The
Summer 2014
Laboratory Report
A Publication of the Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine
Lung Cancer Biomarker Guideline Publication Receives a
2014 Power of A Gold Award
A
team of clinician scientists representing College of American Pathologists (CAP) , International Association for
the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC), and Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP)
has been recognized by the American
Society of Association Executives (ASAE)
for their landmark Lung Cancer Biomarkers Guideline. The multi-organization task
force, led by Drs. Philip Cagle, Neal Lindeman, and Marc Ladanyi, has been awarded
a prestigious 2014 Power of A Gold Award
and is being considered for the ASAE
Summit Award, the highest ASAE honor
for associations. “The Power of A Award
recognizes and celebrates the extraordinary contributions an association made
to society by enriching lives, creating a
competitive workforce, preparing society
for the future, driving innovation, and
making a better world,” explains Mr. Chris
Vest, director of ASAE public policy.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of
cancer-related mortality worldwide, accounting for more than 1.4 million annual
deaths. In the United States alone it is
responsible for almost 160,000 deaths,
and there are 220,000 new cases diag-
Table of Contents
Upcoming Conferences and Symposia:
2
3
Chikungunya PCR-Based Test Now Available
4
6
In Focus: Houston Methodist St. John
USCAP
Interactive Microscopy
2014 Annual Meeting
nosed each year. Recent advances in the
characterization of molecular pathways
driving lung cancer progression indicated
the therapeutic importance of EGFR
and ALK, two well-characterized targetable receptor tyrosine kinases. The
CAP/IASLC/AMP task force reviewed
published scientific data and developed
an evidence-based guideline for the
molecular testing of lung cancer patients
for these two predictive biomarkers. “Dr.
Cagle and the co-directors of the task
force are being recognized for their innovative guidelines that positively impact
the care of the many patients with lung
cancer here in the U.S. and abroad,” said
Dr. Mary Schwartz, medical director or
anatomic pathology.
Next-Generation Sequencing-Based Cancer
Assays Now Available
Trainee Research Spotlight
Department Members Are Recognized
7
Pathology Laboratory Automation
Department Awards 2 Microgrants
8
IAP International Congress News
Two Department Doctors Volunteer In Peru
9
I CARE In Action
New Resources Available For Faculty
And Staff
10
Department Welcomes New Fellows
THE LABORATORY REPORT Summer 2014
Page 2
The Houston Methodist Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory Now Offers A
Rapid, PCR-Based Chikungunya Test
infections acquired during travel. However, local transmission in Houston is a
distinct possibility. The first case in Texas,
a patient from Williamson County near
Austin who recently returned from the
Caribbean, was confirmed earlier in July.
C
hikungunya is a mosquito-borne disease caused by infection with Togaviridae Alphavirus. The Togaviridae family
of viruses also includes rubella virus and
several viruses that cause encephalitis.
While the rubella virus is an air-borne
pathogen, all viruses that fall into the Alphavirus genus, including chikungunya, are
transmitted by arthropods. Specifically,
chikungunya is transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, which are common in tropical and
subtropical zones and are present in the
southern United States, including Texas.
Epidemiologically, chikungunya is endemic
in Africa, Australia, India, Thailand, and
many Caribbean islands. In 2005-2006, it
caused a major epidemic on La Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean, and subsequently
migrated to India, where over 1.5 million
cases were detected. The virus made its
first appearance in the Western Hemisphere in 2013, when it was diagnosed in
a non-traveler patient on the French side
of St. Martin in the Caribbean. To date, all
cases of chikungunya viral illness diagnosed in the United States are related to
Chikungunya disease pathogenesis is
similar to several other mosquito-borne
diseases and causes flu-like symptoms
that include fever, headaches, rash, and
marked lower extremity edema. What sets
chikungunya apart is the disease-associated polyarthralgia or joint pain, which
could become severe and may persist for
years. This characteristic gave the disease
its name, which comes from the Makonde
language spoken in Tanzania and Mosambique and translates to “that which bends
up,” referring to the contorted posture
abserved among patients afflicted with
severe joint pain.
Chikungunya virus infection can be
confirmed by PCR or serological testing.
Importantly, while the serologic antibody
titer test takes 9 days to complete, the
PCR-based detection has a 48-hour turnaround time. The Molecular Diagnostics
Laboratory at Houston Methodist Hospital has validated and is now performing a
PCR test to detect chikungunya virus. In
fact, the first chikungunya case in Harris
County was diagnosed with our PCRbased test.
