Drs. Derek Allison and Therese Bocklage have been very busy.  Both presented at the Ninth Annual Precision Medicine Symposium on February 28, 2025.  Dr. Allison presented “Tissue vs. Liquid Biopsy: Choosing the Best Biomarker Test for Your Patient” and Dr. Bocklage presented “Small Cell Lung Cancer: Dynamic Heterogeneity and Implications for Precision Therapy”.  Dr. Allison was also the co-chair of this event and moderated two sessions. 

Dr. Derek Allison is co-author of a recently published work in Nature Metabolism titled “Glycogen drives tumour initiation and progression in lung adenocarcinoma”.  A copy of the paper is attached and was featured in a recent UKnow article which can be found here https://uknow.uky.edu/research/markey-researchers-help-discover-diet-lung-cancer-link. 

Dr. Therese Bocklage and the ORIEN team were recently given recognition in UKNow for their support of a recently published study in the Journal of American College of Surgeons titled “Survival Disparity and the Unique Genomic and Microbiome Profiles of Colon Cancer in Appalachian Kentucky”.  See the UKnow piece here:  https://uknow.uky.edu/research/uk-researchers-explore-high-incidence-colorectal-cancer-appalachian-kentucky  Congratulations to both of you!

Dr. Ibrahim Choucair has also been very busy!  He is second author and co-author on two papers recently accepted for publication.  The first is in the American Journal of Clinical Pathology titled “Haptoglobin in pregnancy: Trimester-specific reference intervals” and can be found here:  https://academic.oup.com/ajcp/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/ajcp/aqaf012/8051768?redirectedFrom=fulltext#google_vignette.  The second is in the journal Clinics in Laboratory Medicine and is titled “Advances in Chromatography-Free and Ambient Ionization Mass Spectrometry Techniques Toward Clinical Toxicology Testing” and can be found here:  https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272271225000058?dgcid=author.  Excellent work Dr. Choucair!

Dr. Kim Absher is a co-investigator on a newly funded grant from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute titled “Investigating the Role of HDL-Associated Serum Amyloid A in Sepsis-induced Acute Lung Injury and Mortality”.  This is a collaboration with investigators from the Departments of Internal Medicine, Physiology, Surgery, Toxicology and Cancer Biology and the Cardiovascular Research Center.  Congratulations Dr. Absher!

Dr. Derek Allison wrote an article for January’s CAP Today titled “Pearls and pitfalls in renal mass biopsy”.  The link to the article is Pearls and pitfalls in renal mass biopsy - CAP TODAY and contains a nice table for some tips regarding the more common entities encountered on renal mass biopsy.  Excellent work Dr. Allison!

Leanna Brignola (first author) and Drs. Derek Allison, Bob McDonald, Therese Bocklage and Janna Neltner (senior author) had an abstract accepted for poster presentation at the Association for Academic Pathology Annual Conference this July in Denver, CO.  The abstract is titled “Paving the Path for New Pathology Interns: An Innovative Orientation".  Great work everyone!

Dr. Justin Rueckert was recently interviewed by the Association of American Medical Colleges for an article about unusual away rotations titled “Autopsies, avalanches, and ambulance rides: Unusual away rotations for medical students”.  The link to the article is https://www.aamc.org/news/autopsies-avalanches-and-ambulance-rides-unusual-away-rotations-medical-students.  Excellent work Dr. Rueckert!

Dr. Shulin Zhang is a co-investigator on a newly funded grant from the National Cancer Institute titled “CCSG Pilot: Partnering to Impact Testing in the Commonwealth for Hereditary Cancers - PITCH”.  This is a collaboration with investigators from the Markey – McDowell Cancer Network.  Congratulations Dr. Zhang!

Dr. Vaneet Arora has been invited to serve on the Board of Scientific Counselors, Infectious Diseases, of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for a term of 4 years.  The Board provides advice concerning strategies, goals, and priorities for the programs and research within the national centers and will monitor the overall strategic direction and focus of CDC’s infectious disease programs and centers.  Excellent recognition Dr. Arora!

