Department of Pathology
James England, M.D., Ph.D.
Chair of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
James.England@drexel.edu
215-762-7994
Pathology and Laboratory Medicine contributes to the clinical, educational and research missions of Drexel University College of Medicine by providing a solid foundation for understanding disease processes in individual patients as well as in general terms. Since our discipline uses basic science approaches to elucidate clinical disease, we are in a strategic position to provide an important educational bridge and to conduct translational research.
Department pathologists provide professional services that include rendering diagnostic interpretations and overseeing the clinical laboratories at all six adult hospitals in the Tenet Philadelphia region. In addition, the Pathology Diagnostics Laboratory (PDL) is a certified laboratory that processes anatomic pathology specimens and provides diagnostic interpretations for physician office practices and a variety of investigators. The Regional Autopsy Service provides comprehensive autopsy services to institutions and individuals that are outside of the regional Tenet hospital system. These clinical activities ensure high quality patient care and also provide access to a wide variety of patient-derived material that supports the academic mission of the department.
Our faculty members actively participate in the education of medical students, graduate students, residents and fellows. They are involved in both the instruction and administration of the IFM and PIL curricular tracks, a senior elective and a pathology pathway. Graduate medical education comprises a combined AP/CP residency program as well as cytopathology and surgical pathology fellowships. A hematopathology fellowship is currently being developed to begin in 2002. Our department is also the institutional sponsor for the forensic pathology fellowship that is offered by the Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Office. Finally, the department sponsors two CME programs that are aimed at faculty development.
The investigational activities of the department are focused on translational research. Our investigators have utilized molecular approaches to identify a sensitive and specific marker for prostate cancer that is being used to develop a urine test for that disease. This general approach can be applied to the detection of a wide variety of other cancers and may also serve as the foundation for therapeutic interventions. Other investigators are examining the link between viral infection and brain tumors; the effects of proton-pump inhibitors in patients with peptic ulcer disease and gastro-esophageal reflux; and the biological consequences of cardiovascular prosthetic devices. Since our department is central to the collection of patient-derived biological material, a key activity for fostering translational research has been the establishment of an IRB-approved Tissue Procurement Facility, which distributes specimens from patients who consent to allow a portion of their diagnostic sample to be used for bio-medical research.
A primary goal of the department is to effectively utilize information from patient-derived biological specimens to advance patient care, education and investigation that will lead to new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Central to fulfilling this goal is the development of resources in patho-bioinformatics and the analysis of gene expression in pathologic specimens. The department’s active involvement in the development of those cutting-edge technologies will advance the understanding of disease processes and directly lead to improved patient care.