The beginnings of scientific research activities are connected with the establishment of the Department of Pathology in 1948 and with the name of Professor Igor Kutlík, MD, who innovated procedures in laboratory and autopsy techniques, which was the event of special importance for Slovak pathology, and who created two monographic publications in 1950s (Histopathological Laboratory Technician and Pathological-Anatomical Autopsy).
Another important period of the Department of Pathology in the field of science and research was in 1990s, when studies of breast tumours and lung cancer, as well as the diagnosis of melanocytic lesions were carried out. During this period, the Department also focused on the comprehensive diagnostics of renal glomerular diseases, using histochemical staining techniques, immunofluorescence and electron microscopy methods.
After a long break, the Department of Pathology currently has a young team, which has once again launched its scientific research activities in connection with the previous period, focused predominantly on the topics of dissertation (PhD.) works of doctors:
Diagnosis of lung cancers: Study of the immunohistochemical phenotype of lung adenocarcinoma cells in the aspect of their subtyping. Indicative value of immunohistochemical indicators for the diagnosis of bronchial and lung carcinomas. (In the framework of SEGA grant project: Use of basic immunohistochemical parameters for pathognomic categorization of lung tumours and correlation with clinical data.
Diagnosis of glomerular diseases: Histopathological, immunofluorescence and electron microscopic manifestations of diabetic nephropathy.
Diagnosis of melanocytic lesions: Histological and immunohistochemical study of malignant melanoma of the skin with marked manifestations of spontaneous regression.
Diagnosis of breast tumours: Angiogenesis in breast cancer and its correlation with tumour-associated CD163+ macrophages and hormonal receptors.
Monitoring of morphological changes in the rat brain: Diaschisis caused by occlusion of the middle cerebral artery, observed in the structures of the rat forebrain.
The Department of Pathology cooperates with other workplaces and institutions in the framework of grant projects and research, which has been resulted in several valuable publications:
The Department cooperates with the East Slovakian Institute of Cardiovascular diseases within the SEGA grant project: Do galectins mediate the protective effect of estrogens/phytoestrogens on the heart after myocardial infarction?
The Department cooperates with the Pavol Jozef Šafárik University, Faculty of Science within the SEGA grant project: Combined treatment of glioblastoma with temozolomide and secondary metabolites of lichens.
Numerous publications of the Department have been created in collaboration with other departments and institutions, such as the Department of Pharmacology, the Department of Medical Physiology, the Department of Anatomy, the Faculty of Science, the University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy and with the Technical University in Košice.
Deputy Head for pedagogical activities, 19.5.2021
