Pathology Services Unit (PSU) staff work cooperatively with other WNPRC units to provide timely and accurate diagnosis and effective monitoring and interpretation of acute and chronic conditions affecting colony animals and subjects assigned to research studies. PSU staff serve an integral role in research at the WNPRC, offering services including but not limited to: clinical pathology testing; cytology evaluation; surgical biopsy; gross post mortem examination; specialized sample collections; and histology with unbiased interpretation of lesions in reference to the experimental questions and goals. PSU pathologists work closely with investigators to provide advice concerning protocol development (both pre and post award), anatomy, disease pathogenesis, sample collection procedures, and the modification and creation of innovative procedures to answer research hypotheses. Moreover, the outstanding services provided by the PSU rapidly identify confounding effects of pathogens and unanticipated biologic responses in both research studies and the primate breeding colony. The PSU works closely with investigators researching infectious diseases, vaccine development, reproductive health, transgenic animal models, models of aging, models of neurodegenerative diseases and neurophysiology, and stem cell biology. The PSU is responsible for the collection, banking/inventory, and distribution of nonhuman primate samples through both the Nonhuman Primate Biological Materials Distribution (NHPBMD) core and the National Institute on Aging (NIA) Nonhuman Primate Tissue Bank. These banked tissues and biological samples are available to locally, nationally, and internationally located investigators for both research and education.
RESPONSIBILITIES:Provides professional comparative and diagnostic pathology services and research support to veterinary professionals delivering quality veterinary care and research guidance. Develops and implements policies and operations for the pathology laboratory to ensure compliance with institutional policies, as well as federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Contributes to the field of laboratory animal veterinary medicine through academic output.
5% Provides pathology expertise and support to veterinarians to ensure the proper management of colony health
25% Provides pathology expertise and research support to research investigators including advice concerning protocol development, anatomy, disease pathogenesis, sample necropsy collection procedures, and the modification and creation of innovative procedures to answer research hypotheses
5% May provide expertise to other units in areas related to comparative and laboratory animal pathology, preliminary toxicologic pathology (for translational research), research animal necropsies, and histopathology
5% Contributes to the formulation, evaluation, and determination of new aspects of the pathology program to ensure high quality animal care and research support
35% Provides diagnostic services for colony and research subjects including complete gross post mortem and histologic evaluation of laboratory research animals, and consults and problem-solves with investigators, veterinarians, and research support staff as needed
5% Ensures quality assurance of histology and pathology work
5% Serves as a resource regarding other pathology expertise available at other institutions, such as corporate entities, external diagnostic laboratories, and pathologists at peer institutions
10% Provides and participates in training and education in laboratory animal medicine and veterinary pathology to keep abreast of developments in the field and contribute to its advancement
5% Author, co-author, and review manuscripts, book chapters, and teaching materials to advance
scientists? knowledge and training, including presentations at local, national, and international
meetings.
