Comparative Pathology

Peter Ernst, D.V.M., Ph.D.
Director of Comparative Pathology and Medicine
Co-Director of the UC Veterinary Medicine Center, San Diego

UC San Diego Transfusion Medicine

The Division of Comparative Pathology is based in the UC San Diego Department of Pathology. It is a part of the UC Veterinary Medical Center, a joint program of UC San Diego and UC Davis. Peter Ernst is the Division Head and the Co-Director of the UC Veterinary Medical Center.

The goal of the Division is to foster the development of comparative approaches to advance our ability to treat or prevent disease in humans and animals. Members of the Division offer post-graduate clinical and research training programs for veterinarians as well as mentor graduate students and post-doctoral research fellows. Several members of the Division organize related courses that may be of interest to research students and fellows at any stage of their training.

Expertise in comparative pathology is available through the histology core and clinical pathology services which support the phenotyping of mice and evaluation of health/disease in animal models. Specialty services in neuro-muscular pathology, neuropathology and gastrointestinal pathology are available.

Neuromuscular Pathology
Mouse Histology and Phenotyping Core
Comparative Placentation

The Division fulfills the three-fold mission of the University as follows:

  1. Teaching
    1. Courses
      • PATH 223. Mouse Models of Human Disease. Course Directors: Lynette Corbeil and Lars Eckmann
      • PATH 222/ BIOM 282. Microbial Pathogenesis. Course Director: Lynette Corbeil
      • MED 234/ BIOM 234/ BGGN 234. Practical Histopathology in Mouse Models of Human Disease: Guides to Phenotyping the Genetically Altered Mouse. Course Director: Nissi Varki
    2. Residency
      • Lab Animal Medicine - Director: Phil Richter
      • Clinical Veterinary Microbiology - under development

  2. Service
    1. Pathology of Genetically Altered Mice. Director: Nissi Varki
    2. Clinical Pathology of Genetically Altered Mice. Director: Dzung Le
    3. Diagnostic Comparative Neuromuscular Pathology Laboratory. Director: Diane Shelton
    4. Animal Care Program. Director: Phil Richter
    5. Marine Mammal Pathology and Medicine. Oversight: Sam Ridgway

  3. Faculty Research

Links to our partners at UC San Diego

Links to our partners at UC Davis