Research

As a discipline that bridges the basic and clinical sciences, the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine provides a unique intersection for clinical practice, research and educational programs from across our campus and with colleagues worldwide. We innovate, discover and implement our work to improve health and change lives.

The breadth of our department’s research programs reflect important themes in biomedical science today and interests of the patients we serve.

Our research programs leverage our campus’ renowned expertise in animal models of human disease, our outstanding Clinical and Translational Science Center, our unique culture of cross-disciplinary collaboration across UC Davis’ many schools and colleges, and the outstanding clinical and laboratory services and clinician-colleagues at UC Davis Medical Center. We also support our community of scientists by offering high quality services through our clinical research service and biorepository.

Our Research Themes and Teams

Neuroscience

UC Davis' inter-disciplinary research programs in neuroscience pursue discoveries in brain function, development, aging, and disease.

Immunology and Infectious Diseases

Infectious disease has been a key area of investigation since the founding of our department, leveraging UC Davis’ unique resources.

Cancer

Members of our department play a key role in cancer research and are major contributors to the programs within our NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Diagnostic Technologies, Quality Improvement and Health Care Delivery Science

Improving patient outcomes and quality of care requires systematic investigation and evaluation of current clinical services, and innovation and application of new approaches for health care delivery.

Educational Scholarship

Creating new educational approaches to grow the next generation of pathologists, physicians, laboratory professionals, and faculty is a growing creative theme in our department.

Nutrition

Nutrition is a strong research theme in our department and is closely integrated with our campus' outstanding Graduate Group in Nutritional Biology, a cooperative interdepartmental organization involving faculty from 17 departments in three UC Davis colleges (Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Letters and Science and Biological Science) and two professional schools (Medicine and Veterinary Medicine).