Gary Friedlaender (Orthopaedics), Earl Glusac (Dermatology), Nikki Holbrook (Internal Medicine), Michael Kashgarian (Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology), Jung Kim, Paul Lizardi, Marc Lorber (Surgery), Joseph Madri, Nita Jane Maihle (Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences), Vincent Marchesi (Director, Boyer Center for Molecular Medicine; Cell Biology), Mark Mooseker (Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology), Jon Morrow (Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology), Jordan Pober (Immunobiology; Dermatology), John Rose, Jeffrey Sklar (Laboratory Medicine), David Stern, Fattaneh Tavassoli (Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences), Raymond Yesner (Emeritus)

Associate Professors
Janet Brandsma (Comparative Medicine), Shawn Cowper (Dermatology), Robert Homer, Dhanpat Jain, Diane Krause (Laboratory Medicine), Jennifer McNiff (Dermatology), Wang Min, Archibald Perkins (Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology), Miguel Reyes-Mugica (Pediatrics), David Rimm, Marie Robert (Internal Medicine), Gerald Shadel, John Sinard (Ophthalmology)

Assistant Professors
Carlo Bifulco, Demetrios Braddock, Liming Hao, Pei Hui, Steven Kleinstein, Diane Kowalski (Surgical Otolaryngology), Michael Krauthammer, Themis Kyriakides, Rossitza Lazova (Dermatology), Maritza Martel, Robert Means, Thomas Mezzetti, Marguerite Pinto, Lihui Qin, Pars Ravichandran, Ali Riba, Michael Robek, Antonio Subtil-Deoliveira, Jr. (Dermatology), Idris Tolgay Ocal, David Tuck, Zenta Walther, Carolla Zalles, Eduardo Zambrano

Instructor
Anjana Vijayvargiya

Research Scientists
Christine Howe, Deepti Pradhan

Associate Research Scientists
Robert Camp, Gouri Chaterjee, Carol Cianci, Jan Czycyk, Alessio D’Alessio, Peter Gershkovich, Maureen Gilmore-Hebert, Malini Harigopal, Amy Jackson-Fisher, Nancy Kirkiles-Smith, Sabine Lang, Jie Hui Li, Meng Liu, Dianhong Luo, Thomas Manes, Mark Mattie, Nina Rose, Michael Stankewich, Alexi Stortchevoi, Bogdan Yatsula, Haifeng Zhang

Fields of Study

Fields include molecular and cellular basis of cancer; biology, biochemistry, and pathology of the plasma membrane; cells, molecules, and response to stimuli of connective tissue; interaction of viruses with animal cells; pathology of organ systems; somatic cell genetics and birth defects; biology of endothelial cells; assembly of viruses.

Special Admissions Requirements

A strong background in basic sciences is recommended for applicants to the program, including biology, chemistry through organic and physical chemistry, mathematics through calculus, biochemistry, genetics, or immunology. GRE General Test or MCAT is required.

To enter the Ph.D. program, students apply to an interest-based track, usually the Pharmacological Sciences and Molecular Medicine track, within the interdepartmental graduate program in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences (see the entry on Biological and Biomedical Sciences, under Non-Degree-Granting Programs, Councils, and Research Centers).

Special Requirements for the Ph.D. Degree

There is no foreign language requirement. Three to four terms of course work including courses in biochemistry, genetics, immunology, cell biology, and pathology are selected according to the student’s background and choice. The qualifying examination has both written and oral parts. After a reading period of six weeks the student will answer, in essay form, one of two questions in each of three subject areas, which include a brief research proposal. The oral examination will specifically address the chosen areas of interest in addition to general problems of pathology. Upon completing the course requirement with at least two terms of Honors, passing the qualifying examination, and submitting a thesis prospectus, students will be admitted to candidacy. They must then submit a written thesis describing the research and present a thesis research seminar.

In accordance with the BBS program, Ph.D. students are expected to participate in two terms (or the equivalent) of teaching.

Master’s Degrees

M.Phil. See Degree Requirements. Awarded only to students who are continuing for the Ph.D. Students are not admitted for this degree.
M.S. Awarded only to students who are not continuing for the Ph.D., but who have successfully completed one year of the doctoral program. Students are not admitted for this degree.

