The Translational Research Program offered by NYU Langone’s Department of Pathology provides faculty, residents, and fellows with the financial, intellectual, and administrative resources they need to conduct clinically relevant, high-impact research.

About Us

Our program seeks to promote academic careers in pathology by supporting faculty member-led projects as well as projects led by pathology clinical trainees. We sponsor and support pathology investigator-initiated projects and encourage collaborations between members of the Department of Pathology and other NYU Langone researchers, including members of the basic science community. Twice a year, we host research “blitzes” to bring trainees and faculty members together to forge research collaborations, and we also host a monthly Works in Progress Series in which investigators leading Translational Research Program-funded projects and invited speakers leading research efforts of interest to the translational pathology community share their most recent data and gain valuable feedback from Department of Pathology faculty and trainees.

Through these combined activities, our program aims to promote a culture of innovation and discovery in which pathology-oriented investigators strive to solve important questions related to the development and diagnosis of human disease.

Funding Requests

We accept research proposals from Department of Pathology faculty, residents, clinical fellows, and clinical research fellows. We are particularly interested in supporting projects led by Department of Pathology clinical trainees. We evaluate proposals for scientific merit and feasibility, and proposals from all areas of translational pathology will be considered. Proposals should be completed within one year following project approval.

We offer guidance to trainees and faculty throughout the application process and can serve as a liaison between the department and NYU Langone administration for research-related issues, including for issues related to institutional review board application process. We also offer support in the administration of research funds and active monitoring of project outcomes.

Application Guidelines

For faculty: While not required, we encourage faculty to include resident and fellow trainees as co-investigators in research projects. Please complete the online application below.

For trainees: Before you submit an application, review the list of faculty who are available to sponsor research projects to identify those whose research interests align with yours. You are encouraged to email potential faculty sponsors to discuss your proposal.

After you and a faculty sponsor agree on a project, you should complete the online application below with guidance from your sponsor.

Applications will be reviewed by Christopher Y. Park, MD, PhD, program director, and a group of volunteer Department of Pathology faculty members. We may contact applicants with follow-up questions before making final decisions.

How to Apply

Applicants must complete and submit the Translational Research Program online application. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis throughout the year, and we typically make decisions within two to three weeks of receiving applications.

For all studies that involve use of NYU Langone research cores, a written estimate of project cost prepared by the research core director should be submitted with the application template in order to be considered.

Works in Progress Series

We hold a monthly Works in Progress Series at which awardees and faculty sponsors share their ongoing work. This informal, supportive group setting gives trainees an opportunity to hone their presentation skills and receive expert feedback from their clinical and basic science colleagues.

In addition, awardees are required to submit a written progress report every six months for the duration of their research project.

Resources

Residents and fellows whose projects are selected for funding have access to a range of resources at NYU Langone. Many awardees rely on expert assistance from scientific cores and shared resources including the following:

• Applied Bioinformatics Laboratories
• Biostatistics Resource
• Center for Biospecimen Research and Development
• Experimental Pathology Research Laboratory
• Genome Technology Center

All of NYU Langone’s scientific cores and shared resources maintain the highest technical standards and welcome multidisciplinary collaboration.

Funded Translational Research Projects

While we consider any project that seeks to address important unresolved questions in pathology, a partial list of funded projects is provided below:

• functional characterization of TERT gene fusions in ovarian granulosa cell tumors
• application of EZH2 immunohistochemistry in duct brushing cytology diagnosis
• defining morphologic and molecular characteristics of the human breast interstitium and its role in disease
• immuno-oncologic pathway analysis of the tumor microenvironment in early onset‒ and colitis-associated colorectal carcinoma: a pilot study
• development and adult anatomy of the human interstitium
• immune checkpoint pathways in heart transplant rejection
• defining morphologic and molecular characteristics of early stage primary sclerosing cholangitis
• how does noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features (NIFTP) compare to encapsulated and non-encapsulated follicular variants of papillary thyroid carcinoma? An examination into next generation sequencing molecular profiles
• immunostain of C-reactive protein in differentiating focal nodular hyperplasia from hepatocellular adenoma
• methylation profiling of histologic subtypes of renal cell carcinoma
• single-cell transcriptome studies of the follicular lymphoma tumor microenvironment

Contact Us

If you have questions or comments about the Translational Research Program or the appropriateness of any project for our funding mechanism, please email Dr. Park at Christopher.Park@NYULangone.org.

If you have questions about how to apply, please email Marta Maltese at Marta.Maltese@NYULangone.org.