(Completed draft, moved to http://path.upmc.edu/cpi/fac-staf.htm)

Michael J. Becich, M.D., Ph.D

Dr. Becich is the Director of the Center for Pathology Informatics and Vice Chairman of Pathology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. In addition, he is the Director of the Benedum Oncology Informatics Center. Dr. Becich obtained his MD and a PhD? in Experimental Pathology from Northwestern University, and served as a staff anatomic pathologist for Washington University at St. Louis after completing his pathology residency. He is a practicing surgical pathologist specializing in prostate cancer with sixteen years of experience. At Pitt, he founded the nation's first Pathology Informatics fellowship program and the Advancing Practice Instruction and Innovation through Informatics conference, now in it's 9th year. Most recently, with the leadership of Bruce Friedman, MD, he help co-found the Association for Pathology Informatics. His research interests are in cancer biology, pathology/oncology and bio-informatics. His current research focuses on developing datawarehouses and data mining strategies for genomic and protoemic data derived from high throughput methodologies such as expression microarrays and tissue microarrays. His interests also include tissue bank information systems, clinical information systems and imaging repositories that currently operating in the Pathology Department at University of Pittsburgh. His laboratories are funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, Department of Defense and the National Institute for Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases as well as multiple genomic/biotechnology company sponsored research programs. He is a member of 14 professional societies and has contributed to over 100 papers as well as several on-line presentations.

Current Funding (2003)

• A Shared Resource for the Molecular Classification of Prostate Cancer (NCI U01 CA86735-01)
  Role: Principal Investigator
  The major goals of this Comprehensive Prostate Cancer Tissue Resource (CPCTR) Consortium project are to expand the Western Pennsylvania Genitourinary Tissue Bank to create a national resource of paraffin and frozen tissues from normal, organ-confined and metastatic prostate specimens obtained from biopsies, prostatectomies and autopsies.
• Molecular ReClassification? of Prostate Cancer (NCI U01 CA88110-02)
  Role: Co-principal investigator
  The main aim of this proposal is to analyze and correlate gene expression patterns in cancer of the prostate with distinct subsets of cancer behavior. The studies will allow us to establish a molecular reclassification of prostate cancer based on coordinated expression of groups of specific genes as measured by gene array technology.
• Indianapolis Pathology Informatics Network of the Shared Pathology Informatics Network (SPIN) Consortium (NCI UO1 CA91338-01)
  Role: Pittsburgh site Principal Investigator
  The major goal of this project is to develop a data mining and data warehousing system that will allow external users to query de-identified, encrypted pathology reports via a web interface to assist scientists in locating sources of archived tissue samples for cancer research.
• Informatics Core for the Oral Cancer Center (NIDCR P60 DE13059)
  Role: Informatics Core Director
  The major goals of this project are to implement and maintain a research database that collects patient information and outcomes data through our Cancer Registry Network, Oral Cancer Center clinics and outpatient offices; and to manage annotation of tissue and blood specimens from appropriate study populations and clinical trials proposed by the Oral Cancer Center clinical investigations.
• Informatics Core for the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute Cancer Center (NCI P30 CA47904)
  Role: Informatics Core Director
  The major goal of this project is to provide informatics support for the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute. Specfically the Informatics Core aims to implement and integrate: (1) The Advanced Tissue Bank Information System and the Organ Specific Data Warehouse, (2) the Clinical Trials Management System, (3) a large-scale UPCI database that integrates data from the UPMC Cancer Centers/UPCI Cancer Registry and 18 regional hospitals, (4) a Bioinformatics Data Analysis Group supporting self spotted cDNA and oligonucleotide (Affymetrix) microarray analysis for data warehousing and biomarker identification, and (5) a comprehensive UPMC Cancer Centers and UPCI Web site allowing UPCI members to communicate their activities to colleagues and the general public.
• MTOPS Prostate Samples Analysis Consortium (NIDDK DK-02-017)
  Role: Co-investigator
  The major goals of this project are: 1) to correlate the expression of JM-27, BMP-5 and other markers with response to therapy and symptom progression in biopsy samples obtained from the MTOPS trial vs. normal and BPH (symptomatic) tissues; 2) to develop serum-based tests for the expression of these markers in patients; and 3) to develop a system through which other markers identified by the MTOPS consortium can be analyzed.
• Pennsylvania Cancer Alliance Bioinformatics Consortium (PCABC) for Cancer Research (PA DOH ME 01-740)
  Role: Co-Principal Investigator
  PCABC will initiate a Bioinformatics Data Warehouse and Biorepository Project to perform assays for tumor biomarkers that are considered promising for clinical applications, and to develop: 1) a statewide data model for bioinformatics, 2) a statewide repository of serum and tissue samples, 3) a data model for biomarker data storage and 4) a public access website for disseminating research results and bioinformatics tools.
• Improving Patient Safety by Examining Pathology Errors (AHRQ PA 00-111 )
  Role: Co-investigator
  A major goal of this project is to establish a Web-based, pathologist-driven, national, voluntary anatomic pathology error database. These data will be used for continuous quality improvement targeted at error reduction in pathology and clinical outcomes improvement. This project will provide valuable information regarding diagnostic pathology errors and it will set the groundwork for future studies focused on the examination of other types of diagnostic pathology error and the effect of error reduction programs in pathology practice.

