Medical Specialties Commons^™

Neutralizing Antibody Immune Correlates For A Recombinant Protein Vaccine In The Covail Trial, Youyi Fong, Lauren Dang, Bo Zhang, Jonathan Fintzi, Shiyu Chen, Jing Wang, Nadine G Rouphael, Angela R Branche, David J Diemert, Ann R Falsey, Cecilia Losada, Lindsey R Baden, Sharon E Frey, Jennifer A Whitaker, Susan J Little, Satoshi Kamidani, Emmanuel B Walter, Richard M Novak, Richard Rupp, Lisa A Jackson, Chenchen Yu, Craig A Magaret, Cindy Molitor, Bhavesh Borate, Tara M Babu, Angelica C Kottkamp, Anne F Luetkemeyer, Lilly C Immergluck, Rachel M Presti, Martín Bäcker, Patricia L Winokur, Siham M Mahgoub, Paul A Goepfert, Dahlene N Fusco, Robert L Atmar, Christine M Posavad, Jinjian Mu, Mat Makowski, Mamodikoe K Makhene, Seema U Nayak, Paul C Roberts, Dean Follmann, Peter B Gilbert

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

For COVAIL recipients of a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Sanofi booster vaccine, neutralizing antibody titers were assessed as a correlate of risk (CoR) of COVID-19. Peak and exposure-proximal titers were inverse CoRs with covariate-adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) 0.30 (0.11, 0.78) and 0.25 (0.07, 0.85) per 10-fold increase in weighted average titer.

Global Guideline For The Diagnosis And Management Of Candidiasis: An Initiative Of The Ecmm In Cooperation With Isham And Asm, Oliver A. Cornely, Rosanne Sprute, Matteo Bassetti, Sharon C-A Chen, Andreas H. Groll, Oliver Kurzai, Cornelia Lass Flörl, Luis Ostrosky Zeichner, Riina Rautemaa Richardson, Gunturu Revathi

Pathology, East Africa

Candida species are the predominant cause of fungal infections in patients treated in hospital, contributing substantially to morbidity and mortality. Candidaemia and other forms of invasive candidiasis primarily affect patients who are immunocompromised or critically ill. In contrast, mucocutaneous forms of candidiasis, such as oral thrush and vulvovaginal candidiasis, can occur in otherwise healthy individuals. Although mucocutaneous candidiasis is generally not life-threatening, it can cause considerable discomfort, recurrent infections, and complications, particularly in patients with underlying conditions such as diabetes or in those taking immunosuppressive therapies. The rise of difficult-to-treat Candida infections is driven by new host factors and antifungal …

Diagnostic Accuracy Prior To Congenital Heart Defect Surgery: A Multicenter Collaboration, Shobha S Natarajan, Kasey Chaszczewski, Chris Penney, Steve Ampah, Douglas Ryba, Andrea T Kennedy, Robert Olsen, Shubhika Srivastava, Matthew J Campbell, Mya Carney, Carol Prospero, Lisa Elliott, Carlie Brewer, Michael Dimaria, Nitin Madan, Seda Tierney, Meaghan Beattie, Ritu Sachdeva, Joan Lipinski, Kenan W D Stern, Grace Kong, Preeta Dhanantwari, Elena N Kwon, Hari Rajagopal, Carolyn Taylor, Tammy Churchill, Aura A Sanchez Mejia, Deidra Abenlah Ansah, Anitha Parthiban, Hasti Sanandajifar, Sowmya Balasubramanian, David A Parra, Kimberly Crum, Corey Stiver, Aarti H Bhat, Pei-Ni Jone, Stefani Samples, Kathleen Van't Hof, Curt Degroff, Dalia Lopez-Colon, Meryl S Cohen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Echocardiography is the mainstay for diagnosing congenital heart disease (CHD). Diagnostic errors can lead to suboptimal surgical outcomes.

Objectives: This multicenter pediatric echocardiography collaborative learning initiative explores reasons for diagnostic errors, investigates associations between patient- and center-specific factors and errors, and relays the benefits of a multicenter approach to decrease these errors as a first step to improve CHD surgical outcomes.

Methods: Participating centers submitted diagnostic evaluations on patients prior to 2-ventricle repair into a central database. We held virtual meetings to revise variables and discuss cases to learn from each other.

