Research in the Department of Pathology
In the Department of Pathology, research ranges from basic science investigations of hypertension and cellular communication to more clinically-oriented areas of epidemiology and environmental studies.
Distinguishing it from other basic science disciplines at the College, a significant portion of the Department of Pathology faculty is engaged in clinical patient care at Westchester Medical Center and other affiliated institutions. Faculty perform numerous diagnostic patient care functions, which includes anatomic pathology and its various subsets. In short, any diagnostic test—from chromosomal analysis of solid tumors to the genetic classification of leukemias and lymphomas—that involves a sample of blood, tissue, or other specimen from a patient, requires the diagnostic expertise of a pathologist.
Highlighted below are summaries of current work by research teams in the basic sciences:
Maria E. Aguero-Rosenfeld, M.D., professor, also holds appointments in microbiology and immunology and in medicine. A nationally recognized expert in laboratory methods for recognizing and diagnosing emerging tick-borne infectious diseases, Dr. Aguero-Rosenfeld works with physician-researchers in the Infectious Diseases Division of the Department of Medicine. Dr. Aguero-Rosenfeld received funding to develop and establish methods to diagnose Human granulocytic Anaplasmosis (HGA) a newly recognized tick-borne disease that may accompany Lyme disease, making the laboratory at Westchester Medical Center (WMC) the only laboratory in the country that offers culture methodology to diagnose HGA, and the only one in the state with a validated method for the detection of antibodies to Anaplasma phagocytophilum, the agent of HGA.
Zbigniew Darzynkiewicz, M.D., Ph.D., professor of medicine, microbiology and immunology, and pathology, received the 2003 Dean’s Research Award for his work on apoptosis, which applies to a sequence of molecular events leading to cell death, a process by which cells literally commit suicide. He directs the Brander Cancer Research Institute (BCRI) at New York Medical College, working on mechanism of action of anticancer drugs. With colleagues Frank Traganos, Ph.D., professor of medicine and microbiology and immunology, and Wojciech Gorczyca, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of pathology, he has developed many analytical methods which are now used worldwide contributing to new discoveries in cell biology and cancer research.
Henry P. Godfrey, M.D., Ph.D., professor, focuses on two chronic infectious bacterial diseases, tuberculosis and Lyme disease. His studies of the secreted proteins of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the cause of tuberculosis, aim at analyzing their role in infection of the human host by this intracellular organism. He hopes to develop a clinical diagnostic serological test for identifying patients with active disease using the secreted proteins of the causative organism as a marker. Dr. Godfrey also maintains a vigorous collaboration with Felipe Cabello, M.D., professor of microbiology and immunology and of medicine, studying the regulation of genes coding for surface and other proteins of Borrelia burgdorferi, the cause of Lyme disease. This collaborative work focuses on the role of these proteins in the ability of this extracellular pathogen to gain a foothold in its hosts and maintain infection despite the host protective responses.
Ashok Kumar, Ph.D., professor, focuses on hypertension, a serious risk factor for heart disease and renal failure. He is interested in understanding the molecular mechanism that causes high blood pressure, which affects nearly 30 percent of the Caucasian population and an even larger percentage of African-Americans. Angiotensin is a small peptide hormone that is known to increase hypertension and is synthesized from angiotensinogen. Dr. Kumar’s team has found alterations in the angiotensinogen gene, a precursor that may lead to increased production of the hormone. By analyzing the genomic DNA from various patient populations, Dr. Kumar hopes to uncover the genetic basis of hypertension and cast light on the relationship among hypertension, renal disease and coronary artery disease. He is collaborating with Stephen J. Peterson, M.D., professor of clinical medicine, and John A. McClung, M.D. ’75, associate professor of clinical medicine, in the Cardiology Division of the Department of Medicine to understand the role of genetics in hypertension.
Gary M. Williams, M.D., professor, directs the Medicine, Food and Chemical Safety Program of the Department of Pathology. Working with Michael Iatropoulos, M.D., Ph.D., research professor and Alan M. Jeffrey, Ph.D., research professor, he investigates the safety of various types of chemicals to which humans are exposed. The principal focus of his team’s research is on potential effects of chemicals on DNA and the consequences for producing genetic changes and cancer. The group is developing new and more rapid testing procedures to ascertain cellular and molecular responses to toxic chemicals. A related aspect of their research is study of the prevention of chemical toxicity and carcinogenicity. Dr. Williams is looking at the anticarcinogenic properties of compounds commonly ingested by humans, either as food or medicines.
Reinhard E. Zachrau, M.D., professor, researches spontaneous and induced tumor-specific cell-mediated immunity in human breast cancer and its role in development of systemic metastasis and second primary cancers of breast and non-breast origin.
Meena Jhanwar-Uniyal, Ph.D., associate professor of pathology and of neurosurgery, studies Neurosurgery Tumor suppressor genes, p53, PTEN and breast cancer susceptibility gene, BRCA1, and metastasis related gene, nm23.
Paul Lucas, Ph.D., associate professor of orthopedics and pathology, investigates wound healing and tissue engineering using adult stem cells.