Selected Publications

1. Wang J, Torbenson M, Wang Q, Ro JY, Becich MJ. Expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase in paired neoplastic and non-neoplastic primary prostate cell cultures and prostatectomy specimen. Urol Oncol. Mar-Apr;21(2):117-22, 2003.
2. Luo, J.H..; Yu, Y.P.; Cieply, K.; Lin, F.; Deflavia, P.; Dhir, R.; Finkelstein, S.; Michalopoulos, G.; Becich, M.J. Gene Expression Analysis of Prostate Cancers. Mol. Carcinog, Jan;33(1): 25-35 2002.
3. Krill, D.; Thomas, A.; Wu, S.P.; Dhir, R.; Becich, M.J. E-cadherin expression and PSA secretion in human prostate epithelial cells. Urol Res. Aug;29(4):287-92, 2001.
4. Krill, D.; DeFlavia?, P.; Dhir, R.; Luo, J.; Becich, M.J.; Lehman, E.; Getzenberg, R.H. Expression patterns of vitamin D receptor in human prostate. J Cell Biochem 82(4):566-72, 2001.
5. Yu, Y.P.; Lin, f.; Bisceglia, M.; Krill, D.; Dhir, R.; Becich, M.J.; Luo, J.H.; Identification of a novel gene with increasing rate of suppression in high grade prostate cancers. Am J Pathol. Jan;158(1):19-24, 2001.
6. Becich, M.J. The role of the pathologist as tissue refiner and data miner: the impact of functional genomics on the modern pathology laboratory and the critical roles of pathology informatics and bioinformatics. Mol Diagn. Dec;5(4):287-99, 2000

Rebecca Crowley, M.D., M.S.

Rebecca Crowley, M.D., MSIS is an Assistant Professor (tenure track) at the Center for Pathology Informatics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and also has faculty appointments in the Intelligent Systems Program, University of Pittsburgh Faculty of Arts and Sciences and in the Medical Informatics Training Program, Center for Biomedical Informatics. Her research interests include: development and evaluation of intelligent medical training systems, computational methods for medical knowledge representation and decision support, natural language processing and information extraction from medical free-text, empirical studies of the development of visual diagnostic expertise, and the use of cognitive modeling and work process modeling to improve information systems. At the Center for Biomedical Informatics, she teaches Cognitive Studies for Health Informatics (BIOINF 2111) and co-teaches Introduction to the Clinical Environment (BIOINF 2013) with Doug Fridsma.

Current Funding (2003)

• An Intelligent Virtual Microscope Tutor on the Internet. (NLM 1R01 LM007891-01)
  Role: Principal Investigator
  The major goals of this NLM project are the development of the technical architecture, and formative evaluation for a general Intelligent Tutoring System in Pathology. As part of these development efforts, we are instantiating the tutoring system in one domain - Inflammatory Diseases of Skin. The NLM project includes development, formative and summative evaluation of model-tracer, student modeling, pedagogic modeling and interface components in this domain.
• An Intelligent Melanoma Diagnostic Training System. (NCI 1 R25 CA101959-01)
  Role: Principal Investigator
  This project adapts and extends our current Intelligent Tutoring System design, including efforts towards development of a natural language interface to our system. The NCI R25 grant is also aimed at deployment and evaluation across the Pennsylvania Cancer Alliance.
• Indianapolis Pathology Informatics Network of the Shared Pathology Informatics Network (SPIN) Consortium (NCI UO1 CA91338-01)
  Role: Co-investigator
  The major goal of this project is to develop a data mining and data warehousing system that will allow external users to query de-identified, encrypted pathology reports via a web interface to assist scientists in locating sources of archived tissue samples for cancer research. As part of this project, I am working on the development of a system for automating information extraction from surgical pathology reports.