Results: Fourteen pediatric echocardiography laboratories entered data …

Inflammatory Hyperplastic Mass Mimicking Local Recurrence Following Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection Of A Colonic Adenoma, Isiah Gonzalez, Linda K Green, Salmaan Jawaid, Wasseem Skef

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

This case presents a hyperplastic inflammatory mass at the resection site of a colorectal tubular adenoma. A 65-year-old man with a history of alcohol-associated liver cirrhosis, >10 lifetime polyps, and a CHEK2 mutation underwent hybrid endoscopic submucosal dissection of a 3 cm lateral spreading tumor, nongranular, Paris 0-IIa polyp in the ascending colon. Postresection pathology confirmed tubular adenoma with negative margins (R0). Six-month surveillance colonoscopy in the community identified a mass at the resection site, initially suspected to be local recurrence. Repeat colonoscopy demonstrated a mass which appeared inflammatory, with a Kudo type II hyperplastic pit pattern on narrow-band imaging …

Advancing Diagnostic Accuracy And Quality Of Patient Care Through The Implementation Of A Flow Cytometry Quality Assurance Program, Dylan Wang, Hong Fang, Chi Young Ok, Jeffrey L Jorgensen, L Jeffrey Medeiros, Wei Wang, Sa A Wang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Context.—: Flow cytometry immunophenotypic analysis plays an important role in the diagnosis, classification, and disease monitoring of hematologic neoplasms. The interpretation of flow cytometry testing can be challenging.

Objective.—: To explore ways to improve diagnostic accuracy and in turn enhance the quality of patient care.

Design.—: A flow cytometry quality assurance (QA) program was developed. Cases from various complex flow cytometry panels were randomly selected and cross-reviewed. The outcomes of the QA review were categorized into 3 groups: complete agreement, minor discrepancy, and major discrepancy. Each discrepancy underwent a process of documentation, discussion, and resolution. Here we summarize our 3 …

Podoplanin And Microthrombi In Lung Injury, Jahnavi Gollamudi, Ricardo Gonzalez Delgado, Min Soon Cho, Brianne Wharton, Hani Lee, Animesh Vadaparti, Swapan K Dasgupta, Miguel A Cruz, Perumal Thiagarajan, Vahid Afshar-Kharghan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Atypical Presentation Of Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma With Metastasis To Breast Tissue, Tylar P. Seckman, Diane Krutzler-Berry, Mohamed Ashal, Waqas Mahmud, Krista L. Denning, Logan M. Lawrence

Marshall Journal of Medicine

Malignant neoplasms of the lung commonly metastasize to lymph nodes, bone, brain, and liver via hematogenous and lymphatic routes. Much less commonly, metastasis occurs in the breast. Secondary metastatic disease of the breast is very rare, with a reported incidence ranging from 0.4-1.3%­­—with primary lung cancer being one of the most anomalous sources. This case details non-small cell lung cancer metastasis to the breast with proven primary contralateral lung origination. This atypical finding prompts medical professionals to consider these malignant cells' immunologic, histologic, and pathologic makeup to understand further and treat the neoplasm.

Clinical Characteristics Of Patients With Copd And Comorbid Depression And Anxiety: Data From A National Multicenter Cohort Study, Jing Gennie Wang, Sonali Bose, Janet T Holbrook, Lin Nan, Michelle N Eakin, Abebaw M Yohannes, Robert A Wise, Nicola A Hanania

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Most studies on mental health among individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) utilize screening questionnaires, which detect psychiatric symptoms, but cannot be used to diagnose depression/anxiety disorders. We utilized the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) to identify depression/anxiety disorders meeting the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition diagnostic criteria and described associated disease burden in people with COPD.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional, secondary analysis of a multicenter study designed to evaluate anxiety questionnaires in COPD patients. Research coordinators administered both the MINI and screening questionnaires to determine participants who met diagnostic criteria for depression/anxiety …

Co-Option Of Mitochondrial Nucleic Acid-Sensing Pathways By Hsv-1 Ul12.5 For Reactivation From Latent Infection, Patryk A. Krakowiak, Matthew E. Flores, Sean R. Cuddy, Abigail L. Whitford, Sara A. Dochnal, Aleksandra Babnis, Tsuyoshi Miyake, Marco Tigano, Daniel A. Engel, Anna R. Cliffe

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Although viruses subvert innate immune pathways for their replication, there is evidence they can also co-opt antiviral responses for their benefit. The ubiquitous human pathogen, Herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1), encodes a protein (UL12.5) that induces the release of mitochondrial nucleic acid into the cytosol, which activates immune-sensing pathways and reduces productive replication in nonneuronal cells. HSV-1 establishes latency in neurons and can reactivate to cause disease. We found that UL12.5 is required for HSV-1 reactivation in neurons and acts to directly promote viral lytic gene expression during initial exit from latency. Further, the direct activation of innate immune-sensing pathways triggered …

