MD
LabCorp Distinguished Professor, Pathology & Lab Medicine
Vice Chair for Clinical Research and Academic Affairs
Co-director, UNC Project-Malawi Cancer Program
Global Cancer Pathology Director, Institute for Global Health and Infectious Disease
UNC-Chapel Hill
Cancer Therapeutics Research Program
Area of Interest
Since 2011, I have been involved in the UNC Project-Malawi Cancer Program, developing and supporting diagnostic services in support of the Kamuzu Central Hospital Lymphoma Study, AIDS Malignancy Consortium and NIH-funded clinical trials. I now serve as the co-Director of the UNC Project-Malawi Cancer Program, the co-PI of the UNC-Malawi-South Africa Cancer Consortium (U54CA254564) and direct the translational lymphoma studies of samples submitted to UNC through this ongoing work. We have established weekly diagnostic telepathology conferences between Malawian pathologists and clinical teams to improve diagnostic accuracy and build regional capacity for cancer care. We support training in global cancer research through the recently awarded Malawi Cancer Outcomes Research Program (D43CA260641 Fedoriw, MPI) that aims to develop global cancer research leaders in Malawi and UNC.
My research interests focus on the immunologic and genetic mechanisms of lymphomagenesis, particularly in the setting of HIV infection. While hematologic malignancies and lymphoproliferative disorders (including Multicentric Castleman Disease) in sub-Saharan Africa arise under intrinsic and extrinsic pressures very different from those in the United States, comprehensive analyses of these diseases have not been performed. Our laboratory group uses advanced sequencing, immunophenotypic and cellular analyses to address gaps in our understanding of lymphomagenesis and tumor microenvironment in the context of HIV-associated immune dysregulation. Deciphering these tumor-host interactions is critical to better tailor treatment and improve outcomes, particularly in the era of cancer immunotherapy.
My clinical efforts revolve around the diagnosis and classification of benign and malignant hematolymphoid disorders. I served as the Director of Hematopathology at UNC from 2012-2019, and previously as the Director of the Hematopathology Fellowship Program. I have served on the NCI Lymphoma Clinical Trials Planning Group and the Hematology and Clinical Microscopy Committee for the College of American Pathologists. I am a member of the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology Education Committee.
News and Stories
Lymphoma study shows increased malaria risk with rituximab treatment
Researchers with the UNC Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases, in collaboration with the UNC Lineberger and UNC Project-Malawi, found adults receiving rituximab as part of cancer treatment face a significantly higher risk of developing symptomatic malaria in an endemic region.
Malawi cancer program develops diagnostic breakthrough
Part of UNC Project Malawi, the cancer program provides clinical care, pathology training and other services to the African nation. The program is entering the second phase of developing a low-cost cancer diagnosis method.
