Immunopathology and Transplant Pathology

The Immunopathology and Transplantation Division of the Department of Pathology offers MHC Class I and Class II typing of tissues and cells for transplantation of solid organs, bone marrow and stem cells. We provide all aspects of both serological and molecular typing and related laboratory procedures essential for transplantation.

The tissue typing laboratory is certified by national deeming agencies, the American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics and the College of American Pathologists. Our technologists are certified by the American Board of Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics as certified histocompatibility technologists or certified histocompatibility specialists. They also hold the MT (ASCP), and several are SBB certified.

Much of the division’s service responsibilities are related to circulating tumor cell (CTC) assays to evaluate therapy in patients with metastatic breast, colon, or prostate tumors; high and low resolution molecular typing for stem cell, bone marrow, and organ transplants by flow cytometric analyses of blood, bone marrow, lymph node and other cell preparations using monoclonal antibodies for the diagnosis of leukemias and lymphomas, lymphocyte subset analyses for AIDS and flow cross-matches for transplantation.

Our immunohistochemistry laboratory offers approximately 150 immunoperoxidase stains using monoclonal antibodies to identify markers critical in surgical pathologic diagnosis. In addition, all renal, skin, lung and other tissue immunofluorescence is performed and evaluated by this division.

This division enjoys a national reputation in medical publications, as three international scientific journals and a number of reference books in immunology are edited and/or authored by our faculty.