Neutralizing Antibody Immune Correlates In Covail Trial Recipients Of An Mrna Second Covid-19 Vaccine Boost, Bo Zhang, Youyi Fong, Lauren Dang, Jonathan Fintzi, Shiyu Chen, Jing Wang, Nadine G Rouphael, Angela R Branche, David J Diemert, Ann R Falsey, Daniel S Graciaa, Lindsey R Baden, Sharon E Frey, Jennifer A Whitaker, Susan J Little, Satoshi Kamidani, Emmanuel B Walter, Richard M Novak, Richard Rupp, Lisa A Jackson, Chenchen Yu, Craig A Magaret, Cindy Molitor, Bhavesh Borate, Sydney Busch, David Benkeser, Antonia Netzl, Derek J Smith, Tara M Babu, Angelica C Kottkamp, Anne F Luetkemeyer, Lilly C Immergluck, Rachel M Presti, Martín Bäcker, Patricia L Winokur, Siham M Mahgoub, Paul A Goepfert, Dahlene N Fusco, Robert L Atmar, Christine M Posavad, Jinjian Mu, Mat Makowski, Mamodikoe K Makhene, Seema U Nayak, Paul C Roberts, Peter B Gilbert, Dean Follmann

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Neutralizing antibody titer has been a surrogate endpoint for guiding COVID-19 vaccine approval and use, although the pandemic's evolution and the introduction of variant-adapted vaccine boosters raise questions as to this surrogate's contemporary performance. For 985 recipients of an mRNA second bivalent or monovalent booster containing various Spike inserts [Prototype (Ancestral), Beta, Delta, and/or Omicron BA.1 or BA.4/5] in the COVAIL trial (NCT05289037), titers against 5 strains were assessed as correlates of risk of symptomatic COVID-19 ("COVID-19") and as correlates of relative (Pfizer-BioNTech Omicron vs. Prototype) booster protection against COVID-19 over 6 months of follow-up during the BA.2-BA.5 Omicron-dominant period. …

Myo5b And The Polygenic Landscape Of Very Early-Onset Inflammatory Bowel Disease In An Ethnically Diverse Population, Ashleigh Watson, R Alan Harris, Amy C Engevik, Numan Oezguen, Maribeth R Nicholson, Sarah Dooley, Rachel Stubler, Lisa Forbes Satter, Lina B Karam, Richard Kellermayer

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Genetic discovery in very early-onset inflammatory bowel disease (VEO-IBD) can elucidate not only the origins of VEO-IBD, but also later-onset inflammatory bowel disease. We aimed to investigate the polygenic origins of VEO-IBD in a cohort with a high proportion of Hispanic patients.

Methods: Patients with VEO-IBD who underwent whole exome sequencing at our center were included. Genes were categorized as genes of interest (GOIs) (129 genes previously described to be associated with VEO-IBD) or non-GOIs. VEO-IBD "susceptibility" single nucleotide variants (SNVs) were identified through enrichment compared with gnomAD (Genome Aggregation Database) and ALFA (Allele Frequency Aggregator) and were scored …

Elucidating The Impact Of Ribosome Biogenesis On Breast Cancer, Amr Rafat Elhamamsy

All ETDs from UAB

Ribosome biogenesis, a complex and multi-step process that occurs predominantly in the nucleolus, plays a critical role in cellular function by mediating protein synthesis through the assembly of ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) and ribosomal proteins into functional ribosomes. In cancer, dysregulation of this process is linked to the development of specialized ribosomes (onco-ribosomes) that support oncogenic translation programs, enhancing tumor progression and therapeutic resistance. This dissertation explores the interplay between ribosome biogenesis and cancer, focusing particularly on the role of RNA Polymerase I (RNA Pol I) activity under hypoxic conditions and rRNA modifications in breast cancer. My first study elucidates the …

A Thermodynamic Bottleneck In The Tca Cycle Contributes To Acetate Overflow In Staphylococcus Aureus, Nabia Shahreen, Jong-Sam Ahn, Adil Alsiyabi, Niaz Bahar Chowdhury, Dhananjay Shinde, Sujata S. Chaudhari, Kenneth W. Bayles, Vinai Chittezham Thomas, Rajib Saha

