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When Dr. Robert Humble came to the University of Michigan to complete his Genitourinary Pathology fellowship, he thought this would be a one-year stay. "I think we’d been here about six weeks when I had an important discussion while on a walk with my husband, Anthony, who is a pharmacist, and our dog, Rooster. I asked Anthony if he was open to staying in Ann Arbor, and he promptly replied, ‘I was hoping you would say that!’" They really enjoy Ann Arbor’s college town vibe, with its mix of people from everywhere, great food scene, programming offered through the University, and having the rest of Metro Detroit nearby. "Washtenaw County and the entire state of Michigan have so many parks and preserves that are perfect for getting outside with the dog. Then there is the UP; it is just beautiful up there! I was oblivious to all of this when I came here for fellowship. It was a delight to discover that Michigan is such a wonderful place to live.”
Robert (Rob) Humble, MD, MS, was always interested in sciences and complex systems as a child. In high school, his chemistry and biology teachers suggested he should pursue a career in the sciences. He decided to go to the University of Iowa to pursue a degree in integrative physiology. He then moved to Chicago’s Rosalind Franklin University, where he obtained a master’s degree in biomedical sciences. While he was applying to medical schools, he found a job as a Lab Tech in the Core Lab at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics, where he worked in clinical chemistry, send-outs, and accessioning. “That opened my eyes to the world of diagnostics, the complexity present in pathology, and its role in guiding patient management decisions.”
When Humble attended medical school, he kept his options open, but knew he was interested in pathology. Nothing dissuaded him from this course, and after graduating from the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine in 2019, he continued his training at the University of Iowa, where he completed his AP/CP residency and general surgical pathology fellowship. He originally planned to stay at Iowa for a cytopathology fellowship, but his residency program director knew he was interested in kidney tumors and GU pathology. “She told me that if I wanted to do this in an academic setting, I needed to have dedicated GU training.” He explored his options and selected Michigan as his first choice. “Michigan has a strong reputation, an excellent case mix, and the Prostate SPORE, which was of interest to me. I was also particularly interested in working with Priya Kunju, MD, Rohit Mehra, MD, Angela Wu, MD, and Aaron Udager, MD, PhD. I talked with them at meetings and interviewed with them. I was excited to come and work with them for my fellowship.”
Upon completion of his GU fellowship, Humble was excited to have the opportunity to stay on as faculty. He spends most of his time signing out GU cases, but he also uses his general surgical pathology training to sign out Room 1 (mostly thoracic and head and neck pathology) cases and spend time on the frozen section services. “It is nice to have a variety of things to go between, so I stay sharp in my skills.” As a GU pathologist, Humble diagnoses and stages a variety of GU cancers. “Giving an accurate diagnosis is essential so our patient-facing colleagues can help patients make informed therapeutic decisions.”
In addition to providing this clinical care, Humble is interested in clinical research. “I am interested in clinical biomarkers in general, but especially those related to GU cancers. Right now, I’m working on projects involving diagnostic biomarkers in prostate and kidney cancers.” He is also interested in the relationship between morphology and underlying molecular alterations.
Providing trainees with exposure to GU pathology is another of Humble’s passions. “It is fun and rewarding to work with trainees on their 2-week rotations and see their progress. I have a slide set that I share with those who are interested, and we take about an hour to go over the slides together. It is inspiring to see when things begin to click for them. It is so gratifying to be on the other side of the scope now.” This is one of the great joys for him professionally. He also enjoys being able to render accurate diagnoses for patients, especially on challenging cases.
Personally, he takes joy in simple things, like going on walks with his husband and dog, experimenting with new dishes in the kitchen, and playing the piano.
