Resident Training Program in Laboratory Animal Pathology

Contacts

Stephen M. Griffey, DVM, PhD
Director - Comparative Pathology Laboratory
Clinical Professor of Laboratory Animal Pathology
School of Veterinary Medicine
University of California, Davis
smgriffey@ucdavis.edu
530-752-2832
fax 530-754-9159

Ross P. Tarara, DVM, PhD
Pathologist - California National Primate Research Center
University of Caliornia, Davis
rptarara@ucdavis.edu
530-752-7241

Objectives

1. To provide non-degree, postdoctoral training in laboratory animal anatomic pathology appropriate for a veterinarian preparing for the certification examination in Veterinary Pathology of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists.

2. To provide veterinarians the necessary background and awareness in anatomic pathology with an emphasis on Laboratory Animal Pathology to enter a Ph.D. degree program in pathology (Graduate Group in Comparative Pathology).

3. To provide experience in the teaching of anatomic pathology to veterinary students and lab animal medicine residents in a laboratory setting.

4. To provide comparative pathology training through collaboration on laboratory animal research projects.

5. To provide training in laboratory animal diagnostics and phenotyping of genetically engineered mice (GEM).

Justification

Residents perform an important role in carrying out the teaching and diagnostic functions of the Comparative Pathology Laboratory (CPL) and the California National Primate Research Center (CNPRC) as they train to become veterinary pathologists.

There is a continuing demand for well-trained veterinary pathologists by academic and research institutions and by industry particularly with an emphasis on Laboratory Animal and Comparative Pathology. The hallmarks of adequate training are diplomate status of the A.C.V.P. and a Ph.D. degree in experimental pathology.

The Comparative Pathology Laboratory is responsible for diagnostics and health monitoring of animals used in research on the UC Davis campus, other UC campuses and private industry. There are approximately 2500 submissions per year that include necropsy and biopsy specimens from the health monitoring programs and collaborative service research projects. In addition, training in pathologic phenotyping of genetically engineered mice is provided in conjunction with the UC Davis Center for Comparative Medicine, Mouse Biology Program and the Mutant Mouse Regional Resource Center.

The California National Primate Research Center Pathology Service provides diagnostic support for the breeding colony and research groups both within and outside the CNPRC through necropsies (1002 in year 2001) and biopsies (209 in the year 2001) according to standard operating procedures that are reviewed/revised annually. The primary objective of this unit is to provide a diagnostic service for spontaneous mortality and for culled animals with chronic disease, as well as to monitor for subclinical disease. The PathologyUnit also performs special (terminal) procedures for investigators at the CNPRC, as well as for investigators outside the facility either under contract or as part of the Bio-specimen Request Program administered by the Pathology Unit. These procedures include perfusions of specified organs (brain, liver, lung, uterus, etc.) with specific fixatives, sterile collection of specific tissues (blood, CSF, and various organs) at euthanasia/necropsy, collection of tissues for specialized analyses such as immunohistochemistry or electron microscopy, and GLP necropsies, as well as antemortem collection of tissues (blood), CSF, lymphoid tissues, and brain) for in vitro studies. The Pathology Unit also handles the collection, organization, storage, and retrieval of wet tissues, tissue blocks, glass slides, and kodachrome slides of pathologic lesions and maintains these as a resource for researchers both here and around the world.

Qualifications Required for Candidate

D.V.M. or equivalent degree from an accredited veterinary school and academically qualified for admission as a graduate student to the University of California, Davis.

Program Description

The residency program is structured to provide the professional guidance, facilities, and materials for graduate veterinarians to obtain expertise in the discipline of anatomic pathology. Our intent is to provide 1 year 4 months residency training after 1 year 8 months of formal residency training in veterinary anatomic pathology at the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. This will further develop skills in morphologic and diagnostic pathology and provide a fundamental understanding of disease and Laboratory Animal Pathology via assignments at at the Comparative Pathology Laboratory (primarily rodent and rabit diagnostics), California National Primate Research Center (Non-human primate pathology), Center for Comparative Medicine (Murine Research diagnostics), and the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (Veterinary Anatomic Pathology).

Primary commitment after VMTH anatomic pathology training will be 25-75% at the CPL and 25-75% at the CNPRC (Total to equal 100%) with release time to participate in Center for Comparative Pathology and Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital Pathology activities.

While at CPL:

• The resident will be housed at the CPL and supervised by the Director of CPL.
• Spend at lease four dedicated weeks per quarter on duty at the CPL.

Objectives of weekly duty:

• Exposure to research pathology environment and learn/apply SOP's of rodent pathology, phenotyping, and diagnostics (including Clinical pathology, Microbiology, Parasitology, Molecular diagnostics, and serology).
• Perform necropsies and trim in tissue sample submissions on all cases.
• Responsible for timely review and finalization with faculty mentor of all cases.
• Do resident research project related to phenotypic evaluation of a GEM or rodent pathology for publication/presentation.
• Attend classes/seminars relevant to Comparative/rodent pathology including weekly Laboratory Animal Seminars and Rounds.
  
• Spend at least 2 hours a week reviewing didactic histology with faculty mentors.

While at CNPRC:

• The resident will be housed at CNPRC and supervised by the senior staff pathologists.
  
• The resident will be responsible for the performance of necropsies; trimming of histopathology samples for histopathology processing, microscopic examination of tissues, and timely review/finalization of all cases from the weeks on CNPRC duty.
  
• The objective will be to reinforce basic principles of pathology via their application to non-human primates in both clinical (colony management) and research settings. Toward this end a program, outlined below, has been formulated to give participants experience in the diagnostic and experimental necropsy of non-human primates with emphasis on specific safety precautions and a variety of specialized procedures to include the following:
  - appropriate use of protective clothing
  - Biosafety Level (BSL) II, III procedures
  - proper waste management
  - implementation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)
  - conduct of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) studies
  - tissue handling techniques
  - lesion recognition and description (gross and microscopic)
  - special experimental techniques
• In addition to participation in necropsies, residents will be expected to take part in the following training activities:
  - biweekly gross pathology rounds - review of tissues from recent necropsy cases
  - biweekly histopathology rounds - review of previous two weeks' necropsy and biopsy cases at multi-headed microscope or vieo screen
  - montly morbidity and mortality rounds - correlation of gross and microscopic lesions from selected cases with clinical findings and laboratory results
  - examination of slide sets depicting characteristic lesions in non-human primates
  - preparation of literature summary of a selected primate pathology topic
  - presentations/publications where appropriate
• Ancillary training opportunities to include:
  - Special Pathology Chourse (Spring Quarter) - presentation of a sampling of classic non-human primate disease
  - American College of Veterinary Pathology Certification Examination Review (Summer Quarter) - presentation of kodachrome slides of non-human primate gross lesions

While at CCM:

• Participate in weekly mouse pathology rounds and collaborate on GEM studies with CCM faculty. (This is year round, regardless of primary commitment.)

While at VMTH:

• Participate in classes/seminars/rounds similar to other pathology trainees in preparation for the certification examination in Veterinary Pathology of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists (this is year round, regardless of primary commitment).

Objectives

Residents are evaluated on a semiannual basis using completion of teh objectives outlined as a criteria for successful completion. Certificates are awarded to individuals who have fulfilled the objectives of the residency and completed a paper for submission for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

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