Journal Articles: Pathology and Microbiology

During aerobic growth, S. aureus relies on acetate overflow metabolism, a process where glucose is incompletely oxidized to acetate, for its bioenergetic needs. Acetate is not immediately captured as a carbon source and is excreted as waste by cells. The underlying factors governing acetate overflow in S. aureus have not been identified. Here, we show that acetate overflow is favored due to a thermodynamic bottleneck in the TCA cycle specifically involving the oxidation of succinate to fumarate by succinate dehydrogenase. This bottleneck reduces flux through the TCA cycle, making it more efficient for S. aureus to generate ATP via acetate …

Quaternized Chitosan Derivatives Inhibit Growth And Affect Biofilm Formation Of Staphylococcus Aureus, Alex Miranda, Nichole D. Brandquist, Kristen Johnson, Elena Muldiiarova, Aleksandr Fadeev, Mahboubeh Ghanbari, Jennifer L. Endres, Kenneth W. Bayles, Jason N. Mactaggart, Denis Svechkarev, Marat Sadykov, Yury Salkovskiy

Journal Articles: Pathology and Microbiology

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a global health threat, severely impeding the effective treatment of bacterial infections and jeopardizing the safety of routine medical procedures. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is particularly problematic because of its resistance to beta-lactams and the ability to form resilient biofilms. Conventional antibiotics, including last-resort options, have serious side effects and may contribute to further resistance. Chitosan, a natural biopolymer, offers a promising alternative due to its biocompatibility and antimicrobial properties, though its effectiveness against biofilms is limited. Recent studies suggest that increasing the positive charge density and adding hydrophobic moieties to chitosan, can enhance its antimicrobial …

Interferon-Gamma Receptor Signaling Regulates Innate Immunity During Staphylococcus Aureus Craniotomy Infection, Zachary Van Roy, Gunjan Kak, Rachel W. Fallet, Tammy Kielian

Journal Articles: Pathology and Microbiology

A craniotomy is a neurosurgical procedure performed to access the intracranial space. In 3-5% of cases, infections can develop, most caused by Staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation on the skull surface. Medical management of this infection is difficult, as biofilm properties confer immune and antimicrobial recalcitrance to the infection and necessitate additional surgical procedures. Furthermore, treatment failure rates can be appreciably high. These factors, compounded with rapidly expanding rates of antimicrobial resistance, highlight the need to develop alternative treatment strategies to target and reverse the immune dysfunction that occurs during biofilm infection. Our recent work has identified CD4+ Th1 and Th17 …

Cd4+ T Cell-Innate Immune Crosstalk Is Critical During Staphylococcus Aureus Craniotomy Infection, Gunjan Kak, Zachary A. Van Roy, Rachel W. Fallet, Lee E. Korshoj, Tammy Kielian

Journal Articles: Pathology and Microbiology

Access to the brain for treating neurological sequalae requires a craniotomy, which can be complicated by infection. Staphylococcus aureus accounts for half of craniotomy infections, increasing morbidity in a medically fragile patient population. T cells preferentially traffic to the brain during craniotomy infection; however, their functional importance is unknown. Using a mouse model of S. aureus craniotomy infection, CD4+ T cells were critical for bacterial containment, as treatment of WT animals with anti-CD4 exacerbated infection that was similar to phenotypes in Rag1-/- mice. Single-cell RNA-Seq (scRNA-Seq) revealed transcriptional heterogeneity in brain CD3+ infiltrates, with CD4+ cells most prominent that displayed …

Pgc-1Α Activation To Enhance Macrophage Immune Function In Mycobacterial Infections, Joel R. Frandsen, Zhihong Yuan, Brahmchetna Bedi, Zohra Prasla, Seoung-Ryoung Choi, Prabagaran Narayanasamy, Ruxana Sadikot

Journal Articles: Pathology and Microbiology

Nontuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM) are a heterogeneous group of environmental microorganisms with distinct human pathogenesis. Their incidence and prevalence are rising worldwide, due in part to elevated antimicrobial resistance which complicates treatment and potential successful outcomes. Although information exists on the clinical significance of NTMs, little is known about host immune response to infection. NTM infections alter macrophage mitochondrial capacity and decrease ATP production, efficient immune response, and bacterial clearance. Transcription factor peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR) γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) is a master regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis, influencing metabolism, mitochondrial pathways, and antioxidant response. Mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) is a …