For more information on this assay or any Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory test, please contact:
Dr. Randall Olsen (RJOlsen@houstonmethodist.org)
Dr. Bryce Portier (BPPortier@houstonmethodist.org)
Ms. Heather Hendrickson (HLHenderson@houstonmethodist.org)
The Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory can be reached by phone at 713-441-5727.
The Houston Methodist
Molecular Diagnostics
Laboratory diagnoses
the first chikungunya
case in Harris County
THE LABORATORY REPORT Summer 2014
Page 3
New Tests Available from Houston Methodist Diagnostic Laboratory:
Next-Generation Sequencing Cancer Assays
Ion Proton sequencer (Life Technologies)
C
ancer is a disease of hyperproliferative cells, usually caused by mutations
in several genes that control normal
cell homeostasis. Traditionally, cancer
patients have been assigned a generic
chemotherapy regiment, radiation, and/
or surgery based on the clinical knowledge gathered from patients with similar
cancer types. Advances in basic science
and clinical diagnostics within the last
decade have brought about a paradigm
shift, in which patients diagnosed with
a particular type of cancer are further
subdivided into categories based on their
molecular tumor profile and then “targeted” therapeutics can be administered,
if available. However, the major hurdle in
this approach was the time and technical capabilities required to extensively
characterize each patient’s tumor.
Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) is a
relatively new technique that allows for
analysis of the tumor at a genetic level,
and has been added to the battery of clinical cancer diagnostics only very recently.
NGS assays have modernized the medical research field by providing a rapid,
inexpensive, and highly scalable method
for genetic analysis. Using the Ion Torrent
Personal Genome NGS System from Life
Technologies, Dr. Bryce Portier and his
team from the Department of Pathology
and Genomic Medicine validated a new
assay that investigates over 200 mutations in 50 cancer-related genes that are
most frequently found in tumors. Some of
these genes include EGFR, HER2, AKT, and
KRAS, all of which are known drivers of
cancer progression. This new NGS cancer
assay is ready for immediate implementation to aid in clinical care. The system
can analyze up to 8 patient samples per
run and can complete sequencing in 4-6
hours. The Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory plans to run NGS analysis once per
week, but it is expected that as demand
increases so will the run frequency.
As the NGS technology continues to
evolve, our Department recently expanded its NGS capabilities to include the Ion
Proton and Ion Chef from Life Technologies. These highly advanced, cutting-edge
instruments are poised to revolutionize
cancer research and treatment and will
be utilized in conjunction with the existing
NGS portfolio. For instance, the newlyacquired Ion Proton adds 10 times the current sequencing capacity , and will allow
for future full-exome assays. Dr. Portier’s
For more information on this assay or any Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory test, please contact:
Dr. Randall Olsen (RJOlsen@houstonmethodist.org)
Dr. Bryce Portier (BPPortier@houstonmethodist.org)
Ms. Heather Hendrickson (HLHenderson@houstonmethodist.org)
The Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory can be reached by phone at 713-441-5727.
team is now working to expand the existing NGS cancer assay by designing cancer
type-specific assays. For example, a proprietary breast cancer-specific assay will
add mutation detection for 32 additional
genes specific to breast cancer. Likewise,
a hematologic cancer panel will include
detection of mutations and clinicallyrelevant chromosomal translocations for
blood malignancies.
In summary, NGS technology is driving
rapid advancements in translating personalized cancer therapeutics from the bench
to the bedside. Patients’ tumor samples
collected during the initial diagnosis can
be sent for NGS analysis and the results
will be available prior to patients’ next
follow-up oncologist visit. Thus, patients
will be assigned more specific, targeted
therapy regiments early, when their
likelihood of achieving a strong clinical
response is the highest.
“The NGS diagnostic tools are
so novel, they are only available
in a few reference laboratories
across the country. By validating
this technology here at Houston
Methodist, we will truly be leading
cancer medicine.”
- Dr. Bryce Portier
THE LABORATORY REPORT Summer 2014
Page 4
In Focus: Houston Methodist St. John Laboratory
H
ouston Methodist St. John Hospital joined the growing family of Methodist
health care facilities on February 3rd, 2014. As the result of this expansion,
the Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine has added two new faculty members, Drs. David Alrahwan and Anna Castiglione Richmond. Methodist St. John is a full-service hospital that provides a range of laboratory and
pathology services to the residents of Clear Lake and the Greater Bay Area.
