The Postmortem Pathology Section, along with the Cytopathology Section, Hematopathology Section, Surgical Pathology Section, and Ultrastructural Pathology Section, provide a complete service in Anatomic Pathology for the Clinical Center as well as other institute patients. In addition, when the use and study of human pathological material is requested by research staff of any of the institutes, the Postmortem Section makes every effort to collaborate with and/or supply the researchers with the human tissues upon approved request. The autopsy material is utilized by staff and residents for research projects involving clinicopathological correlation and characterization of disease processes. Currently, several projects are on-going: clinical- pathological studies in dementia; MRI correlations with normal tissue and demyelinating disease (multiple sclerosis); experimental therapy of malignant brain tumors (both primary and metastatic); study involving chronic granulomatous disease; evaluation of fungal infections in immunocompromised hosts; preliminary work evaluating cellular adhesion molecules involving organs in interleukin-2 treated individuals; normal tissues used for purification of antigens to make antibodies and titration of new antibodies using autopsy material. Additionally, a database of major autopsy diagnoses from 1982 through 1990 is being compiled, with pertinent historical information included.