Selected Publications

1. Crowley, RS and Medvedeva OP. A General Architecture for Intelligent Tutoring of Diagnostic Classification Problem Solving. Proc AMIA Symp, 2003: 185-189.
2. Blechner M, Monaco V, Knoz I, and Crowley RS. Using Contextual Design to Identify Potential Innovations for Problem Based Learning. Proc AMIA Symp, 2003: 91-95.
3. Crowley RS, Medvedeva O and Jukic D. SlideTutor--A model-tracing Intelligent Tutoring System for teaching microscopic diagnosis. IOS Press: Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education. Sydney, Australia, 2003.
4. Crowley RS, Naus GJ, Stewart J, and Friedman CP. Development of Visual Diagnostic Expertise in Pathology--An Information Processing Study. J Am Med Inform Assoc 10(1):39-51, 2003.
5. Crowley RS, Naus GJ, and Friedman CP. Development of visual diagnostic expertise in Pathology. Proc AMIA Symp: 125-129, 2001.
6. Crowley RS, Gadd CS, Naus G, Becich M, Lowe HJ. Defining the role of anatomic pathology images in the multimedia electronic medical record--a preliminary report. Proc AMIA Symp 2000:161-5

John Gilbertson, M.D.

John Gilbertson MD is Director of Research and Development at the Center for Pathology Informatics He manages on-going research projects in Automated Tissue Annotation, Cancer Center Information Integration and High Speed, High Resolution Whole Slide Imaging Development. Dr. Gilbertson also has projects in high throughput gene expression analysis (with Dr Chandran), Molecular LIMS development (with Dr Monzon), and the evaluation of institutional information requirements (with Dr. Kim). Dr. Gilbertson, in conjunction with other Center faculty, is actively involved in development of telemedicine systems (Yukako Yagi) and information extraction from clinical text (Drs Crowley and Harrison). In addition, Dr Gilbertson is leads informatics initiatives for a number of Multi-Institutional collaborative efforts including the Pennsylvania Cancer Alliance Bio-informatics Consortium.

Current Funding (2003)

• Pennsylvania Cancer Alliance Bioinformatics Consortium
• The National Medical Test Bed
• US Air Force
• Indianapolis Pathology Informatics Network of the Shared Pathology Informatics Network (SPIN) Consortium (NCI UO1 CA91338-01)
  Role: Co-investigator
  The major goal of this project is to develop a data mining and data warehousing system that will allow external users to query de-identified, encrypted pathology reports via a web interface to assist scientists in locating sources of archived tissue samples for cancer research. As part of this project, I am working on the development of a system for automating information extraction from surgical pathology reports.

Selected Publications

1. Dilip Gupta, Melissa Saul, John Gilbertson. Evaluation of a De-identification Software Engine to Share Pathology Reports and Clinical Documents for Research. American Journal of Clinical Pathology, Accepted.
2. Yukako Yagi, John Gilbertson. Digital Imaging in Pathology: For Standardization. Proceedings of the International Telecommunications Union Workshop on Standards in E-Heath.Geneva, 23-25 May 2003 http://www.itu.int/itudoc/itu-t/workshop/e-health/wcon/s7con001_ww9.doc
3. Wetzel, A.; Feineigle, P.A.; Gilbertson J. Design of a High Speed Slide Imaging System for Pathology. IEEE Signal Processing Journal; Accepted.
4. John Gilbertson, Ashokkumar Patel, Yukako Yagi. Clinical Slide Digitization - Whole Slide Imaging in Clinical Practice, in Gu Jiang, Ogilvie R. The Virtual Slide and Virtual Microscope for Teaching, Diagnosis and Research, CDC Press. (in Press).
5. Yukako Yagi, John Gilbertson. Speed, Resolution, Focus and Depth of Field in Whole Slide Imaging Applications in Clinical Practice, in Gu Jiang, Ogilvie R. The Virtual Slide and Virtual Microscope for Teaching, Diagnosis and Research, CDC Press. (in Press).