At St. John, I give 100% to serve my patients
with confidence, integrity, and compassion. I
discuss cases daily with the surgeons, and the
medical staff is warm and eager to deliver high
quality care. – David Alrahwan, MD, laboratory
medical director.
I have worked at St. John since 1992. Our stellar
staff is committed to providing quality patient
care. Despite major laboratory space renovations, our team never lost their dedication to
providing excellent service for our patients.
– Rebecca Simon, director of laboratory services.
From top to bottom:
Jocelyn Pycos
Marian Rowsey
Josie Sanchez
Shirin Vazirali
Continued on page 5
I always wanted to work in healthcare, so I enjoy
working with the highly skilled staff in our safe
and professional environment. My co-workers
make even the most challenging days fun!
– Sara Taqi, histology technician.
THE LABORATORY REPORT Summer 2014
Page 5
In Focus: Houston Methodist St. John Laboratory (continued)
The Houston Methodist St. John laboratory encompasses histology, microbiology,
clinical chemistry, and hematology and blood bank laboratories. All laboratories are
located on the 2nd floor of the main hospital, and as a result of damage sustained
during Hurricane Ike, underwent a major renovation in 2008. The resultant space is
bright and modern, with an open floor plan and dedicated patient stations.
I enjoy working here because all of us in the
histology lab make a difference in the lives of
patients every day. – Shiny Chacko, medical laboratory technician.
As Houston continues to expand to the southeast, Houston Methodist St. John has
established itself as a vital component of the community. Ms. Rebecca Simon, director of laboratory services, explains, “Our laboratory service grew by almost 20% in
the past 3 years. The post-Ike renovations allowed us to grow our outpatient services
and become a regional reference lab. Currently, we provide over 35,000 units of
service per month, which translates to 1.4 million tests per year. Most of our tests
are performed in-house and only 4-5% are sent out to other reference labs.”
Ms. Simon went on to explain that the laboratory partners with a number of standalone clinics in the area, including St. Mary’s Mobile clinic, and is affiliated with The
University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. Consequently, students pursuing
degrees in medical technology and associated disciplines can complete their clinical
fellowships in the St. John laboratories and many times are offered full-time employment. This, along with the exceptional quality and friendly atmosphere in the lab,
leads to a very low employee turnover rate.
High quality patient care is our primary focus.
As a team member and a potential patient, this
truly speaks volumes of our laboratory and
hospital. – Renee Robson, medical technologist.
I have been working in the medical field for 25
years and I really enjoy working at St. John. Our
team treats our patients with care, kindness,
and respect. – Norma Flores, laboratory technician.
From left to right:
Anna Castiglione Richmond, MD
James Gregory
THE LABORATORY REPORT Summer 2014
Page 6
Trainee Research Spotlight
T
wo of the Department’s trainees, Drs. Erik Salazar and Jaclyn Jerz, recently published their research in the Archives of Pathology
& Laboratory Medicine. These articles highlight the Department’s efforts to improve clinical laboratory services and patient
care.
r. Salazar’s paper is titled “Improving Positive Blood Culture Removal Time Significantly Decreases Total Processing Time” and was co-authored by several Department faculty and research staff. It outlines the Department’s efforts to reduce the time
required to process blood cultures in the clinical microbiology laboratory and to notify
physicians caring for patients with suspected systemic bacteremia. The research team
determined that prior to their intervention, the average processing time for blood
cultures was 38 minutes, and only 51.8% of the positive blood cultures were removed in
less than 10 minutes. By holding three in-service meetings with the clinical microbiology
staff, one for each shift, these numbers improved to 8 minutes for the processing time,
and 84.5% of cultures were removed within 10 minutes. This study illustrates how a
small, non-technical intervention can significantly enhance patient care.
Dr. Eric Salazar is a second-year resident in the Department of Pathology and Genomic
Medicine. He received his MD and PhD degrees from Weill Cornell Medical College in
2012.
Eric Salazar, M.D., Ph.D.