Dr. Jing Di, in collaboration with Drs. Therese Bocklage and Mohamed Hussein, has won 3rd place for the 2025 CAPA GoPath Best Abstract Award, a platform presenting at USCAP 2025 in Boston.  The project is titled “Comparison of AI-based Algorithm Versus Manual Scoring Histopathologic Algorithm for Predicting Lymph Node Metastasis in Tongue Squamous Cell Carcinoma” and is a collaboration with UK H&N and pathologists from the University of New Mexico.  Congratulations to all!

Drs. Wael Ibrahim (first author), Dennis Williams and Aaron Shmookler (senior author) with Daoping Zhang had a manuscript accepted for publication in the journal Laboratory Medicine.  The article is titled “Is it anti-D or anti-LW? A Brief Synopsis of the Biology of the LW Blood Group and the Importance and Differential Laboratory Methods to Discriminate these Specificities."  Great work everyone!

Dr. Hafsa Nebbache graduated from the GME Emerging Leaders program on January 16, 2025.  The GME Emerging Leaders Program is designed to provide a leadership development opportunity to Chief Residents and Fellows in their important new leadership role. A variety of personal and professional leadership topics are facilitated by UK HealthCare’s Enterprise Learning team, in coordination with other leaders across the enterprise.  Excellent work Dr. Nebbache!

Dr. Peter Nelson was featured in a story in this week’s UKNow discussing the new diagnostic criteria for LATE dementia.  The link to the story is https://uknow.uky.edu/research/new-diagnostic-criteria-late-dementia-offers-hope-improved-dementia-care and highlights Dr. Nelson’s work with Dr. Greg Jicha in the identification and treatment of LATE.  Great work Dr. Nelson!

Dr. Wang-Xia Wang recently presented her research titled “MicroRNA-223:  Inflammatory response, sexual dimorphism, and therapeutic potential” for the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Monthly Seminar Series.  Excellent work Dr. Wang!

We have multiple abstracts accepted for the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology’s (USCAP) 114th Annual Meeting, March 22-27, 2025, in Boston, Massachusetts.  Excellent work, everyone!

• Drs. Katie Bussing and Justin Rueckert titled “Death Certification Errors and Utilization of the Autopsy Report”
• Drs. Jing Di and Therese Bocklage titled “AI Predicting LN Met in Tongue SCC”
• Drs. Mohamed Hussein, Julie Dueber, Derek Allison and Therese Bocklage titled “Adenoid Cystic Carcinomas with Amplification of KDR, KIT and PDGFRA: Histologic Features and Comprehensive Molecular Genetic Findings”

Derek Allison, MD, has accepted an invitation to Co-Chair a workshop for the International Congress of Cytology (ICC) meeting in Florence, Italy in May, 2025.  He will also present a session on rare finding in renal mass biopsies.  The ICC only occurs every three years and the criteria established at this congress is used daily around the world.  Great work Dr. Allison!

Jing Di, MD, (first author), Sainan Wei, MD, PhD, (senior author), Talal Arshad, MBBS, and Leo Yenwongfai, MD, collaborated on a recent publication in the journal Biomedicines titled “Prognostic Significance and Treatment Response Associations of Genetic Mutations in Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia: A Retrospective Cohort Study”.  A PDF of the article is attached.  This article was a collaboration with clinicians from the Division of Cancer Biostatistics, Markey Cancer Center, the Division of Hematology, and the Kentucky Cancer Registry here at UK.  Together, they explored genetic markers in patients with CMML at the University of Kentucky, and their findings highlight the need for personalized treatments for this unique group of patients.  Excellent work everyone!

Justin Miller, PhD, (senior author), Cody Bumgardner, PhD, and Shulin Zhang, MD, PhD, with Kate Sears, PhD, (first author), Caylin Hickey, Ryan Vincent, Jennifer Stocks-Candelaria, and Jason Tate collaborated on a recently published article in The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics titled “Establishing a Variant Allele Frequency Cutoff for Manual Curation of Medical Exome Sequencing Data”. 

Peter Nelson, MD, PhD, is the sole author and senior author on three recent publications in the journals Brain, Brain Pathology, and the Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology.  See below for specifics.  Great work Dr. Nelson!