Dana M Grzybicki, M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. Dana Grzybicki is an Assistant Professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in the Department of Pathology. She also works with Dr. Stephen Raab in the Center for Pathology Quality and Healthcare Research and is Co-Investigator on the multi-institutional project for pathology error analysis. Dr. Grzybicki's research interests focus on quality measurement and quality improvement in anatomic pathology practices and on outcomes research related to anatomic pathology diagnostic information. She also is interested in the Measurement of Preferences for diagnostic testing and the impact of non-physician providers on anatomic pathology practice. Dr. Grzybicki primarily and fundamentally enjoys teaching at all levels including undergraduates, graduate level trainees and community education projects.

Current Funding (2003)

• Improving Patient Safety by Examining Pathology Errors (AHRQ PA 00-111 )
  Role: Co-investigator
  A major goal of this project is to establish a Web-based, pathologist-driven, national, voluntary anatomic pathology error database. These data will be used for continuous quality improvement targeted at error reduction in pathology and clinical outcomes improvement. This project will provide valuable information regarding diagnostic pathology errors and it will set the groundwork for future studies focused on the examination of other types of diagnostic pathology error and the effect of error reduction programs in pathology practice.

Selected Publications

1. Grzybicki DM, Gross T, Geisinger KR, Raab SS. Estimation of Performance and Sequential Selection of Diagnostic Tests in Patients with Lung Lesions Suspicious for Cancer. Arch Pathol and Lab Med 2002; 126: 19-27.
2. Raab SS, Grzybicki DM, Hart AR, Kiely S, Andew-Ja Ja, C, Scioscia, E. Willingness to Pay for New Pap Test Technologies. Am J Clin Pathol 2002;117:524-533.
3. Clary KM, Silverman JF, Liu YL, Sturgis CD, Grzybicki DM, Mahood LK, Raab SS. Cytohistologic Discrepancies: A Means to Improve Pathology Practice and Patient Outcomes. Am J Clin Pathol 2002; 117:567-573.
4. Grzybicki DM, Sullivan PJ, Oppy JM, Bethke AM, Raab SS. The Economic Benefit for Family/General Medicine Practices Employing Physician Assistants. Am J Man Care 2002; 8:613-621.
5. Grzybicki DM, Vrbin CM. Pathology Resident Attitudes and Opinions about Pathologists' Assistants. Arch Pathol Lab Med 2003;127:666-672.
6. Grzybicki DM, Vrbin CM, Reilly T, Zarbo R, and Raab SS. The Utilization of Physician Extenders in Surgical Pathology. Arch Pathol Lab Med 2003 (In press).

James H. Harrison, Jr. M.D., Ph.D

Dr. Harrison is an Associate Professor of Pathology with over ten years of experience in clinical laboratory information systems management, clinical data analysis and World Wide Web development. He is Director of Clinical Pathology Informatics in the Centers for Oncology and Pathology Informatics, a Faculty Member in Residence in the Center for Biomedical Informatics, a faculty member in the Intelligent Systems Program and a member of the Graduate Faculty of the University of Pittsburgh. He directs the training program in Oncology and Pathology Informatics within the Centers and leads the Pathology Informatics Rotation in the pathology residency program. He also directs courses in the Biomedical Informatics Training program in Python programming for medical informatics and XML/structured text markup, and co-directs a course in Internet and multimedia applications in healthcare. In the School of Medicine, he leads the Area of Concentration in Biomedical Informatics for medical students. His clinical interests include clinical chemistry and clinical pharmacokinetics and he has primary responsibility for management and development of the Clinical Laboratory Information System and Clinical Pathology Intranet. Dr. Harrison's informatics interests include temporal pattern recognition in clinical laboratory data, data warehousing and data mining, XML as a mechanism for structuring clinical data, and clinical workstation interface development. Dr. Harrison develops and supports the LabScanner clinical data analysis program for the Mac and PC, which is available free of charge to the laboratory medicine community.

Current Funding (2003)

• Clinical Decision-Making Using a Data-Driven Display (NLM R01 LM008192)
  Role: Primary Investigator
  The goal of this project is to test whether a dynamic clinical laboratory display which reorganizes itself based on temporal analysis of the contained data improves the quality and efficiency of clinical decision-making. The reseach addresses this question using locally-developed temporal analysis and display software, case simulations and think-aloud studies comparing static and dynamic displays.
• Indianapolis Pathology Informatics Network of the Shared Pathology Informatics Network (SPIN) Consortium (NCI UO1 CA91338-01)
  Role: Co-investigator
  The major goal of this project is to develop a data mining and data warehousing system that will allow external users to query de-identified, encrypted pathology reports via a web interface to assist scientists in locating sources of archived tissue samples for cancer research. As part of this project, I am working on the development of a system for automating information extraction from surgical pathology reports.
• The Somatic Cell Processing Facility at the University of Pittsburgh (NHLBI BAA-HB-03-06)
  Role: Co-investigator
  This project supports the development of a cell processing laboratory at the University of Pittsburgh as a local and national resource. The role of informatics in the project includes development and installation of a production laboratory information system appropriate for this unique endeavor.