D
D
r. Jerz’s paper is titled “Detection of Malignancy in Body Fluids: A Comparison
of the Hematology and Cytology Laboratories” and was co-authored by several
clinicians from the Houston Methodist Hospital and The University of Texas Medical
School at Houston. This study examined the ability of the hematology laboratory to
detect malignancy in body fluid samples and explored potential avenues to improve
this technique. Study results showed that pre-intervention analysis of body fluids only
detected malignancy with 23% sensitivity. By providing additional educational sessions
to the medical technologists, this number improved to 60% in subsequent months. The
authors concluded that while the concentrated preparations used for cell counts in the
hematology laboratory are not optimized to detect malignancy, providing concurrent
cytologic examination and enhancing staff education greatly improved the rate at which
malignancies are identified.
Dr. Jaclyn Jerz is a third-year resident in the Department of Pathology and Genomic
Medicine. She received her MD degree from The University of Texas Southwestern
Medical School in 2011.
Jaclyn Jerz, M.D.
Members of the Department Recognized
for Their Service
D
rs. David Alrahwan (Houston Methodist St. John) and Philip Cagle (Houston Methodist Hospital) were named in the H Texas Magazine’s Top Docs of 2014 list. Congratulations!
THE LABORATORY REPORT Summer 2014
Page 7
Pathology Automation: New Equipment Added to
Houston Methodist Laboratories
T
he Houston Methodist Rapid Response Laboratory added
a highly sophisticated Cobas 8000 analyzer by Roche/
Hitachi. This instrument is designed for high-throughput
laboratories and is capable of processing 3-15 million clinical
chemistry and immunochemistry tests per year. For example,
the new analyzer can complete an immunoassay in less than 9
minutes and averages about 1,000 samples per hour, thereby
ensuring rapid availability of all patient test results.
Dr. Arthur Zieske
T
he Houston Methodist Clinical Laboratory automated its
hematology processing line by adding a modular Sysmex
XN-series analyzer, which is built on a breakthrough platform
known as Silent Design. The new technology offers an automated analysis of body fluid cell counts, slide making and
staining, cell image analysis, and tube cell sorting. Moreover,
Sysmex XN provides a standardized platform that significantly improves testing consistency.
For more information about the Cobas technology, please
contact Dr. Ping Wang at pwang@houstonmethodist.org
For more information about the Sysmex technology, please
contact Dr. Arthur Zieske at awzieske@houstonmethodist.org
Dr. Ping Wang
Department Awards Internal Grants
T
he Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine has recently invited its faculty to submit research proposals for small,
internal research grants. These microgrants are designed to foster innovation and expansion of clinical service. Each selected
project receives a budget, and the work must be started and completed within 3-4 months. The Department’s microgrant review
committee is pleased to announce that two proposals have been chosen for funding:
“Association of histologic and immunophenotypic features of cervical dysplasia with infection by various HPV genotypes,”
submitted by Drs. Yimin Ge, Steven Zhou, Christi Perez, Dina Mody, and Michael Deavers
“Prognostic and predictive biomarkers in metastatic rectal adenocarcinoma,” submitted by Drs. Suzanne Crumley, Mary
Schwartz, Alexandria Phan, Randall Olsen, and Bryce Portier
While the proposal submission deadline expired on July 15th, it is anticipated that the next call for proposals will be announced in
mid-to-late August.
THE LABORATORY REPORT Summer 2014
Page 8
The Department Shows Strong Presence at the XXX International
Congress of the International Academy of Pathology
T
he Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine will
be well represented at the upcoming XXX International
Congress of the International Academy of Pathology (IAP) in
Bangkok, Thailand. “Our Department will be one of the best
overall represented U.S. pathology departments and is the
best represented in pulmonary pathology,” said Dr. Philip Cagle.
Additionally, Drs. Philip Cagle and Luan Truong will serve as
scientific conveners for the IAP Congress – Congratulations!
The Congress will be held from October 5th to October 10th at
Bangkok Convention Centre and the registration deadline is
September 15, 2014. Additional information can be found on
www.iap2014.com
Two Department Faculty Have Rewarding Volunteer Experience in Peru
T
CerviCusco Clinic
Mount Machu Picchu
Drs. Gorman and Haley
wo pathologists from the Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine recently spent a
week in Peru. Drs. Blythe Gorman and Susan Haley
volunteered their time reading Pap tests for the
CerviCusco clinic in Cusco, Peru. The clinic is a nonprofit organization affiliated with the International
Cervical Cancer Foundation and the Medical College
of Georgia. It provides modern liquid-based Pap
test analysis, and other women’s health services, to
residents of underserved and impoverished regions
of Peru.
“We learned about this volunteer opportunity
through the American Society for Cytopathology.
