April 8, 2026

Michigan Researchers Uncover How a 'Frankenstein' Gene Fuels Aggressive Childhood Cancer

By Anastazia Hartman Researchers in the Parolia Lab at the University of Michigan have uncovered how a single genetic event can make Ewing sarcoma—a rare and aggressive bone and soft tissue cancer that primarily affects children and young adults—more dangerous. Their findings reveal that when a gene called STAG2 is lost, the core cancer-driving protein EWS-FLI1 is redirected toward powerful genetic “on switches” that dramatically boost tumor-promoting genes. Ewing sarcomas arise from a genetic accident causing a fusion between two independent genes, EWSR1 and FLI1. When parts of these genes

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April 7, 2026

From Health Lab: Researchers identify new therapeutic target for neuroendocrine tumors in the gastrointestinal tract

By Anastazia Hartman Researchers identify new therapeutic target for neuroendocrine tumors in the gastrointestinal tract Targeting two separate pathways that control lipid synthesis led to longer survival in mouse models By Ananya Sen Neuroendocrine cells are unique in their ability to act both as nerve cells and hormone-making cells. They're scattered throughout the body, including the stomach, intestines, pancreas and lungs. Tumors that arise from these cells are called neuroendocrine tumors and are often rare and slow growing. Around 70% of all neuroendocrine tumors arise in the pancreas or

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March 31, 2026

Vascular STING activation facilitates NK cell anti-tumor immunity in small cell lung cancer

By Anastazia Hartman Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive form of lung cancer, in part because many tumors evade the immune system. SCLC does this by shutting down MHC-I, a molecule that normally acts like a “red flag” to alert T cells to recognize and attack cancer cells. Ironically, this should make SCLC vulnerable to another type of immune cell, natural killer (NK) cells, which are designed to detect and destroy cells that lack MHC-I. NK cells can kill SCLC cells in laboratory settings; however, in SCLC patients, NK cells are largely absent from the tumor environment. Navin R

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February 20, 2026

A New Genome-Wide Tool for Detecting Cancer-Causing Rearrangements in Routine Lymphoma Biopsies

By Anastazia Hartman A collaborative team of researchers from the University of Michigan, New York University, and Arima Genomics has developed a new method that improves the detection of genomic rearrangements in lymphomas and multiple myeloma. The research, published this week in the journal Cell Genomics, was led by Russell Ryan, MD, of the University of Michigan Department of Pathology, and Matija Snuderl, MD, of the New York University Department of Pathology, in collaboration with Anthony Schmitt and colleagues at Arima Genomics, a biotechnology company that developed the assay, called

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February 4, 2026

Targeting a metabolite as a therapy for childhood ependymomas

By Sriram Venneti Ependymomas are the third most common pediatric brain tumor, affecting roughly 250 children in the United States each year. Most cases are diagnosed in children eight years old or younger. Despite decades of research, current treatments extend survival but rarely cure the disease. A new study published in Nature by Dr. Sriram Venneti’s laboratory at the University of Michigan’s Department of Pathology and the Chad Carr Pediatric Brain Tumor Center has identified a surprising driver of ependymoma growth: a molecule called itaconate. The discovery opens the door to new

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November 13, 2025

Dr. Madelyn Lew Changing Medical Education for Michigan Medical Students

In the Department of Pathology, Madelyn Lew, MD, goes above and beyond in medical education, solidifying her excellence in pathology and education. This year, for the Faculty and Staff Awards, she was awarded the Lifetime Achievement in Medical Education Award. Lew is the director of the program for learning innovation and career enhancement, a Clinical Professor of Pathology, and the Director of Pathology Education and Curriculum. Lew was nominated by her colleagues and trainees.

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November 5, 2025

Drs. Ali-Fehmi and Mehra Named to Hour Detroit’s 2025 “Top Docs” List

Congratulations to Dr. Rouba Ali-Fehmi and Dr. Rohit Mehra for being named among Hour Detroit magazine’s “Top Docs” of 2025. Drs. Ali-Fehmi and Mehra are two of only six pathologists recognized this year out of more than 1,000 physicians across all specialties, highlighting the department’s ongoing excellence in research, education, and clinical leadership.

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October 15, 2025

From Patient Mysteries to Breakthroughs: Dr. Kejian Zhang’s Lifelong Mission

The Department of Pathology is home to world-class faculty from around the world. One of these is Dr. Kejian Zhang, clinical professor and director of the molecular genetics laboratory in the Division of Genetics and Genomics. Zhang originally came to the United States to learn how to perform clinical research. “I started at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital performing research in the Hematology Oncology department. I was there for seven or eight years before I started my fellowship in human genetics.

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