Selected Publications

1. Harrison, J.H. Jr., and J. Stewart. Training in pathology informatics: implementation at the University of Pittsburgh. Arch Pathol Lab Med 127:1019-1025, 2003.
2. Henricks, W.H., P.J. Boyer, J.H. Harrison, J.M. Tuthill, and J.C. Healy. Informatics training in pathology residency programs: proposed learning objectives and skill sets for the new millennium. Arch Pathol Lab Med 127:1009-1018, 2003.
3. Saadawi, G., and J.H. Harrison. An XML Syntax for Clinical Laboratory Procedure Manuals. Arch Pathol Lab Med 127:809, 2003.
4. Post, A.R., and J.H. Harrison. An Enhanced Framework for Pattern Detection in Clinical Laboratory Data. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, Symposium Supp. 2002:1134.
5. Harrison, J.H., Jr., and Petrie Rainey. Identification of patients for pharmacologic review by computer analysis of clinical laboratory drug concentration data. Am. J. Clin. Pathol., 103:710-717, 1995.

Gary E. Blank, Ph.D.

Dr. Blank is Director of Laboratory Informatics, UPMC Information Services Division. His primary focus is management and development of the multi-institutional clinical laboratory information system, including programming new capabilities to support UPMC requirements. He also manages point-of-care testing at UPMC. Current projects include the development and implementation of laboratory robotics, process control, and monitoring tools suitable for managing multiple laboratories in a multiple-hospital environment. Dr. Blank collaborates with numerous clinical services across the institution in areas including electronic notification services, quality improvement and quality assurance programs, and rule-based decision support.

Current Funding (2003)

• Department of Pathology funding
• UPMC Information Services Division

Selected Publications

1. Blank G. HIS Maintenance and Support, Sunquest User Group, 1999
2. Blank G. Clinical Pathology Lab and LIS Disaster Support and Y2K Recovery Plan, Sunquest User Group, 1999.
3. Blank G, Glodon B, Parker D, Reeves T.  Episode/event management for Revision 5.1 implementation for hospital information system interfaces monogram for Sunquest User Group, 1996.
4. Blank G, Potter T.  Episode/event management for Revision 5.1 clinical service reporting considerations monogram for Sunquest User Group, 1995.
5. Blank G. Informatics in clinical pathology. Proceedings of the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology meeting, San Francisco, March 1994.

James Lyons-Weiler, Ph.D.

James Lyons-Weiler, Ph.D, is an Assistant Professor (tenure track) in the Department of Pathology. His is a core faculty member of the Center for Biomedical Informatics, a member of the Interdisciplinary Biomedical Graduate Program, a member of the Center for Pathology Informatics, a member of the Benedum Center for Oncology Informatics, and Associate Member of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute. He also serves as the Associate Editor of Applied Bioinformatics. Dr. Lyons-Weiler's research program is focused on oncology genomics and proteomics, especially the genomic and proteomic etiologies of cancer, progression and drug response, identifying genomic and protein leads for cancer prevention and targeted therapies in cancer. He works on all cancer types. His primary goals are to develop, evaluate and deploy computational approaches for the interpretive analysis of high-throughput genomic and proteomic data streams. His team employs the analysis of published and new data sets as well as simulations to compare methods of analysis. They have developed the very popular Gene Expression Data Analysis web application (http://bioinformatics.upmc.edu/GE2/GEDA.html) and an online Gene Expression Data Simulator . To help train cancer researcher in the arts of analysis, he teaches a course (Bioinformatics 2055: Practical Analysis of High-throughput Genomic and Proteomic Data Sources) each Fall term through the Center for Biomedical Informatics.

