On June 5, 2025, Jessica Teitel completed her doctoral journey in Molecular and Cellular Pathology, defending her thesis, Pan-Cancer Myc Modulator Induces Selective Cell Death Following Mitotic Catastrophe, and earning her PhD. Teitel’s journey began with a Bachelor of Science Honors Degree with Distinction in Biological Sciences from the University of Delaware. This is when she discovered her interest in research and completed a senior honors thesis in a neuroscience/psychology laboratory. Over the summers of her undergraduate years, she interned at Merck. There, she learned molecular biology techniques and was encouraged to pursue graduate studies.
Dr. Roberta Caruso's Sources of Joy
Dr. Greg Dressler retires from the Department of Pathology
In the Department of Pathology, we have scholars at all levels working in our laboratories. One of these, undergraduate Harini Ram, was recently recognized as the recipient of the 2025 Astronaut Scholarship, the only one to receive this scholarship from the University of Michigan this year, and only the 18th in the history of this award. According to the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, this award is presented to students in their junior or senior year of college who are pursuing a STEM field (science, technology, engineering, or mathematics) with the intention of conducting research or advancing their field upon completion of their final degree. These scholars represent the “best and brightest minds in STEM who show initiative, creativity, and excellence in their chosen field,” reports the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation.
Imagine your friend is in kidney failure and desperately needs a new kidney. You are tested, but you are not a close enough match. You watch as your friend struggles to survive, going through dialysis. You feel helpless…but there is nothing you can do. Or is there?
The University of Michigan participates in the nationwide paired donation program that enables patients on the kidney transplant list to obtain donor kidneys more quickly [...]
The Department of Pathology is pleased to announce Lynn McCain as the winner of Michigan Medicine's inaugural MGROW Team Member Champion Award. McCain's creative and practical solution stood out among 53 submitted ideas aimed at reducing administrative burden and inefficiencies.
Dr. Jennifer Brazil's Contributions to Inflammatory Bowel Disease Research
Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), which measures your heart’s ability to pump oxygen-rich blood out to your body, remains a leading cause of death and hospitalization worldwide. Over the last three decades, clinical trials have highlighted the efficacy of four key medication classes- Beta-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEis), angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitors (ARNI), and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i). Together, these medications form the pillars of guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT), which has significantly improved patient outcomes, contributing to up to a 70% reduction in mortality among HFrEF patients.
A fascinating glimpse into cutting-edge research