I am pleased to share exciting updates on the continued growth and impact of our research cores and the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP). These programs remain central to our Department’s and UCLA’s mission, providing essential infrastructure, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and training the next generation of physician-scientists. Our 5 research cores are the most of any department in DGSOM.

Our research cores serve as critical engines of discovery, supporting innovative investigations across basic, translational, and clinical domains. At the same time, the MSTP continues to cultivate exceptional trainees who embody the integration of scientific inquiry and clinical excellence. Together, these efforts strengthen our academic community and advance our shared commitment to scientific rigor, mentorship, and transformative research.

Technology Center for Genomics & Bioinformatics (TCGB)

In FY2025, TCGB experienced rapid and dynamic growth across technologies, services, research, and education. The center acquired eight new technologies and developed eleven new services covering bulk sequencing, single-cell multiomics, spatial transcriptomics, and sequencing-based proteomics. Additionally, TCGB launched two targeted R&D projects to improve data quality and enhance data management and analysis support, and also delivered 16 seminars/webinars, 11 lectures, three one-day data analysis workshops, and four Q&A/office hour sessions. Powered by these advanced technologies and resources, TCGB processed approximately 60,000 samples for over 300 UCLA laboratories and contributed to more than 80 publications.

Immune Assessment Core (IAC)

The Immune Assessment Core continues to advance its mission of supporting basic, clinical, and translational research through comprehensive immunological testing. Our goal is to provide standardized and customized assays that evaluate both innate and adaptive immune status, enabling high-quality, reproducible data for investigators.

Core Services Include:

• CLIA-certified multi-parameter flow cytometry
• Multiplexed cytokine/chemokine detection (Luminex, MSD)
• Ultra-sensitive immunoassays (MSD)
• Cellular immune function assays (T/B cell proliferation, NK cytotoxicity)
• Customized assay development and data analysis support

Recent Highlights:

New Technology:

• MSD QuickPlex SQ 120 instrument is the newest multiplexing instrument offering affordable access to high-performance, electrochemiluminescence immunoassays, which allow arrays within each well for increased throughput and multiplexing—up to 10 spots per well and ultrasensitive detection.

Recent Publications:

• Diffuse neuroinflammation and immature neuron loss in fetal Rhesus macaques after short-term intrauterine infection. Presicce P, Beckman D, Diniz GB, Cappelletti M, Ott S, Bercovici S, Kale S, Babb P, Mohole J, Richardson LS, Kammala AK, Menon R, Miller LA, Crouch EE, Jobe AH, Divanovic S, Chougnet CA, Way SS, Morrison JH, Kallapur SG. J Neuroinflammation. 2026 Jan 15. doi: 10.1186/s12974-025-03686-y. PMID: 41535926.
• Posttranscriptional control of hepatic CEACAM1 3'UTR by human antigen R (HuR) mitigates sterile liver inflammation. Cheng B, Tibbe TD, Yao S, Wei M, Wong ZY, Torgerson T, Chiu R, Kasargod AS, Nakamura K, Cappelletti M, Sim M, Farmer DG, Kaldas F, Kupiec-Weglinski JW, Dery KJ. JCI Insight. 2025 Sep 23;10(18):e194227. doi: 10.1172/jci.insight.194227. eCollection 2025 Sep 23. PMID: 40985895

The IAC Team (L to R): Trace, Cache, Dr. Monica Cappelletti, Itzel, Cassandra, and Vy

 

The CPRS and PRP Teams (L to R): Jaime, Maricel, Amalia, Arianna, Lien, Sophia, Olivia, Lisset, JP, Dr. Imir Metushi, Gabby, and Dr. Clara Magyar.

Translational Pathology Care Laboratory (TPCL)

The TPCL continues to provide CAP-accredited pathology services for human and animal tissues that support basic, translational, clinical, and population research through advanced diagnostic and molecular techniques.