Current Funding (2003)

• Benedum Oncology Informatics Funds

Selected Publications

1. Lyons-Weiler J, Patel S, Bhattacharya S. A classification-based machine learning approach for the analysis of genome-wide expression data. Genome Res. 2003 Mar;13(3):503-12.
2. Bhattacharya, S., D. Long & J. Lyons-Weiler. Overcoming confounded controls in the analysis of gene expression data from microarray experiments. Applied Bioinformatics, in press

Valerie Monaco, Ph.D., MHCI

Valerie Monaco is Assistant Professor of Medicine. She received a Ph.D. in 2000 from Indiana University in Psychology and a Master of Human Computer Interaction (MHCI) degree in 2001 from Carnegie Mellon University. Her areas of expertise are consumer health informatics and user-centered design. Dr. Monaco has contributed to the design and evaluation of computer-based systems including information kiosks, intelligent tutoring systems, and Web sites. She joined the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine faculty in April 2002 and is developing a research program to investigate how to improve patients' access to and understanding of available healthcare options (e.g., clinical trials). She has also collaborated on initial research efforts exploring innovations in the following areas: clinical laboratory data display, on-line health information access for low-literacy adults, problem based learning in medicine, and clinical trial workflow. She teaches a project/survey course entitled "Methods and Principles of User-Centered Design." This course gives students practical experience using techniques such as Contextual Inquiry and think-aloud usability assessments as well as provides a broad survey of related topics such as visual design. In addition, Dr. Monaco serves as the faculty director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute Web site and the UPMC Cancer Centers Web site.

Current Funding (2003)

• UPMC Cancer Center Model for Early Phase Clinical Trials (NCI R21 CA101721)
  Role: Co-Investigator
  The objective of this grant is to improve accrual rates to early phase clinical trials by conducting such trials in UPMC Cancer Centers community network locations.
• HU-UPCI Cancer Education/Career Development Partnership (NCI P20 CA101592)
  Role: Co-Investigator
  The objective of this grant is to “broaden the access of Hampton University students to cancer research and research training so that they can continue higher education pursuits in science – specifically in cancer studies.”
• Clinical Decision-Making using a Data-Driven Display (NLM R010LM 008192-01A)
  Role: Co-Investigator
  The goal of this study is to empirically evaluate the effect of different types of clinical laboratory data displays on physician decision-making patterns.
• Integrating Cancer and Aging at Pitt (NIH P20 CA 103730)
  Role: Senior Information Specialist
  The goal of this project is to develop and test interventions to improve health outcomes in older persons with cancer.

Selected Publications

1. Blechner M, Monaco V, Knoz I, and Crowley RS. Using Contextual Design to Identify Potential Innovations for Problem Based Learning. Proc AMIA Symp, 2003: 91-95.
2. Monaco V, Krills SK. Online Information about Cancer Clinical Trials: Evaluating the Web Sites of Comprehensive Cancer Centers. Proc AMIA Symp, 2003: 470-474.

Federico Monzon, M.D.

Dr. Monzon recently completed a fellowship in Molecular Genetic Pathology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He is now an Assistant Professor of Pathology at UMPC Shadyside and Medical Director of the Cancer Biomarkers Laboratory, a gene expression microarray facility focused on developing clinical applications of microarray analysis for cancer patients. He is involved in research projects regarding breast cancer in young patients, tumor profiling in prostate and breast cancer, validation of microarrays as a clinical tool, as well as the development of bioinformatics tools for a genomics and proteomics laboratory information management system (LIMS). Along with his broad research interests, he brings a passion for teaching and an expertise in explaining concepts to all levels of staff regardless of their knowledge base.

Current Funding (2003)

• Real-time Profiling of Prostate Cancer (CAP Foundation Scholars Award)
  Role: Principal Investigator
  This project proposes to establish real-time expression analysis (tumor profiling) for tissue samples obtained from prostate surgical specimens and to provide a model that converts this data to clinical knowledge. This project involves: a) validation of the microarray platform for expression analysis of prostate cancer, b) establishing tissue processing methodologies for implementation of real-time sampling of prostate tissue, c) development of a bioinformatics platform to support real-time computer analysis for clinical reporting of prostate cancer samples.

