Yale Pathology Meets in Madison for Department Retreat; First In-Person Gathering Since Pandemic Began

Chen Liu, MD, PhD, Chair of the Department of Pathology, welcomed the faculty and staff of Yale Pathology to the Water’s Edge Resort in Madison on April 2 for a full-day retreat, the department’s first in-person gathering since the coronavirus pandemic began more than two years ago.

The retreat, originally scheduled for Spring 2020, drew over 100 attendees, including faculty, graduate students, residents, fellows, postdocs, postgraduates, and managers. Most importantly, it provided an opportunity for the community to network that so many of us had missed over the past two years. The theme of the event was, “After two years of isolation, it’s time to bond.”

The day began with a welcome from Dr. Liu followed by a keynote speech — “The Promise and Peril of Group Life”—by Yarrow Dunham, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychology with Tenure, Director of the Social Cognitive Development Lab at Yale University. Dr. Dunham highlighted his research, which reflected the theme of coming together as a group.

In addition, several faculty and staff members were honored for milestone anniversaries with the department and annual awards were presented. Michael Kashgarian, MD, FASN, Professor Emeritus of Pathology and Professor Emeritus of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, was honored with the Yale Pathology Lifetime Achievement Award. Dr. Kashgarian, also a Senior Research Scientist in the Department of Pathology, was able to attend the ceremony via Zoom and address the gathering. Dr. Kashgarian and Joseph Madri, MD, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Pathology, were also honored with Yale Pathology Recognition and Appreciation of Generous Financial Support awards.

A large group of trainees then presented lightning talks where each person introduced themselves and highlighted their research, which was illustrated on posters each presented. Poster presentation winners were Denethi Wijegunawardana, a Postgraduate Researcher, and Deepika Kumar, MD, a Clinical Fellow.

This was followed by a presentation of short vignettes from eight faculty and staff members on what they do each day as part of their role at Yale Pathology. Thanks to Xuchen Zhang, MD, PhD; Pallavi Gopal, MD, PhD; Cindy DeRiso, Senior Pathology Manager; Christine Minerowicz, MD, BA; Katerina Politi, PhD; Keri Stratton, Pathology Manager; Uma Krishnamurti, MD, MBBS, PhD; and Won Jae Huh, MD, PhD, for sharing their experiences.

After lunch and the awards ceremony, Peter Humphrey, MD, PhD, and Vishwa Deep Dixit, DVM, PhD, gave presentations highlighting their respective research advances in Pathology. The day culminated with a group of faculty providing advice to trainees, discussing the obstacles they faced while building their careers and giving suggestions for advancement. Those panelists were Manju Prasad, MD, MBBS; Steven Kleinstein, PhD; David Rimm, MD, PhD; Themis Kyriakides, PhD; and Natalia Buza, MD.

Special thanks to Sam Katz, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Pathology, and Rachel Lyke, EdD, Faculty Support Supervisor, for organizing the successful retreat.