• “New criteria to predict LATE-NC in the clinical setting: Probable/Possible LATE and LANS”.  Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39441698/ (Sole author)
• “Nicorandil treatment improves survival and spatial learning in aged granulin knockout mice”.  Brain Pathology - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39438022/ (Senior author)
• “Amyloid-β predominant Alzheimer's disease neuropathologic change”.  Brain - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39417691/ (Senior author)

William O’Connor, MD, Asma Arshia, MBBS, Katie Bussing, MD, and Jaan Maaza, MD, participated in the recent UK HealthCare Gill Heart & Vascular Institute Affiliate Network Annual Conference on November 6, 2024.  Dr. O’Connor was a featured speaker and presented “What's Under the Microscope: A Pathologist's Guide to Heart Disease”, while Drs. Arshia, Bussing, and Maaza presented pathologic hearts during the event.  See the attached picture from the event.  Excellent work everyone!

Shulin Zhang, MD, PhD, is a co-author of a recent publication in the journal PROTEINS: Structure, Function, Bioinformatics titled "L858R/L718Q and L858R/L792H Mutations of EGFR Inducing Resistance Against Osimertinib by Forming Additional Hydrogen Bonds".  This article was a collaboration with clinicians and faculty from the Markey Cancer Center and the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, the Department of Toxicology and Cancer Biology, the Division of Biomedical Informatics, and the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry here at UK.  See this link for specifics https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39494831/  Congratulations, Dr. Zhang and colleagues!

Derek Allison, MD, has been asked to guest edit a special issue of Seminars in Diagnostic Pathology titled “Molecular Advances in Surgical Pathology:  Tumor-Specific Insights and Updates”.  Great work, Dr. Allison!

Cody Bumgardner, PhD, has been appointed by the College of Medicine as the assistant dean for artificial intelligence and data science.  Congratulations, Dr. Bumgardner!

Jing Di, MD, (first author), Therese Bocklage, MD, (senior author), Ali Alhaidary, MD, and Sainan Wei, MD, PhD, collaborated on a recent publication in the journal Biomedicines titled “NSD3::NUTM1 Fusion Sarcoma Mimicking Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor with Prolonged Survival”.  This article was in association with clinicians from the division of cancer biostatistics, Markey Cancer Center, and UK ENT. Excellent work, everyone!

Jeong Do, MD, has accepted a fellowship in Dermatopathology at New York University for the 2026-27 academic year.  Congratulations, Dr. Do!

Hafsa Nebbache, MD, has been very busy.  Through the CAP, she and two colleagues recently released a podcast titled “Bridging the Gap: Tips for Effective Pathologist-Clinician Communication”. In addition, Dr. Nebbache has been selected as one of 14 trainees for the GME Emerging Leaders Program. Excellent work, Dr. Nebbache!

Peter Nelson, MD, PhD, is featured in a recent UKNow story titled “Bridging gaps:  UK researchers apply cancer insights to advance Alzheimer’s therapies”.  Great work, Dr. Nelson!

Justin Rueckert, DO, has shared that the Pathology Medical Student Interest Group has been awarded a $500 competitive grant by the Intersociety Council for Pathology Information (ICPI).  The group has been invited to the annual virtual forum on Nov. 13, 2024, to give a presentation highlighting their uses for the grant funding.  The group is determining how they will utilize the funds. Congratulations Dr. Rueckert and students!

Derek Allison, MD, is a co-investigator on a newly funded grant from the national Heart Lung and Blood Institute titled “Targeting Lung Fibrosis Using Epigenetic Therapy”.  This grant is a collaboration with the departments of toxicology and cancer biology, internal medicine, microbiology, immunology, and molecular genetics, physiology, and the Markey-McDowell Cancer Network.  Christine Brainson, PhD, associate professor of toxicology and caner biology, is the PI.  Excellent work Dr. Allison!

Cody Bumgardner, PhD, is the PI on a newly funded grant from Lextran Foundation Incorporated titled “UK Evaluation of Lextran’s Accelerating Innovative Mobility (AIM) Program”. Congratulations, Dr. Bumgardner!

Mohamed Hussein, MD, is first author of a recently published article in the journal Metabolites.  The article titled “Comparison of Adiposomal Lipids between Obese and Non-Obese Individuals” is a collaboration with physicians from the University of Illinois, Chicago College of Medicine and can be found at this link.  Excellent work Dr. Hussein!