Selected Publications

1. Hernandez-Guerrero C, Monzon-Bordonaba F, Jimenez-Zamudio L, Ahued-Ahued R, Arechavaleta-Velasco F, Strauss JF, Vadillo-Ortega F. In-vitro secretion of proinflammatory cytokines by human amniochorion carrying hyper-responsive gene polymorphisms of tumour necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1 beta. Mol Hum Reprod 2003; 9 (10): 625-629.
2. Monzon-Bordonaba F, Vadillo-Ortega F & Feinberg RF. Modulation of Trophoblast Function by Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha: A Role in Pregnancy Establishment and Maintenance? Am J Obstet Gynecol 2002; 187:1574-80.
3. Baron JA, Monzon F, Galaria N & Murphy GF. Angiomatoid melanoma: A novel pattern of differentiation in invasive periocular desmoplastic malignant melanoma. Hum Pathol 31 (12): 1520-1522 Dec 2000
4. Palazzo JP, Monzon F, Burke M, Hyslop T, Dunton C, Barusevicius A, Capuzzi D & Kovatich AJ. Overexpression of p21Waf/Cip1 and MDM2 Characterizes Serous Borderline Ovarian Tumors. Hum Pathol 2000; 31:698-704.
5. Roberts AK, Monzon-Bordonaba F, Van Deerlin PG, Holder J, Macones G, Morgan M, Strauss III JF, Parry S. Association of polymorphism within the promoter of the tumor necrosis factor-a gene with increased risk of preterm premature rupture of the fetal membranes. Am J Obstet Gynecol, 1999: 180(5): 1297-1302.

Stephen S. Raab, M.D.

Dr. Stephen Raab is Director of Cytology at UPMC Shadyside and Professor of Pathology in the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He is internationally known for his expertise in gynecologic cytology, exfoliative cytology and fine needle aspiration diagnosis, he is the co-author of Modern Cytopathology and he has published over 125 peer-reviewed articles in the medical literature. Dr. Raab is also Vice President of the Viet American Cervical Cancer Prevention Project and has been awarded the College of American Pathologists Humanitarian Award for his efforts in introducing Pap testing in developing nations. Dr. Raab currently is on the executive board of the Papanicolaou Society, is on the editorial board of three pathology journals, is the co-chief editor of the Mosby Yearbook of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. At UPMC, Dr. Raab is the Director of Pathology Quality Assurance and the Center for Pathology Quality and Healthcare Research. His research interests include patient safety, process improvement, patient preference, and pathology organizational cultures. Dr. Raab has received a grant from the Jewish Healthcare Foundation to implement a Toyota Production System Learning Line in Anatomic Pathology in order to improve process quality and efficiency and lower costs and manages a multicenter research project in patient safety and pathology error reduction funded by the AHRQ.

Current Funding (2003)

• Improving Patient Safety by Examining Pathology Errors (AHRQ PA 00-111 )
  Role: Principal
  A major goal of this project is to establish a Web-based, pathologist-driven, national, voluntary anatomic pathology error database. These data will be used for continuous quality improvement targeted at error reduction in pathology and clinical outcomes improvement. This project will provide valuable information regarding diagnostic pathology errors and it will set the groundwork for future studies focused on the examination of other types of diagnostic pathology error and the effect of error reduction programs in pathology practice.
• Improving Pathology Practice by Implementing Real-Time Error Reduction Plans (Jewish Healthcare Foundation)
  Role: Principal Investigator
  This grant focuses on patient safety by implementing error reduction methods currently used in industry. A learning line for Perfecting Patient Care (based on the Toyota Production System) is being implemented in anatomic pathology. This line will improve quality and efficiency and reduce costs by eliminating problems by performing immediate root cause analysis
• Humanitarian Award for Establishing Cervical Cancer Screening Services in Viet Nam (College of American Pathologists)
  The Central Region in Viet Nam is being targeted for establishing cervical cancer prevention services. Dr. Raab is working with the Viet American Cervical Cancer Prevention Project to establish quality control cytology laboratories equipped to screen Pap tests.

Selected Publications

1. Raab SS. Cost effectiveness of immunohistochemistry. Arch Pathol Lab Med 2000;124:1185-1191.
2. Suba EJ, Hung NC, Duc NB, Raab SS. De novo establishment and cost-effectiveness of Papanicolaou cytology screening services in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Cancer 2001;91:928-939.
3. Raab SS, Hart AR, D’Antonio JA, Grzybicki DM. Clinical perception of disease probability associated with Bethesda System diagnoses. Am J Clin Pathol 2001;115:681-688.
4. Clary KM, Silverman JF, Liu Y, Sturgis CD, Grzybicki DM, Mahood LK, Raab SS. Cytohistologic discrepancies: a means to improve pathology practice and patient outcomes. Am J Clin Pathol 2002;117:567-573.
5. Raab SS, Grzybicki DM, Hart AR, Kiely S, Andrew-Ja Ja C, Scioscia E. Willingness to pay for new Pap test technologies. Am J Clin Pathol 2002;117:524-533.
6. Raab SS. Human papillomavirus reporting: impact on Bethesda cytology reports. Arch Pathol Lab Med 2003;127:969-972.