Although we were unsure of exactly what to expect,
we had a great time, and it was extremely rewarding,”
said Dr. Haley. She explained that there are several
opportunities throughout the year to volunteer at
the clinic. In addition to Drs. Gorman and Haley, there
were three other pathologists and two cytotechnologists from across the United States working at
the clinic. Dr. Gorman elaborated that there are also
opportunities for non-medical volunteers to serve
the clinic by performing clerical tasks or facility
maintenance-type work.
Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancerrelated death in Peruvian women. In addition, most
rural Peruvian women are diagnosed with cervical
cancer when the disease is already in its late stages,
which further reduces treatment options and
survival. “CerviCusco is the first clinic of its kind
in Peru. The clinic’s staff is dedicated to reducing
cervical cancer incidence through early detection,
and working towards implementing quality control
measures,” explained Dr. Gorman. “The clinic has
also established a collaborative agreement with the
Massachusetts General Hospital, where cases are
discussed during weekly telecytopathology conferences,” she continued.
When asked if they planned to return to Peru, Drs.
Gorman and Haley enthusiastically confirmed. “We
felt extremely valuable during this trip because
we provided essential services that are otherwise
unavailable to many women.”
For more information about this opportunity,
please contact Dr. Blythe Gorman (bkgorman@
houstonmethodist.org) or Dr. Susan Haley (slhaley@
houstonmethodist.org). For more information on the
CerviCusco clinic, please visit www.cervicusco.org
THE LABORATORY REPORT Summer 2014
I
Page 9
I CARE in Action: Members of the Department Provide Dinners
at Nora’s Home
n keeping with the Methodist I CARE
values, members of the Department of
Pathology and Genomic Medicine regularly
provide dinners for the families residing
at Nora’s Home. Nora’s Home provides
alternative, affordable housing for transplant patients and their families during
their stay in the Texas Medical Center, and
is supported by the Nora’s Gift Foundation.
“Nora’s Home is not a hotel: it is a
haven where guests support one
another through shared experiences.” -Nora’s Home Patient
Nora’s Gift Foundation was established in
1998 by Drs. Osama and Lillian Gaber in
memory of their daughter Nora, who was
killed in an automobile accident at the age
of 7. Despite their grief, Nora’s parents
chose to donate her organs to several critically ill children. The Gaber family subsequently established the Nora’s Gift FounDepartment members served their first dindation, which provides support to patients
ner at Nora’s Home on May 7.
suffering from end-stage organ failure and
those in need of an organ transplant. The
Foundation opened Nora’s Home on February 11, 2014. It not only provides lodging,
but also serves to bring together families
experiencing the stress associated with a
transplant procedure.
Nora’s father, Dr. Osama Gaber, is the
director of transplantation at the Houston Methodist J.C. Walter Jr. Transplant
Center. Nora’s mother, Dr. Lillian Gaber, is a
transplant pathologist in the Department
of Pathology and Genomic Medicine at the
Houston Methodist Hospital.
For more information on Nora’s Home,
please visit www.norashome.org. If you
are a department member and are interested in this volunteer opportunity, please
contact Pat Cernoch (pcernoch@houstonmethodist.org or 713-441-0333).
