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Indiana University School of Medicine
Indiana University School of Medicine
Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Research

Many department faculty maintain laboratories and staff to perform both basic and clinical research projects. The main themes of research by faculty investigators in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine are degenerative neurological diseases, cancers, tissue injury, inflammation and infection, and metabolic disturbance and stem cell. The department’s research has been broadly involved in the understanding of the molecular mechanism of cancer biology, in the establishment of better pathology diagnosis, and in the development of novel cancer therapy.

Get Research Updates

Research faculty throughout IU School of Medicine’s academic departments post updates about their work to the research updates blog. Stay up-to-date about medical research in pediatrics.

Divisions of Research

Computer Technology Hands On Keyboard

Computational Pathology

The Division of Computational Pathology addresses clinical requirements by developing, validating and operationalizing cutting-edge computational solutions that drive innovation in diagnostics, patient management, treatment and health care delivery, while promoting excellence in research, education and clinical care.

Faculty focusing on computational pathology are Spyridon Bakas, PhD, Bhakti Baheti, PhD and Ujwald Baid, PhD.

Learn about our research in computational pathology

Alzheimer's Research

The department’s research in Alzheimer’s disease is represented by the group led by Bernadino Ghetti, MD, who is an internationally renowned neuropathologist and researcher in Alzheimer’s Disease. Dr. Ghetti is also director of the Neuropathology Core of the Indiana Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, which has been funded by National Institute on Aging since 1991 and is one of the 32 Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers established by NIA nationally.

Faculty focusing on degenerative diseases are Bernardino Ghetti, MD, Ruben G. Vidal, PhD, Kathy Newell, MD, Laura Cracco, MD, Holly Garringer, PhD, Grace Hallinan, PhD and Anlelly Fernandez, PhD.

Learn more about our research in Alzheimer's disease
two researchers' hands point to genetic data on a printed paper

Cancer Research

Many faculty in the department are involved in cancer related research that extend to lung cancer, liver cancer, genito-urinary track cancer (prostate cancer, germ cell cancer and ovarian cancer), and breast cancer. Faculty research has been broadly involved in the understanding of the molecular mechanism of cancer biology, in the establishment of better pathology diagnosis and in the development of novel cancer therapy.

Faculty focusing on cancer are Hong Du, PhD; John N. Eble, MD, MBA; Raymond L. Konger, MD; George Sandusky, DVM, PhD; Thomas M. Ulbright, MD; Cong Yan, PhD; Xiao-Ming Yin, MD, PhD; Chunhai "Charlie" Hao, MD, PhD; Anita Bellail, PhD; and Chafiq Hamdouchi, PhD.

Learn more about our research in cancer

Metabolic Disturbance

Metabolic disturbance as represented by obesity, hepatic steatosis, type II diabetes and insulin resistance have rapidly become a major health concern in this country and worldwide. There is still much to be learned regarding the pathogenesis and clinical management of metabolic disturbance. Tissue injury, inflammation and infection as well as cell death have been well connected to neurodegeneration, cancer and metabolic disturbance. Research in this area is important for a better understanding of the disease and development of effective treatment using novel approaches such as stem cells.

Faculty focusing on metabolic disturbance is Xiao-Ming Yin, MD, PhD. Faculty researchers focusing on tissue injury, inflammation and infection are Thomas E. Davis, MD, PhD; Hong Du, PhD; and Raymond L. Konger, MD.

Learn more about our research in metabolic disturbance
Woman in lab doing research

Transthyretin Amyloidosis

Transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR) is a disease caused by the abnormal accumulation of protein molecules in body tissues. These protein accumulations or "amyloid deposits" are made from a blood protein, transthyretin (TTR), which normally transports thyroid hormone and vitamin A to the body tissues. When an inherited defect in the TTR protein occurs, this abnormal form of TTR has the tendency to accumulate in tissues such as the heart, kidneys, nerves, and intestine. The presence of these deposits interferes with the normal functions of the organs. and as the deposits enlarge more tissue damage occurs and the disease (TTR amyloidosis) worsens.

Faculty researching this disease are Rafat Abonour, MD, John Kincaid, MD and Noel Dasgupta, MD.

Learn about our research in transthyretin amyloidosis

Research Support Labs

Faculty in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at IU School of Medicine operate core research labs to support medical research. For more information on the services the school and the department can provide, who runs them, and whom to contact, please see the list below.

All service cores

Core Labs

Neuropathology Core

Specimen Storage Facility

Translational Genomics

Tissue Procurement and Distribution

Immunohistochemistry Core

Electron Microscopy Center