ON THE COVER
Breast team reviewing a patient's slide. (From left to right) Ghassan Allo, Fellow; Laura Walters, Clinical Lecturer; Celina Kleer, Professor. See Article |
newsletter
INSIDE PATHOLOGYAbout Our NewsletterInside Pathology is an newsletter published by the Chairman's Office to bring news and updates from inside the department's research and to become familiar with those leading it. It is our hope that those who read it will enjoy hearing about those new and familiar, and perhaps help in furthering our research. CONTENTS
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ON THE COVER
Autopsy Technician draws blood while working in the Wayne County morgue. See Article |
newsletter
INSIDE PATHOLOGYAbout Our NewsletterInside Pathology is an newsletter published by the Chairman's Office to bring news and updates from inside the department's research and to become familiar with those leading it. It is our hope that those who read it will enjoy hearing about those new and familiar, and perhaps help in furthering our research. CONTENTS
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ON THE COVER
Dr. Sriram Venneti, MD, PhD and Postdoctoral Fellow, Chan Chung, PhD investigate pediatric brain cancer. See Article |
newsletter
INSIDE PATHOLOGYAbout Our NewsletterInside Pathology is an newsletter published by the Chairman's Office to bring news and updates from inside the department's research and to become familiar with those leading it. It is our hope that those who read it will enjoy hearing about those new and familiar, and perhaps help in furthering our research. CONTENTS
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ON THE COVER
Director of the Neuropathology Fellowship, Dr. Sandra Camelo-Piragua serves on the Patient and Family Advisory Council. |
newsletter
INSIDE PATHOLOGYAbout Our NewsletterInside Pathology is an newsletter published by the Chairman's Office to bring news and updates from inside the department's research and to become familiar with those leading it. It is our hope that those who read it will enjoy hearing about those new and familiar, and perhaps help in furthering our research. CONTENTS
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ON THE COVER
Residents Ashley Bradt (left) and William Perry work at a multi-headed scope in our new facility. |
newsletter
INSIDE PATHOLOGYAbout Our NewsletterInside Pathology is an newsletter published by the Chairman's Office to bring news and updates from inside the department's research and to become familiar with those leading it. It is our hope that those who read it will enjoy hearing about those new and familiar, and perhaps help in furthering our research. CONTENTS
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ON THE COVER
Dr. Kristine Konopka (right) instructing residents while using a multi-headed microscope. |
newsletter
INSIDE PATHOLOGYAbout Our NewsletterInside Pathology is an newsletter published by the Chairman's Office to bring news and updates from inside the department's research and to become familiar with those leading it. It is our hope that those who read it will enjoy hearing about those new and familiar, and perhaps help in furthering our research. CONTENTS
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ON THE COVER
Patient specimens poised for COVID-19 PCR testing. |
newsletter
INSIDE PATHOLOGYAbout Our NewsletterInside Pathology is an newsletter published by the Chairman's Office to bring news and updates from inside the department's research and to become familiar with those leading it. It is our hope that those who read it will enjoy hearing about those new and familiar, and perhaps help in furthering our research. CONTENTS
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ON THE COVER
Dr. Pantanowitz demonstrates using machine learning in analyzing slides. |
newsletter
INSIDE PATHOLOGYAbout Our NewsletterInside Pathology is an newsletter published by the Chairman's Office to bring news and updates from inside the department's research and to become familiar with those leading it. It is our hope that those who read it will enjoy hearing about those new and familiar, and perhaps help in furthering our research. CONTENTS
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ON THE COVER
(Left to Right) Drs. Angela Wu, Laura Lamps, and Maria Westerhoff. |
newsletter
INSIDE PATHOLOGYAbout Our NewsletterInside Pathology is an newsletter published by the Chairman's Office to bring news and updates from inside the department's research and to become familiar with those leading it. It is our hope that those who read it will enjoy hearing about those new and familiar, and perhaps help in furthering our research. CONTENTS
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ON THE COVER
Illustration representing the various machines and processing used within our labs. |
newsletter
INSIDE PATHOLOGYAbout Our NewsletterInside Pathology is an newsletter published by the Chairman's Office to bring news and updates from inside the department's research and to become familiar with those leading it. It is our hope that those who read it will enjoy hearing about those new and familiar, and perhaps help in furthering our research. CONTENTS
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ON THE COVER
Rendering of the D. Dan and Betty Khn Health Care Pavilion. Credit: HOK |
newsletter
INSIDE PATHOLOGYAbout Our NewsletterInside Pathology is an newsletter published by the Chairman's Office to bring news and updates from inside the department's research and to become familiar with those leading it. It is our hope that those who read it will enjoy hearing about those new and familiar, and perhaps help in furthering our research. CONTENTS
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MLabs, established in 1985, functions as a portal to provide pathologists, hospitals. and other reference laboratories access to the faculty, staff and laboratories of the University of Michigan Health System’s Department of Pathology. MLabs is a recognized leader for advanced molecular diagnostic testing, helpful consultants and exceptional customer service.