The Office of Academic Development Adds New Resources Pages
T
he Office of Academic Development (OAD) announces the addition of
the new Academic Services Resources page, where the Department’s
faculty and trainees can find information about upcoming conferences
and symposia, tips on scientific writing, and available funding opportunities in the following scientific areas:
> General Cancer Research
> Breast Cancer Research
> Pediatric Cancer Research
> Hematology & Oncology
> Heart & Cardiovascular Diseases
> Brain & Neurodegenerative Diseases
> Kidney & Urinary System Diseases
> Gastrointestinal Diseases
> Lung & Pulmonary System Diseases
> Gynocologic Diseases
>Microbiology & Infectious Diseases
>Transplant Biology
The Resources page can be found through the main OAD page or by following a direct link:
www.houstonmethodist.org/academic-services-resources
THE LABORATORY REPORT Summer 2014
Page 10
The Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine
Welcomes 10 New Fellows
Clifford Blieden
- Residency at the University of Miami
- MD from The University of Texas Medical
Branch at Galveston in 2009
Jonathan Boyd
- Residency at the Eastern Carolina University Brody School of Medicine
- MD from The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in 2010
Crystal Cordell
- Residency at the University of South
Alabama
- MD from the University of South Alabama
College of Medicine in 2010
Bettye Cox
- Residency at Baylor College of Medicine
- MD from The University of Texas Medical
Branch at Galveston in 2009
Bernadette Harris
- Residency at the University of Florida
- MD from Louisiana State University
School of Medicine in New Orleans in 2009
Ross Miller
- Residency at the University of South
Dakota
- MD from the University of South Dakota
Sanford School of Medicine in 2010
Tara Miller
- Residency at the University of South
Dakota
- MD from the University of South Dakota
Sanford School of Medicine in 2009
Mauricio Salicru
- Residency at The University of Texas
Health Science Center
- MD from The University of Texas Medical
School at Houston in 2010
Dawn Williams
- Residency at Houston Methodist Hospital
- MD from The University of Texas Medical
School at San Antonio in 2009
Ya Xu
- Residency at The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
- MD from West China University of Medical
Sciences in 1990
THE LABORATORY REPORT Summer 2014
Page 11
RECENT PUBLICATIONS
Al-Zubidi N, Chevez-Barrios P, Foroozan R, Bhatti MT. “My eyes are turned outside”. Surv Ophthalmol. 2014 May-Jun;59(3):354-60.
Bollard CM, Gottschalk S, Torrano V, Diouf O, Ku S, Hazrat Y, Carrum G, Ramos C, Fayad L, Shpall EJ, Pro B, Liu H, Wu MF, Lee D, Sheehan AM, Zu Y,
Gee AP, Brenner MK, Heslop HE, Rooney CM. Sustained complete responses in patients with lymphoma receiving autologous cytotoxic T lymphocytes targeting Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane proteins. J Clin Oncol. 2014 Mar 10;32(8):798-808.
Bui DH, Cruz AT, Graviss EA. Indeterminate QuantiFERON-TB gold in-tube assay results in children: possible association with procedural specimen collection. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2014 Feb;33(2):220-2.
Cagle PT, Glassy EF. Whole slide images add value to journal article figures. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2014 May;138(5):592.
Chen AC, Paulino AC, Schwartz MR, Rodriguez AA, Bass BL, Chang JC, Teh BS. Population-based comparison of prognostic factors in invasive
micropapillary and invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast. Br J Cancer. 2014 Jun 12. Epub ahead of print.
Choi EK, Ro JY, Ayala AG. Calcified amorphous tumor of the heart: case report and review of the literature. Methodist Debakey Cardiovasc J.
2014 Jan;10(1):38-40.
Churg A, Allen T, Borczuk AC, Cagle PT, Galateau-Sallé F, Hwang H, Murer B, Murty VV, Ordonez N, Tazelaar HD, Wick M. Well-differentiated papillary mesothelioma with invasive foci. Am J Surg Pathol. 2014 Jul;38(7):990-8.
Clement CG, Truong LD. An evaluation of Congo red fluorescence for the diagnosis of amyloidosis. Hum Pathol. 2014 May 8. Epub ahead of print.
Dave B, Granados-Principal S, Zhu R, Benz S, Rabizadeh S, Soon-Shiong P, Yu KD, Shao Z, Li X, Gilcrease M, Lai Z, Chen Y, Huang TH, Shen H, Liu
X, Ferrari M, Zhan M, Wong ST, Kumaraswami M, Mittal V, Chen X, Gross SS, Chang JC. Targeting RPL39 and MLF2 reduces tumor initiation and
metastasis in breast cancer by inhibiting nitric oxide synthase signaling. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2014 Jun 17;111(24):8838-43.
Dhingra S, Qureshi R, Abdellatif A, Gaber LW, Truong LD. Tubulointerstitial nephritis in systemic lupus erythematosus: innocent bystander or
ominous presage. Histol Histopathol. 2014 May;29(5):553-65.
Dorman SE, Belknap R, Graviss EA, Reves R, Schluger N, Weinfurter P, Wang Y, Cronin W, Hirsch-Moverman Y, Teeter LD, Parker M, Garrett DO,
Daley CL; Tuberculosis Epidemiologic Studies Consortium. Interferon-gamma release assays and tuberculin skin testing for diagnosis of latent
tuberculosis infection in healthcare workers in the United States. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2014 Jan 1;189(1):77-87.
El Sahly HM, Teeter LD, Musser JM, Graviss EA. Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteraemia: experience from a non-endemic urban centre. Clin
Microbiol Infect. 2014 Mar;20(3):263-8.