Extracellular Adherence Proteins Reduce Matrix Porosity And Enhance Staphylococcus Aureus Biofilm Survival During Prosthetic Joint Infection, Mohini Bhattacharya, Tyler D. Scherr, Jessica Lister, Tammy Kielian, Alexander R. Horswill

Journal Articles: Pathology and Microbiology

Biofilms are a cause of chronic, non-healing infections. Staphylococcus aureus is a proficient biofilm-forming pathogen commonly isolated from prosthetic joint infections that develop following primary arthroplasty. Extracellular adherence protein (Eap), previously characterized in planktonic or non-biofilm populations as being an adhesin and immune evasion factor, was recently identified in the exoproteome of S. aureus biofilms. This work demonstrates that Eap and its two functionally orphaned homologs EapH1 and EapH2 contribute to biofilm structure and prevent macrophage invasion and phagocytosis in these communities. Biofilms unable to express Eap proteins demonstrated increased porosity and reduced biomass. We describe the role of Eap …

Species-Specific Discrimination Of Bacterial Biofilms Using A Ratiometric Fluorescence Sensor Array And Machine Learning, Ritika Gupta, Aayushi Laliwala, Elena Muldiiarova, Kenneth W. Bayles, Denis Svechkarev, Marat Sadykov, Aaron M. Mohs

Journal Articles: Pathology and Microbiology

Biofilms are intricate bacterial communities encased in a self-produced extracellular matrix (ECM) of DNA, lipids, proteins, and polysaccharides. The diverse ECM composition across bacterial species significantly influences the progression of biofilm-associated infections, making precise identification crucial for effective treatment. Traditional methods such as biochemical assays, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, DNA sequencing and culturing provide valuable insights but have notable drawbacks, including time-consuming procedures, high costs, and the need for specialized equipment and trained personnel. These limitations hinder the rapid and widespread adoption of biofilm identification in clinical settings, underscoring the need for more streamlined, accurate, and accessible methods. In this study, …

Mcl Or Dlbcl - Make Right Choice!, Mohammed Shafeay, Mirza Baig, Astrid Sacasa, Ram Madasu, Delbert Benzenhafer, Alexey Glazyrin

East Florida Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Primary Cardiac Lymphoma: A Rare Diagnosis, Astrid Sacasa, Betty Kirimi, Mohtashim Naeem, Susana Ferra

East Florida Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Myxoid Variant: An Unusual Presentation Of Low-Grade Epithelioid Mesothelioma, Racquel Fournet, Robert Bender, Rohit Jaishankar, Alexey Glazyrin

East Florida Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Performance In Grading Of Well Differentiated Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors (Wdpannet) Using The 2019 World Health Organization (Who) Classification Of Tumors Of The Digestive System. Experience Of A Community Teaching Hospital., Astrid Sacasa, Gul Emek Wymer, Susana Ferra

East Florida Division GME Research Day 2025

CONTEXT: The WHO Classification of Tumors of the Digestive System (2019) categorizes WDPanNETs as grade 1 (G1), grade 2 (G2) or grade 3 (G3) by mitotic count and proliferative index (KI67). We examined the performance of pathologists and pathology trainees in grading WDPanNET according to the 2019 WHO Classification.

DESIGN: One H&E and KI-67 slides of eleven WDPanNET cases from our 2023 archives (7 G1, 1 G2 and 3 G3) were blindly evaluated by 2 junior residents (PGY-1), 2 senior residents (PGY-3), 2 pathologists without formal gastrointestinal training (NOGIP) and 2 pathologists with formal gastrointestinal training (GIP), provided with the …

Staphylococcus Aureus Encodes Four Differentially Regulated Pyruvate Transporters, Jennifer L. Endres, Cleofes Sarmiento, William Xiao, Marat R. Sadykov, Kenneth W. Bayles, Mckenzie K. Lehman

Journal Articles: Pathology and Microbiology

The success of Staphylococcus aureus as a pathogen is attributable, in part, to its ability to exploit the diverse nutrient sources available during infection. Critical to this success are the pathways involving pyruvate that serve as a nexus for energy production, oxidative metabolism, and biosynthetic processes. When available, bacteria acquire pyruvate from the environment to fuel growth. Recently, LrgAB was identified as a pyruvate transporter under microaerobic conditions, leading us to speculate that S. aureus encodes other pyruvate transporters that are active during aerobic growth. In this study, we used the toxic pyruvate analog, 3-fluoropyruvic acid (3-FP), to isolate mutants …

