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Molecular pathology studies diseases at a molecular level and can be used in biomedical research and patient care. It involves testing cell tissue samples and examining the building blocks of cells. It is commonly used in cancer treatment to develop personalized approaches. Specialists may be trained as physicians or with a PhD and work in various settings.
Molecular pathology is a branch of biomedical science that focuses on the progress, development and evolution of diseases at the molecular level. It can be practically applied to patients as well as being used in biomedical research to learn more about specific diseases, ranging from cancer to genetic conditions. Usually, molecular pathology is treated as a subset of the pathology field, but it also involves genetics, immunology, and many other aspects of the medical field, and people can approach it from different perspectives.
A molecular pathologist can conduct a variety of tests to learn about the building blocks of a cell, including the matrix of amino acids that make up the cell’s DNA. In addition to performing amino acid sequencing, people in this field also examine cell tissue samples and perform a variety of tests to learn more about the course of the disease in specific patients and in general.
A common use for a molecular pathologist is in studying samples taken from cancer patients. The pathologist can test the sample to determine where the cancer originated from and to look for biomarkers that might indicate susceptibility to specific cancer treatments. For example, breast cancer that is sensitive to estrogen will be treated differently than breast cancer that is not. Using molecular pathology, an oncologist can develop a treatment approach tailored to the patient.
This discipline can also be used to study and test genetic diseases and to examine the results of contamination and other environmental influences on human health. Molecular pathologists study things like carcinogens to learn how they affect the body at a molecular level, determining which chemicals in a carcinogen are responsible for developing disease. They also study the differentiation and growth of cells, both normal and abnormal, integrating a great deal of cell biology into their work.
People in this field may be trained as physicians, starting in a pathology residency and eventually working their way into molecular pathology. They can also train by studying for a PhD so they can work in research and laboratory sciences. Either way, because this field is growing, evolving, and changing so rapidly, attending conferences and other continuing education opportunities is imperative to keep up with changes in the field. A molecular pathology specialist may work in settings such as medical laboratories, pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, and research facilities.
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