University of Iowa Pathology

"I think a little kindness matters. People learn better, work better, and stay longer when they feel valued," says Professor Emeritus Frank Mitros, MD, recipient of Carver College of Medicine's 2026 Distinguished Alumni Award for Friendship.

Dr. Mitros's contributions spans decades. One of the highlights from his tenure notes that his philosophy to teaching emphasized encouragement and kindness above all and his steady support in moments that mattered most made a major impact on generations of students, colleagues, and patients.

Read more on Dr. Mitros's award: https://alumni.medicine.uiowa.edu/news/2026/06/frank-mitros-award-friendship

Beards, memes, and proud mom moments.📸

On Friday we held our annual graduation dinner for our Class of 2026 Residents and Fellows. They've endured endless sign outs, stains, studying for exams, days that seemed to never end, and finding time for their friends, family, and hobbies. Now, their hard work has paid off and they're off for their new journey- whether that means fellowships, faculty or private practice positions.

We're proud of the hard work they've put in over the past several years and are happy they decided to spend them with us. Congratulations and always stay in touch!

Colorectal cancer rates continue to rise in those under 50 across the United States despite overall rates declining, highlighting the need to understand what drives different forms of this cancer.

A new study from Ashutosh Mangalam, PhD’s research laboratory provides evidence that the gut microbiome may contribute to distinct colorectal cancer subtypes. The study identifies bacterial signatures associated with tumor location and age at diagnosis and shows that specific bacteria can activate cancer-related pathways in laboratory models.

Read more on our website: https://pathology.medicine.uiowa.edu/news/2026/06/mangalam-lab-identifies-gut-bacteria-linked-distinct-colorectal-cancer-subtypes

Congratulations to our first group of Professional Recognition Program recipients! Your hard work and dedication to your craft shines through you and shows up in how well our labs operate.

Our Professional Recognition Program recognizes the accomplishments of our Medical Laboratory Technicians and Scientists who consistently go above and beyond the requirements of their assigned roles.

Congratulations to Matthew Krasowski, MD, PhD on receiving the Gerald T. Evans Award at the Academy for Clinical Laboratory Physicians and Scientists annual conference.

The Gerald T. Evans Award is awarded to a member for outstanding leadership and service to the society. Dr. Krasowski joins an esteemed group of previous Evans Award winners, including Drs. Edward Ashwood, Jack Ladenson, Steven Spitalnik, and Marisa Marques.

Congratulations Dr. Krasowski on your well-deserved award! Read more about the award on our website: https://pathology.medicine.uiowa.edu/news/2026/06/matthew-krasowski-receives-gerald-t-evans-award-academy-clinical-laboratory-physicians

You'll never know what you'll find in the lab. This time we found Snoopy!🐶

Join us for our second drive at the Riverside Casino in the private dining room at Robert's Buffet. All successful donors will receive our "Ultimate in Iowa Nice" t-shirt, while supplies last!

Congratulations to Claire Voyles and Elliot Stalter for receiving the Special Achievement in Pathology M4 Award for 2026!

The Special Achievement in Pathology M4 Award is given by the University of Iowa Department of Pathology in conjunction with the Iowa Association of Pathologists (IAP) to graduating M4s who showed exceptional interest in or aptitude for pathology or pathology-related research.

Claire will be joining us for our residency program and Elliot will be joining the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Pathology residency program.

On this day in 2002, former Congressman Jim Leach visited University of Iowa Health Care and toured our cytology and microbiology labs as a follow-up to the Political Advocacy Training sponsored by the College of American Pathologists.

Former Co-Chief Resident and current Chief Medical Examiner of North Carolina, Michelle Aurelius, MD, organized the tour where they reviewed slides relevant to several bills Leach sponsored that were awaiting the President's signature at the time.

This past January, we lost our dear friend and beloved team member, Amber Martin. Amber was our MLS Supervisor in the microbiology lab and working on her Master of Science in Medical Laboratory Science Leadership with an Advanced Concentration in Micro/Molecular Diagnostics through the University of Cincinnati.

For everyone that knew Amber, you knew that if she was learning about a subject, she couldn't just learn part of it- she wanted to learn all of it. In Amber's honor and her passion for education, we have established the Amber Martin Laboratory Science Fund with University of Iowa Alumni to provide scholarship support for the Medical Laboratory Science program and/or programmatic support for laboratory students, faculty, and staff for future lab scientists.

Read more about Amber and the Amber Martin Laboratory Science Fund on our website: https://pathology.medicine.uiowa.edu/news/2026/04/amber-martin-laboratory-science-fund-established