Fischer AH, Schwartz MR, Moriarty AT, Wilbur DC, Souers R, Fatheree L, Booth CN, Clayton AC, Kurtyz DF, Padmanabhan V, Crothers BA. Immunohistochemistry practices of cytopathology laboratories: a survey of participants in the College of American Pathologists Nongynecologic
Cytopathology Education Program. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2014 May 19. Epub ahead of print.
Fiskus W, Sharma S, Shah B, Portier BP, Devaraj SG, Liu K, Iyer SP, Bearss D, Bhalla KN. Highly effective combination of LSD1 (KDM1A) antagonist
and pan-histone deacetylase inhibitor against human AML cells. Leukemia. 2014 Apr 4. Epub ahead of print.
Fiskus W, Sharma S, Qi J, Valenta JA, Schaub LJ, Shah B, Peth K, Portier BP, Rodriguez M, Devaraj SG, Zhan M, Sheng J, Iyer SP, Bradner JE, Bhalla
KN. Highly active combination of BRD4 antagonist and histone deacetylase inhibitor against human acute myelogenous leukemia cells. Mol
Cancer Ther. 2014 May;13(5):1142-54.
Fitzgibbons PL, Bradley LA, Fatheree LA, Alsabeh R, Fulton RS, Goldsmith JD, Haas TS, Karabakhtsian RG, Loykasek PA, Marolt MJ, Shen SS,
Smith AT, Swanson PE. Principles of analytic validation of immunohistochemical assays: guideline from the College of American Pathologists
Pathology and Laboratory Quality Center. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2014 Mar 19. Epub ahead of print.
Fuller G, Kew Y, Sun D, Powell SZ, Ahmed NM, Zhang N, Pati D. Overexpression and constitutive nuclear localization of cohesin protease Separase protein correlates with high incidence of relapse and reduced overall survival in glioblastoma multiforme. J Neurooncol. 2014 May 4. Epub
ahead of print.
Gorman BK, Lariscy JT, Kaushik C. Gender, acculturation, and smoking behavior among U.S. Asian and Latino immigrants. Soc Sci Med. 2014
Apr;106:110-8.
Huang J, Hu W, Bottsford-Miller J, Liu T, Han HD, Zand B, Pradeep S, Roh JW, Thanapprapasr D, Dalton HJ, Pecot CV, Rupaimoole R, Lu C, Fellman
B, Urbauer D, Kang Y, Jennings NB, Huang L, Deavers MT, Broaddus R, Coleman RL, Sood AK. Cross-talk between EphA2 and BRaf/CRaf is a key
determinant of response to Dasatinib. Clin Cancer Res. 2014 Apr 1;20(7):1846-55.
Itano O, Ikoma N, Takei H, Oshima G, Kitagawa Y. The Superficial Precoagulation, Sealing, and Transection Method: A “Bloodless” and “Ecofriendly” Laparoscopic Liver Transection Technique. Surg Laparosc Endosc Percutan Tech. 2014 Jun 3. Epub ahead of print.
Jerz JL, Donohue RE, Mody RR, Schwartz MR, Mody DR, Zieske AW. Detection of malignancy in body fluids: a comparison of the hematology and
cytology laboratories. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2014 May;138(5):651-7.
THE LABORATORY REPORT Summer 2014
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Li X, Deng Y, Lin L, Gao D, Graviss EA, Ma X. HIV infection among TB and non-TB patients in China, 2009-2012. J Infect. 2014 Apr;68(4):399-400.
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Thakur VS, Liang YW, Lingappan K, Jiang W, Wang L, Barrios R, Zhou G, Guntupalli B, Shivanna B, Maturu P, Welty SE, Moorthy B, Couroucli XI.
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THE LABORATORY REPORT is a publication of the Houston Methodist Department
of Pathology and Genomic Medicine
Editor-in-Chief
April Ewton, MD
Editorial Coordinator
Yekaterina Khotskaya, PhD
Editorial Committee
Hazel Awalt, MD
Christopher Leveque, MD
Claudia Molina, MD
Seema Mullick, MD
Thu Ngo, MD
Steven Shen, MD, PhD
Ping Wang, PhD
Department Chair
James M. Musser, MD, PhD
Houston Methodist Hospital
Clare Lee, MBA
Manuel Hinojosa, MHA