Sharon Winters, MS, RHIA, CTR

Ms. Winters is the Director of the UPMC Network Cancer Registry. She has been employed by the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center for over 15 years. During this time her position has evolved from managing one data quality monitor and a single volunteer for three clinical trials to over 30 full time equivalent staff members in the UPMC Network Registry spanning 12 hospital-based facilities in Western and Central Pennsylvania collecting data from a variety of online and paper-based sources on over 12,000 new cancer cases per year. In addition to her position at the UPMC/UPCI, Sharon holds an adjunct instructor position at the University of Pittsburgh in the Health Information Management Department. She has been teaching at the undergraduate level since 1993. She also continues to be a clinical instructor for undergraduate and graduate students in the area of cancer registry and oncology information management. Her primary areas of focus include collaborative data collection, interfacing and reporting between the Network Registry, the Pathology/Oncology Informatics Division, the Health Sciences Tissue Bank (HSTB), the Healthcare Quality Research Division and the Outcomes Management team. Additional current tasks include the expansion of the Network Registry to 24 physician practice-based community locations and standalone cancer centers and managing the Collaborative Honest Broker Service for our divisions.

Yukako Yagi

Yukako Yagi is Director of Telepathology at University of Pittsburgh. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from the Science University of Tokyo and subsequently became technical leader of Nikon's telemedicine group and later visiting fellow at Georgetown University. At Pitt, she leads the telepathology group, which develops, tests and implements telepathology systems worldwide. The group has ongoing projects in static, dynamic, and virtual telepathology systems, tele-CME as well as clinical guidelines and training in telepathology. Ms Yagi has designed and implemented numerous effective, working telepathology systems in Asia, Europe and the United States. She has been working with international organizations in Italy, Japan, and Egypt to promote telemedicine worldwide. Her current interests and research areas include Medical Simulation Systems and e-health systems for developing countries. She also has interests in Multi Spectral Imaging, Distance Learning, and Advanced Telepathology/Imaging Systems.

Current Funding (2003)

• Integrated Medical Information Technology System (US Air Force Telemedicine)
  Role: Principal Investigator, Pathology R&D
• Natural Vision Project (Japanese Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications)
  This project is a collaboration with the Tokyo Institute of Technology, Imaging Science and Laboratory Telecommunications Advancement Organization, Akasaka Natural Vision Research Center, Japan
• HU-UPCI Cancer Education/Career Development Partnership (NCI P20 CA101592)
  Role: Co-Investigator
  The objective of this grant is to “broaden the access of Hampton University students to cancer research and research training so that they can continue higher education pursuits in science – specifically in cancer studies.”

Selected Publications

1. Yukako Yagi, John Gilbertson. Digital Imaging in Pathology: For Standardization. Proceedings of the International Telecommunications Union Workshop on Standards in E-Heath.Geneva, 23-25 May 2003 http://www.itu.int/itudoc/itu-t/workshop/e-health/wcon/s7con001_ww9.doc
2. John Gilbertson, Ashokkumar Patel, Yukako Yagi. Clinical Slide Digitization - Whole Slide Imaging in Clinical Practice, in Gu Jiang, Ogilvie R. The Virtual Slide and Virtual Microscope for Teaching, Diagnosis and Research, CDC Press. (in Press).
3. Yukako Yagi, John Gilbertson. Speed, Resolution, Focus and Depth of Field in Whole Slide Imaging Applications, in Clinical Practice in Gu Jiang, Ogilvie R. The Virtual Slide and Virtual Microscope for Teaching, Diagnosis and Research, CDC Press. (in Press).
4. Mukai, K., Yagi, Y. The Status and Future of Telepathology. New Horizon for Medicine Vol. 33 No. 1: pages 66-71, 2001.
5. Mukai, K., Yagi, Y. Implementation of Telepathology for Education. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine Vol. 195 No. 3 : pages 222-225, 2001.
6. Minervini, M, Yagi, Y, et al. Development and Experience with an Integrated System for Transplantation Telepathology. Human Pathology Vol. 32 No. 12:pages 1334-1343, 2001.