Tristram G. Parslow, MD, PhD

William Patterson Timmie Professor and Chair
Pathology & Laboratory Medicine

Welcome to the website of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the Emory University School of Medicine. Pathology at Emory is a vibrant, multifaceted department with nearly 120 faculty, more than 50 residents and clinical fellows, scores of postdocs and graduate students, and over 150 staff, all dedicated to our three core missions of patient care, teaching, and research on human disease. This website provides an overview of the Department, with links to information about specific faculty and programs, as well as details on how to apply to our outstanding residency program or clinical fellowships. Physicians who wish to submit specimens for diagnostic evaluation or slides for expert consultation will find the necessary forms and information here, and are also encouraged to contact us through the telephone number at the left-hand side of this screen.

The word "pathology" means "the study of disease," and it describes both a specialty in clinical medicine and a field of biomedical research. In the clinical realm, pathology is the subspecialty devoted to diagnosis, either through microscopic examination of cells and tissues (called anatomic pathology) or by laboratory methods such as chemical analyses, microbiology, blood banking, tissue typing, etc (called clinical pathology). The investigative branch of pathology, called experimental pathology, covers the spectrum from laboratory research on basic cellular and molecular biology, through physiology and disease models, to drug discovery and translational research -- all with the aim of achieving better understanding of, and better treatments for, human disease. Our Department strives continually to advance pathology research and clinical practice, developing new insights, methods, and technologies through the world-class expertise of our faculty.

This traditionally strong Department has grown and flourished over the past decade and is now emerging as one of the truly outstanding pathology programs in the U.S. Our Anatomic Pathology division is renowned in soft tissue pathology and has exceptional strength in a host of other areas, including hematopathology, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, oral, renal, neuro, pediatric, and cytologic pathology. Our Clinical Pathology division offers outstanding expertise in subspecialties that include transfusion medicine, coagulation, HLA/tissue typing, clinical chemistry, microbiology, and molecular diagnostics. With nearly 40 faculty investigators and more than $45 million of research grant support annually, our Experimental Pathology division is noted for its strengths in immunology, epithelial biology, HIV/AIDS, molecular oncology, neuroscience, and microbial pathogenesis, as well as for fundamental cell and molecular bioloby. We are integral members and collaborators of Emory's renowned Vaccine Center, its cutting-edge programs in human genetics, bioinformatics, nanotechnology, and biomedical engineering, and its burgeoning Winship Cancer Institute. With major new international programs in transfusion medicine, AIDS, and molecular diagnostics, our Department's impact is increasingly felt worldwide.

Our residency program is one of the largest in the country. Residents benefit from our balanced strength in all three divisions; from faculty who are expert, accessible, and dedicated to teaching; from working closely with clinical fellows in a dozen subspecialties of pathology; and from the opportunity to train in five major teaching hospitals within one of America's largest, most diverse, and most livable metropolitan areas. In addition to serving at Emory University Hospital, our residents gain broad experience at the community-based Grady Memorial and EUH-Midtown Hospitals, at our busy Veterans Hospital, and at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA, one of the largest pediatric hospitals in the U.S.), and by studying challenging cases sent to us from around the world for expert consultation. Additionally, all of our residents receive superb training in forensic pathology from Pathology faculty at the Fulton County Medical Examiner's office, while our affiliated faculty at the nearby Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offer an unparalleled resource in infectious disease pathology and emerging pathogens.

Yet despite its size, its diverse missions, and its rapid pace of growth, Pathology at Emory remains a closely knit and interactive community, united by our pride in the physicians and scientists we train and by our shared commitment to excellence in research and patient care. It's a pleasure to welcome you to our Department.