Students chose projects with the advice and counsel of the graduate studies director. A program leading solely to an M.S. degree is only offered under special circumstances. Program research interests include cellular structure and function, nuclear receptors, gene regulation, cell-cell interactions, chemotaxis, extracellular matrix, genetic and molecular analysis of chromosome structure and gene expression, growth factors, lipoproteins structure and function, oncogene and tumor susceptibility, and gene products. The research programs of the medical student fellows are usually directed toward the solution of some problem pertinent to experimental pathology. The laboratory consists of examination of gross and microscopic specimens and case studies.
Students participate in autopsies under supervision.
This course is primarily for medical students and graduate students in pathology. Graduate students from other departments should take PTH 505, unless special reasons exist for desiring the more clinical approach of PTH 500. This course introduces students to the diverse experimental and intellectual approaches for studying disease processes, in a seminar fashion. Investigators from both outside and within the University present the current view of pathogenesis for the disease of their specialty and discuss classical and molecular methods to probe for disease mechanisms. In addition to attending the seminar, students read one or two of the guest speaker's current publications.