Core Services Include:

• Tissue procurement, storage, and provision
• Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining
• Multiplex immunofluorescent (IF) staining
• In situ hybridization (ISH) and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) with RNAScope probes
• Digital imaging and image analysis services
• Laser capture microdissection (LCM) specimen preparation

 Recent Highlights:

• New Technologies:
  • Specimen preparation for spatial gene expression platforms (Visium, Xenium, CosMx, GeoMx, StereoSeq) on both frozen and paraffin-embedded tissue
  • Nine-color multiplex immunofluorescence capability
  • Research-specific needle core biopsies obtained in Interventional Radiology (IR)

• Recent Publications:
  • A novel murine carcinogen-induced model recapitulates the progression and heterogeneity of human lung adenocarcinoma. Pandey A, et al. Lung Cancer. 2025 May 10;206:108581.
  • A phase 1 study of triple-targeted therapy with BRAF, MEK, and AKT inhibitors for patients with BRAF-mutated cancers. Algazi AP, et al. Cancer. 2024 Jan 23.
  • Comprehensive tissue deconvolution of cell-free DNA by deep learning for disease diagnosis and monitoring. Li S, et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2023 Jul 11;120(28).

The TPCL Team (L to R): Dr. Sam French, Rick, Kody, Dr. Clara Magyar, Jeff, Chloe, Joanne, Dr. Sepehr Hamidi, Chris, Chelsea, Joseph, Ko, Kim, Simran, and Roxanna 

 

For over four decades, the University of California Los Angeles-California Institute of Technology Medical Scientist Training Program (UCLA-Caltech MSTP) has trained accomplished physician-scientists dedicated to advancing scientific and clinical discoveries and driving technology innovations to the benefit of human health and disease outcomes. Continuously funded by NIH since 1983, the program currently supports 128 trainees, making it one of the largest MD-PhD programs in the nation. The UCLA-Caltech MSTP will celebrate the graduation of its 300th trainee later this spring and boasts outstanding career outcomes with nearly 80% of alumni participating in the biomedical research workforce across academia, industry, and government.

The UCLA Caltech MSTP, co-directed by Dr. David Dawson (Pathology) and Dr. Olujimi Ajijola (Medicine) recruits accomplished students with a demonstrated passion for scientific knowledge and unwavering commitment to research, medicine, service, and leadership. MSTP students flourish academically and scientifically across a range of research interests with current trainees affiliated with 20 distinct degree-granting programs at UCLA or Caltech. The MSTP provides strong faculty and peer mentorship, didactic and experiential learning, and professional development activities integrated with medical training in the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine and PhD research at UCLA and Caltech. Various program innovations and a dedicated and collaborative team of directors, administrators, student leaders and participating faculty have contributed to outstanding training outcomes even as the MSTP has grown considerably in size (50% increase in the trainee cohort in the past decade). MSTP graduates excel, completing the joint degree in an average of 8.2 years with 5-6 published manuscripts (2-3 as first author). Recent program innovations spearheaded by Drs. Dawson and Ajijola seek to enhance physician-scientist identity and professional development across all years of training while shortening time to dual degree completion. The new DGSOM HEALS curriculum has provided unique opportunities to further innovate dual degree training at UCLA. MSTP students now complete most core clinical clerkships in their second year prior to beginning their PhD training. This robust clinical exposure enhances trainees’ longitudinal clinical activities during the PhD and better informs their choice and direction of their PhD research, improving alignment with clinical specialty interests and future career goals.

The Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine plays an outsized role in the operation and success of the MSTP. In addition to Dr. Dawson’s longstanding role in MSTP leadership, several current faculty members in our department now or have previously served as primary research mentors for MSTP students and/or on the MSTP Admissions Committee. They include Drs. Valeria Arboleda, Corey Arnold, Gay Crooks, Tomas Ganz, Siavash Kurdistani, Dinesh Rao, Michael Teitell (also a former MSTP Associate Director), Peter Tontonoz, and Harry Vinters. The department and its faculty also have a strong track record in helping UCLA MSTP trainees in identifying and pursuing residency training in pathology, including a record-breaking four MSTP students who are applying to pathology programs in the current match cycle (good job everyone!)  Several UCLA-Caltech MSTP alumni are pursuing successful physician-scientist careers in pathology across the country, including our very own Drs. Arboleda and Teitell.