Program materials are available upon request to the Director of Graduate Studies, Department of Experimental Pathology, Yale University, PO Box 208023, New Haven CT 06520-8023; Web site, www.yalepath.org/DEPT/edu/gradtraing.htm.

Courses

Note: Pathology 600, 616, 617, and 618b are primarily geared toward medical students, but may be taken by graduate students with the permission of the director of medical studies.

PATH 600, Pathological Basis of Human Disease.  Joseph Madri and staff.
Fundamental principles underlying the pathological alterations in function and structure that constitute the reaction of the organism to injury. Pathology of diseases involving special organs and systems. Correlation of the clinical and anatomical manifestations is emphasized. For EPH graduate students and MSTP students who are required to take PATH 100 for graduate credit.

PATH 616, Autopsy Pathology.  John Sinard and staff.
Participation in the autopsy service with members of the house staff in pathology. Participation in autopsies and the presentation and review of the clinical and anatomical findings of postmortem examinations with senior members ofthe department. Opportunities exist for correlation studies with previous biopsies, and clinical investigative and cell biologic techniques in relation to necropsy material. Six weeks minimum, full time. Enrollment limited to two students.

PATH 617, Anatomic Pathology.  José Costa and staff.
The department offers an elective to medical students in the third and fourth years that provides a broad experience in general diagnostic techniques. Students have opportunities to participate in surgical pathology, cytology (including fine-needle aspiration), and autopsy. A daily diagnostic conference is scheduled for both residents and students, and an additional two hours of conference are provided each week exclusively for the students. In addition to direct responsibilities in the handling of the cases, the student has the opportunity to apply the special techniques of electron microscopy, immunohistochemistry, and flow cytometry. A minimum of four weeks is suggested for this elective. Five students are accommodated every four to six weeks.

PATH 618b, Clinical and Pathologic Correlates in Renal Disease.  Michael Kashgarian.
A series of clinical pathologic conferences designed to illustrate clinicopathologic correlates in renal disease. At each session, one student acts as clinician and another as pathologist in the evaluation and discussion of case material from autopsies or renal biopsies. Discussions are informal, but require preparation in advance and all participants are expected to contribute in each session. One two-hour session per week for six weeks. Given once in spring term. Limited to twelve students.
PATH 620a and b, Laboratory Rotations in Experimental Pathology.  David Stern.
Laboratory rotations for first-year graduate students.

PATH 630b, Biomaterial-Tissue Interactions.  Themis Kyriakides.
HTBA
An in-depth survey of the interactions between tissues and biomaterials, with an emphasis on the molecular- and cellular-level events that influence the performance and longevity of clinically relevant devices. Background in chemistry and cell biology is assumed. Open to advanced undergraduates with permission of the organizer.

PATH 650b, Cellular and Molecular Biology of Cancer.  David Stern, Robert Means.
MWF 1–2
A comprehensive survey of cancer research from the cellular to the clinical level. The relation of cancer to intracellular and intercellular regulation of cell proliferation is emphasized, as are animal models for cancer research. Background in molecular genetics and cell biology is assumed. Open to advanced undergraduates with permission of the organizers.

PATH 670b, Biological Mechanisms of Reaction to Injury.  Michael Kashgarian, Jon Morrow, Joseph Madri, Jeffrey Sklar.
An introduction to human biology and disease as a manifestation of reaction to injury. Topics include organ structure and function, cell injury, circulatory and inflammatory responses, disordered physiology, and neoplasia.

PATH 680a, Seminar in Pharmacology and Molecular Medicine.  Wang Min.
M 3–5 (or 5.30)
Readings and discussion in topics relevant to cell biology, signal transduction, immunology, and molecular medicine. The overall theme of the papers discussed is pathogenesis of human infectious disease. The class emphasizes analysis of primary research literature and development of presentation skills.

PATH 690a, Molecular Mechanisms of Disease.  Jeffrey Sklar.
TTh 2–3
This course covers aspects of the fundamental molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying various human diseases. Many of the disorders discussed represent major forms of infectious, degenerative, vascular, neoplastic, and inflammatory disease. Additionally, certain rarer diseases that illustrate good models for investigation and/or application of basic biologic principles are covered in the course. The objective is to highlight advances in experimental and molecular medicine as they relate to understanding the pathogenesis of disease and the formulation of therapies.

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