Establishing A Variant Allele Frequency Cutoff For Manual Curation Of Medical Exome Sequencing Data, Kate Sears, Caylin Hickey, Ryan Vincent, Jennifer Stocks-Candelaria, Jason Tate, Cody Bumgardner, Shulin Zhang, Justin B. Miller

Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Faculty Publications

Medical exome sequencing pipelines consist of various preprocessing steps to prioritize credible causal variants before a pathologist or variant curation scientist manually interprets potential findings that are then reported to patients. The variant allele frequency (VAF), reported as the fraction of sequencing reads supporting a variant call, can be used to screen for technical artifacts, yet a specific filtering threshold has yet to be established. A total of 13,122 manually curated variants, sequenced from 289 patients using the Agilent SureSelect Focused Exome enrichment kit at the University of Kentucky Clinical Genomics laboratory from October 2019 to May 2023, were evaluated. …

Resilience And Reality: Exploring The Lived Experiences Of People Living With Hiv In Texas During The Covid-19 Pandemic – A Qualitative Study., Ahmed F. Alanazi

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

This study investigated the lived experiences of individuals living with HIV (PLWH) in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area of Texas during the COVID-19 pandemic, using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) framework. The research examined the intersection of health, social dynamics, and psychological resilience among PLWH, who faced compounded vulnerabilities due to systemic inequities and the dual public health crises of HIV and COVID-19. Through semi-structured interviews with ten participants from diverse backgrounds, the study captured the profound impacts of disrupted healthcare systems, heightened stigma, and social isolation on this marginalized population. The findings reveal that the pandemic exacerbated existing inequities …

Folliculin (Flcn) In Thyroid Tumors: Incidence, Significance, And Role As A Driver Gene And Secondary Alteration, Faisal Hassan, Camryn Slone, Robert J. Mcdonald, Julie C. Dueber, Adeel M. Ashraf, Melina Windon, Oliver J. Fackelmayer, Cortney Y. Lee, Therese J. Bocklage, Derek B. Allison

Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Faculty Publications

Thyroid carcinomas are driven by diverse molecular alterations, but the tumor suppressor gene folliculin (FLCN), best known for its role in Birt–Hogg–Dubé (BHD) syndrome, has received limited attention in thyroid tumors. Here, we describe two thyroid tumors with pathogenic FLCN alterations—one germline and one somatic—and analyze the broader prevalence and significance of FLCN in thyroid carcinomas using multiple large sequencing datasets, including ORIEN-AVATAR. Patient 1, with a germline FLCN mutation and a history of BHD syndrome, presented with a well-circumscribed oncocytic adenoma. Molecular testing confirmed biallelic FLCN inactivation, but no additional mutations or aggressive features were observed, and the patient …

Malignant Adenomyoepithelioma Of The Breast, Cole Daisley, Susana Ferra

East Florida Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Mesonephric-Like Carcinoma Of The Endometrium In A 73-Year-Old Female, Cameron Summers-Powell, Carina Ferraris, Zoyla Almeida, Susana Ferra, Mirza Baig

East Florida Division GME Research Day 2025

Introduction: Mesonephric-like carcinoma (MLC) is a newly described malignant tumor that represents 1% of endometrial cancers. The etiology of this disease is currently unknown but immunohistochemical expression with GATA-3, PAX-8 and TTF-1 and lack of ER/PR positivity can aid in correct diagnosis.

Case Summary: A 73-year-old female presented to the hospital with post-menopausal bleeding, an initial hysteroscopy identified a lesion suggestive of endometrial cancer. Ultimately, the patient underwent a hysterectomy and a bilateral salpingectomy/oophorectomy. Chemotherapy ensued due to metastatic disease. At 7 months post-op, the patient appeared to be doing well.

Results: Grossly, the lesion was 5.5 cm and appeared …

Carcinoma With Osteoclast-Like Giant Cells: A Rare Histologic Variant Of Breast Cancer, Robert Bender, Makenna Bowman, Matthew Lee, Susana Ferra

East Florida Division GME Research Day 2025

Introduction: Osteoclast like giant cells (OGCs) can be found in various tissues such as the gallbladder, liver, pancreas, and thyroid. In breast cancer, the presence of OGCs is a rare finding. Currently knowledge of such cases is limited, with approximately 200 reported cases of osteoclast like giant cells (OGCs) among all breast carcinomas. Among the breast cancers that are classified as rare, those with OGCs make up only 0.5-1.2% of cases.

Case Description: An 80+ year-old female presented with a palpable left breast lesion initially suspected by mammography as a benign lesion. She eventually underwent breast core biopsy revealing hormone …