
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.
Necropsy, Histology, Electron Microscopy, Immunohistochemistry, & Imaging Sciences
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Ronald A. Herbert, D.V.M., Ph.D., F.I.A.T.P.
Senior Scientist;
Head, Pathology Support Group, Comparative & Molecular Pathogenesis Branch -
Tel 984-287-3841
[email protected] -
P.O. Box 12233Mail Drop B3-08Durham, NC 27709
Research Summary

The Pathology Support Group, within the Comparative & Molecular Pathogenesis Branch, provides technical, collaborative and consultative pathology support for NIEHS research programs. For over 25 years, the Pathology Support Group has been a valuable resource for research programs throughout the NIEHS Division of Intramural Research (DIR) and the Division of Translational Toxicology (DTT). The Group consists of five technical laboratories that are essential components of the DTT and NIEHS research programs.
Our primary mission is to maintain a group of centralized, in-house, pathology Core Laboratories that use the latest technologies to provide a broad range of critical cost effective, routine and specialized, pathology related, technical support for research programs across NIEHS. In addition to technical support, the group also serves as a consultative and collaborative resource for NIEHS scientists related to the technical services provided.
The Group consists of five core laboratories, including:
- Electron Microscopy
- Histology
- Imaging Sciences
- Digital Imaging
- Artificial Intelligence
- lmmunohistochemistry
- Necropsy
The laboratories are staffed by highly experienced, professional, and technical personnel that include board certified, veterinary toxicologic pathologists, technical biologists, and on-site technical contractors.
Ronald Herbert, D.V.M., Ph.D., F.I.A.T.P., leads the Pathology Support Group within the Comparative & Molecular Pathogenesis Branch. He is a veterinary pathologist with over 30 years’ experience in anatomic and diagnostic toxicologic pathology and pathology peer review of short- and long-term rodent toxicity and carcinogenicity studies. Herbert is a graduate of Tuskegee University where he earned Bachelor of Science degrees in Biology, and Animal and Poultry Science, and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.) from the Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1985. He completed a residency/fellowship and a Ph.D. in anatomic and comparative pathology at the Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine, graduating in 1991. Subsequently, Herbert completed a 3-year postdoctoral fellowship in toxicologic pathology in the National Toxicology Program (NTP), National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and joined as an NTP staff scientist in 1994. He has authored or co-authored numerous peer-reviewed articles in leading biomedical journals as well as several book chapters and NTP technical reports . His areas of interest include chemical-induced toxicity and carcinogenesis, and toxicologic pathology with emphasis in pathology peer review, and pathology of the respiratory and female reproductive systems, digital pathology and Artificial Intelligence for qualitative and quantitative pathology evaluations and analyses.
Core Laboratory Capabilities
Electron Microsopy
Histology
Imaging Sciences
Immunohistochemistry
Necropsy
Recent Publications
- Dunnick J, Pandiri A, Shockley K, Herbert R, Mav D, Phadke D, Shah R, Merrick B. Single nucleotide polymorphism patterns associated with a cancer resistant phenotype. Experimental and molecular pathology. 2022 Oct;128:104812. [ AbstractDunnick J, Pandiri A, Shockley K, Herbert R, Mav D, Phadke D, Shah R, Merrick B. Single nucleotide polymorphism patterns associated with a cancer resistant phenotype. Experimental and molecular pathology. 2022 Oct ]
- Ton T, Kovi R, Peddada T, Chhabria R, Shockley K, Flagler N, Gerrish K, Herbert R, Behl M, Hoenerhoff M, Sills R, Pandiri A. Cobalt-induced oxidative stress contributes to alveolar/bronchiolar carcinogenesis in B6C3F1/N mice. Archives of toxicology. 2021 Oct;95(10):3171-3190. [ AbstractTon T, Kovi R, Peddada T, Chhabria R, Shockley K, Flagler N, Gerrish K, Herbert R, Behl M, Hoenerhoff M, Sills R, Pandiri A. Cobalt-induced oxidative stress contributes to alveolar/bronchiolar carcinogenesis in B6C3F1/N mice. Archives of toxicology. 2021 Oct ]
