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Much of the work carried out by DTT is in support of the National Toxicology Program (NTP), an interagency partnership of the Food and Drug Administration, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, and NIEHS.

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Arun Kumar R. Pandiri, B.V.Sc. & A.H., M.S., Ph.D., D.A.C.V.P., D.A.B.T.
Arun Kumar R. Pandiri, B.V.Sc. & A.H., M.S., Ph.D., D.A.C.V.P., D.A.B.T.
Group Leader - Pathologist
Tel 984-287-3861
[email protected]
P.O. Box 12233
Mail Drop B3-06
Durham, NC 27709
CMPB Molecular Pathology - An image of a DNA string

Research Summary

The Molecular Pathology Group conducts interdisciplinary research in support of the mission of the National Toxicology Program (NTP) and the NIEHS, to elucidate the pathogenesis of non-neoplastic and neoplastic lesions in various organ systems resulting from exposures to occupational and environmental toxicants/carcinogens tested by NTP.

The group’s projects include descriptive toxicogenomics, retrospective studies using archival tissues, as well as prospective studies to address pathology issues relevant to NTP. In addition, the group serves on NTP study design teams to advise on issues related to molecular pathology and to provide a comparative species/translational context to studies.

The goals of the Molecular Pathology Group are to:

  • Provide mechanistic data to complement the NTP bioassays for inclusion into the NTP technical reports
  • Use high throughput technologies to better understand chemical-induced carcinogenesis in NTP studies and partner with NTP scientists in the development of screening tools to differentiate spontaneous from chemically induced tumors
  • Understand the molecular alterations underlying toxicities and related non-neoplastic lesions in various organ systems
  • Collaborate with NTP and NIEHS Division of Intramural Research investigators to further characterize pathology end points
  • Provide Laser Capture Microdissection (LCM) technology to NIEHS and NTP researchers

The Molecular Pathology Group achieves its goals primarily by a combination of program-related and institute-wide collaborative research leveraging the core laboratory facilities within the NTP/NIEHS, and also through interagency collaborations and contract support.

Current projects:

  • Evaluation of spontaneous and chemically induced neoplastic lesions for genetic and epigenetic alterations in NTP studies
  • Examination of the mode of action of non-genotoxic compounds tested by NTP

Arun Pandiri leads the Molecular Pathology Group within the Cellular and Molecular Pathology Branch. He earned his Veterinary degree from ANGR Agricultural University, Hyderabad, India; M.S. from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville; Ph.D. from Michigan State University and the USDA ARS Avian Disease and Oncology Laboratory, East Lansing; and Pathology residency training at North Carolina State University, Raleigh. He is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists and the American Board of Toxicology. He was previously an NIEHS IRTA fellow and then a contract pathologist from Experimental Pathology Laboratories, Inc. His areas of interest include chemical-induced carcinogenesis and the toxicologic pathology of digestive and respiratory systems.