MSTP Group at the White Coat Ceremony. Dr. David Dawson celebrates by holding the sign.

Trainee Appreciation

Resident & Fellow Appreciation Day is observed each year on the last Friday of February. This year, we celebrated on February 26, 2026, by hosting a special event to honor and thank our residents and fellows for their dedication and contributions. 

We celebrated our Trainees with a well-deserved break featuring chair massages and pizza! The event allowed the Trainees to relax and recharge, then enjoy fresh pizza with their colleagues.

Between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026, our trainees (residents and fellows) presented/will present 53 abstracts at meetings, published (or have had accepted) 14 manuscripts, won 4 awards for research and have formal leadership roles in 6 organizations. We are so grateful for their contributions and so proud of them!

Pathology Volunteer Event at the LA Regional Food Bank – February 7, 2026

On Saturday, February 7, 2026, a group of Department volunteers participated in a volunteer event at the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. The PLM volunteers were assigned an assembly line to pack food kits for our community. Assembly line tasks included building boxes, food stations (placing items in boxes), replenishing the food stations (moving food and opening boxes), and stacking the completed food kits on pallets. Our group packed 3,024 kits in a little over 3 hours! 

Thank you to those who were part of our volunteer team: Carmen, Fred, Jake, Jennifer, Jessica, Kelli, Maria, Dr. Nagesh Rao, Ramon, Ron, and Dr. Sarah Dry!

We have scheduled an upcoming Volunteer Day on Saturday, May 2 – please plan to join us! The PLM volunteers at our events have really enjoyed helping our local communities while in the process getting to know each other better.

 

Join us at the UCLA Blood and Platelet Center and help save lives in our own community. Every donation supports patients at UCLA Health and local hospitals who rely on blood and platelet transfusions for surgeries, cancer treatments, emergencies, and more. The process is safe, simple, and can make a life-changing difference for someone in need.

 

Congratulations to Dr. Rebecca Sosa and collaborators, Dr. Carrie Butler, Dr. Sun Mi Choi, Dr. Monica Cappelletti, Dr. Jennifer Zhang, and Dr. Elaine Reed, on their book chapter in the Handbook of Kidney Transplantation. Their chapter highlights Histocompatibility Testing, Crossmatching, and Immune Monitoring. 

Pathology Art Collective 

Our Pathology Art Collective showcases the creativity of the members of our Department. We are now accepting submissions to be displayed and featured here, which may include paintings, drawings, photography, poems, etc. If your creativity involves home improvement projects, cooking, gardening, sewing, theater, musical performance etc., please feel free to submit photos. Please send your submissions to Anastasia (agustafson@mednet.ucla.edu). 

 

 

Friday, February 13, 2026 at 8:00 AM PT
Clinical Seminar Series – Topic: Cardiothoracic
Sanja Dacic, MD, PhD

Professor of Pathology Vice Chair and Director of Anatomic Pathology
Director of Thoracic Pathology

Yale University

"The Role of Pathologic Response in Lung Cancer: Assessment and Clinical Implications"  

 

Friday, February 27, 2026 at 8:00 AM PT
Daljit S. & Elaine Sarkaria Lectureship & Quality Day 

Professor of Pathology and Director, Division of Quality and Health Improvement

University of Michigan

 

 

Friday, March 6, 2026 at 12:00 PM PT – Virtual
Research Seminar Series 
Matthew Greenblatt, MD, PhD
Rohr Family Research Scholar
Associate Professor, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Weill Cornell Medical College
"A New Stem Cell Basis for Skeletal Pathology"

 

Friday, March 13, 2026 at 12:00 PM PT – Virtual
Inclusive Excellence Series
Richard Haspel, MD, PhD
Professor of Pathology
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center