- Jiang C, Zhao M, Ramos L, Dobaczewska K, Herbert R, Hobbie K, Mikulski Z, Verkoczy L, Diaz M. The Role of IgM Antibodies in T Cell Lymphoma Protection in a Novel Model Resembling Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma. Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950). 2021 May 15;206(10):2468-2477. [ AbstractJiang C, Zhao M, Ramos L, Dobaczewska K, Herbert R, Hobbie K, Mikulski Z, Verkoczy L, Diaz M. The Role of IgM Antibodies in T Cell Lymphoma Protection in a Novel Model Resembling Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma. Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950). 2021 May 15 ]
- Riva L, Pandiri A, Li Y, Droop A, Hewinson J, Quail M, Iyer V, Shepherd R, Herbert R, Campbell P, Sills R, Alexandrov L, Balmain A, Adams D. The mutational signature profile of known and suspected human carcinogens in mice. Nature genetics. 2020 Nov;52(11):1189-1197. [ AbstractRiva L, Pandiri A, Li Y, Droop A, Hewinson J, Quail M, Iyer V, Shepherd R, Herbert R, Campbell P, Sills R, Alexandrov L, Balmain A, Adams D. The mutational signature profile of known and suspected human carcinogens in mice. Nature genetics. 2020 Nov ]
- Willard-Mack C, Elmore S, Hall W, Harleman J, Kuper C, Losco P, Rehg J, Rühl-Fehlert C, Ward J, Weinstock D, Bradley A, Hosokawa S, Pearse G, Mahler B, Herbert R, Keenan C. Nonproliferative and Proliferative Lesions of the Rat and Mouse Hematolymphoid System. Toxicologic pathology. 2019 Aug;47(6):665-783. [ AbstractWillard-Mack C, Elmore S, Hall W, Harleman J, Kuper C, Losco P, Rehg J, Rühl-Fehlert C, Ward J, Weinstock D, Bradley A, Hosokawa S, Pearse G, Mahler B, Herbert R, Keenan C. Nonproliferative and Proliferative Lesions of the Rat and Mouse Hematolymphoid System. Toxicologic pathology. 2019 Aug ]
NTP Reports
- National Toxicology Program. Toxicity studies of fullerene C60 (1 μm and 50 nm) administered by nose-only inhalation to Wistar Han [Crl:WI (Han)] rats and B6C3F1/N mice. Toxicity report series. 2020 Jul [Epub ahead of print]. [ AbstractNational Toxicology Program. Toxicity studies of fullerene C60 (1 μm and 50 nm) administered by nose-only inhalation to Wistar Han [Crl:WI (Han)] rats and B6C3F1/N mice. Toxicity report series. 2020 Jul ]
- National Toxicology Program. Toxicity studies of abrasive blasting agents administered by inhalation to F344/NTac rats and Sprague Dawley (Hsd:Sprague Dawley SD) Rats. Toxicity report series. 2020 Jul [Epub ahead of print]. [ AbstractNational Toxicology Program. Toxicity studies of abrasive blasting agents administered by inhalation to F344/NTac rats and Sprague Dawley (Hsd:Sprague Dawley SD) Rats. Toxicity report series. 2020 Jul ]
- National Toxicology Program. Toxicology and carcinogenesis studies of perfluorooctanoic acid administered in feed to Sprague Dawley (Hsd:Sprague Dawley SD) rats (revised). National Toxicology Program technical report series. 2020 May [Epub ahead of print]. [ AbstractNational Toxicology Program. Toxicology and carcinogenesis studies of perfluorooctanoic acid administered in feed to Sprague Dawley (Hsd:Sprague Dawley SD) rats (revised). National Toxicology Program technical report series. 2020 May ]
- National Toxicology Program. Toxicity studies of 1020 Long Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes (L-MWNT-1020) administered by inhalation to Sprague Dawley (Hsd:Sprague Dawley SD) rats and B6C3F1/N mice. Toxicity report series. 2019 Nov [Epub ahead of print]. [ AbstractNational Toxicology Program. Toxicity studies of 1020 Long Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes (L-MWNT-1020) administered by inhalation to Sprague Dawley (Hsd:Sprague Dawley SD) rats and B6C3F1/N mice. Toxicity report series. 2019 Nov ]
- National Toxicology Program. Toxicity studies of perfluoroalkyl sulfonates administered by gavage to Sprague Dawley (Hsd:Sprague Dawley SD) rats (revised). Toxicity report series. 2019 Aug [Epub ahead of print]. [ AbstractNational Toxicology Program. Toxicity studies of perfluoroalkyl sulfonates administered by gavage to Sprague Dawley (Hsd:Sprague Dawley SD) rats (revised). Toxicity report series. 2019 Aug ]