Wael Ibrahim, MD, Dennis Williams, MD, and Aaron Shmookler, MD, collaborated on an abstract that has been accepted for presentation at the AABB Annual Meeting in Oct. 2024 in Houston, Tx.  The title is “Anti-D Alloimmunization Rate Following the Transfusion of RhD-Positive Apheresis Platelets to RhD-Negative Patients: A Retrospective Study”. Great work, everyone!

Eun Lee, MD, is a co-investigator on a newly funded grant from the Colorectal Cancer Alliance titled “Developing New Therapeutic Approaches for BRAFV600E Colorectal Cancer”.  This grant is a collaboration with the department of toxicology and cancer biology and the Markey-McDowell Cancer Network.  Yekaterina Zaytseva, PhD, associate professor of toxicology and cancer biology, is the PI. Excellent work Dr. Lee!

Rob Maynard, PhD has been busy!  First, he has been invited to record a podcast episode for the journal Clinical Chemistry.  The topic will be “Personalized Reproductive Hormone Monitoring in Sweat” and will be available at the link.  Second, he has been selected to give an oral presentation at the 2024 International CPOCT Symposium in San Diego, Calif. from Sept. 25-27, 2024.  His topic will be “Evaluation of Hemolysis Rates in Adult and Pediatric Whole Blood Specimens at the Point of Care”. Congratulations, Dr. Maynard!

Hafsa Nebbache, MD, has accepted a fellowship in Breast Pathology from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, MA to begin July 2026.  This will follow her Cytopathology fellowship at Memorial Sloan-Kettering. Congratulations, Dr. Nebbache!

William O’Connor, MD, (first author) and Asma Arshia, MD, (co-author) recently published a case report in European Heart Journal Case Reports titled “Nuclear envelope lamin-related dilated cardiomyopathy: a case series including histopathology”.  The report can be accessed here and is a collaboration with UK Cardiology. Congratulations Drs. O’Connor and Arshia!

Dava Piecoro, MD, is a co-investigator on a recently funded CCSG Pilot Grant from the National Cancer Institute titled “The Role of Calpain-5 in Endometrial Cancer”.  This is a collaboration with the departments of radiation medicine, toxicology and cancer biology, and the  Markey-McDowell Cancer Network. Congratulations, Dr. Piecoro!

Justin Rueckert, MD, is very busy!  First, he has been asked to join a panel discussion for Schwartz Rounds (a multidisciplinary forum where clinical caregivers discuss social and emotional issues) on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024 from Noon-1 p.m. in CTW014 Wethington Bldg).  The topic of discussion will be “Care, After the End” and he will be joined by Jeremy Garbat-Welch, M.Div. and Vicky Kaak, RN.  Lunch will be served and all are welcome to attend. Second, he has been appointed by the Office of Medical Education to the roles of Pathology Thread Leader and Histology Thread Leader.  These roles involve coordination of foundational science topics throughout the undergraduate medical curriculum and will involve collaboration with course directors, course faculty, clerkship directors, and OME leadership. Good luck Dr. Rueckert!

Dr. Aaron Shmookler is co-author on a recent publication in the journal Transfusion Medicine Reviews.  The article is titled “RhD-Alloimmunization in Adult and Pediatric Trauma Patients” and is a collaboration with researchers from around the country and internationally.  Excellent work. Dr. Shmookler!

Sainan Wei, MD, PhD, is first author on a book chapter (Chapter 5: Ring Chromosome 1) in Human Ring Chromosomes:  A Practical Guide for Clinicians and Families. Great work. Dr. Wei!  

Our Pathology Residency Orientation was recently featured in the “GME PC Newsletter” in August, 2024!  Leanna and Drs. McDonald and Neltner have worked hard to revamp the orientation to provide the most successful start to the pathology residency program. Excellent recognition everyone!    

One of the latest editions of UKNow featured an excellent article and video about blood donations and the blood banking process.  The article titled ”‘Life or death’: The impact of blood donations across UK HealthCare” can be seen at this link and features our own Dr. Aaron Shmookler.