The Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (PLM) remains deeply committed to advancing Inclusive Excellence (IE) across every facet of our work.

As we begin FY27, we are excited to build on the progress of the past year and expand opportunities for faculty, staff, trainees, and students to participate in initiatives that strengthen our department, improve the experiences of our patients and colleagues, and serve our broader communities.

Welcoming Our New Inclusive Excellence Co-Chairs

We are pleased to welcome Dr. Donald Doanman as our new Trainee Co-Chair and Ron Gonzalez as our new Staff Co-Chair of the Inclusive Excellence Program. They join Faculty Vice-Chairs Dr. Israa Laklouk and Dr. Rebecca Sosa in guiding the program’s priorities and initiatives for the year ahead.

As Trainee Co-Chair, Dr. Donaman will bring the perspectives and experiences of our trainees to the program, strengthen trainee engagement, identify opportunities for collaboration, and support an inclusive and welcoming learning environment across the department.

Ron brings more than 21 years of experience at UCLA. Throughout his career, he has championed operational excellence, employee development, and community engagement. As Staff Co-Chair, he will strengthen staff representation and engagement within the program and help ensure that staff perspectives inform our priorities and initiatives.

We also extend our sincere appreciation to Toshiko Ching and Dr. Cody Forsyth for their leadership and contributions as Staff and Trainee Co-Chairs, respectively. Their dedication and service have helped advance Inclusive Excellence and strengthen engagement throughout our department.

L to R: Dr. Donald Doanman and Ron Gonzalez

Inclusive Excellence Book Club 

Building on the success of our previous cross-departmental Book Club Collaboration, the Inclusive Excellence program is once again partnering with the Department of Pediatrics to create opportunities for thoughtful discussion, shared learning, and connection across our departments.

Our upcoming three-part series will focus on trauma-informed healthcare through guided discussions on What Happened to You? by Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Bruce D. Perry. Healthcare work is deeply meaningful, but it can also be emotionally demanding. Together we will explore how trauma can affect our patients, our colleagues, and ourselves – and consider practical ways to foster compassionate, supportive, and psychologically safe healthcare environments. 

The series will be moderated by Dr. Carrie Butler from the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and Dr. Juan Alejos from the Department of Pediatrics. The opening session will begin with welcoming remarks from the chairs of both departments and will feature Moira Szilagyi, MD, PhD, FAAP, professor of pediatrics at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital and a nationally recognized expert in childhood trauma, resilience, and trauma-informed pediatric care. Dr. Szilagyi will share her experience and insights on applying trauma-informed principles across healthcare settings.

We gratefully acknowledge the Inclusive Excellence Book Club subcommittees from both departments for developing this collaborative series: Nydia Flores and Dr. Christine Thang from Pediatrics, and Dr. Rebecca Sosa, Dr. Donald Doanman, and Ron Gonzalez from Pathology and Laboratory Medicine.

Register Now! 

All are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Inclusive Excellence is strengthened by the perspectives, experiences, and participation of our entire department. Faculty, staff, trainees, and students are invited to participate in the IE General Committee and contribute to initiatives throughout the year.

Whether you’re interested in shaping new initiatives, supporting existing efforts, or simply learning more, your participation is welcomed and valued.

FY27 Inclusive Excellence General Committee Meeting Dates

If you are interested in participating in the General Committee meetings and/or would like to be added to the IE listserv, please complete the brief questionnaire, here.

Turner-UCLA Internship Collaboration – Summer 2026

This summer, the Inclusive Excellence Program continued its commitment to community engagement and career pathway development through our collaboration with the Turner-UCLA Allied Health Internship Program.

Through this partnership, 86 students had the opportunity to gain firsthand exposure to the diverse careers available within Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. Department faculty and staff helped bring these careers to life by sharing their professional experiences, introducing students to different areas of pathology and laboratory medicine, and providing opportunities for students to learn more about the education, training, and skills required to pursue careers in the field.

The Turner-UCLA collaboration reflects an important goal of our Inclusive Excellence Plan: building meaningful partnerships that expand awareness of and access to careers in healthcare and laboratory medicine. Early exposure, mentorship, and hands-on learning can help students envision themselves in these professions and better understand the many pathways available to them.

We are grateful to our departmental colleagues in the Blood and Platelet Center, Clinical Lab Science, Cytology, Immunogenetics, Surgical Pathology, and Turner-UCLA partners who helped make this year’s internship experience possible and look forward to continuing to strengthen opportunities for students to explore, learn, and envision their future in healthcare.

Mini Pathologist PlayLab

Immunogenetics

Clinical Lab Science

Pictured: Clinical Lab Science Rotation. Bethany, Senior CLS Supervisor, engaging with Turner - UCLA students

Cytology

Pictured: Cytology Rotation with Po Chu and with Turner-UCLA students.

Surgical Pathology

Pictured: Turner-UCLA students gain hand-on exposure to surgical pathology as Justin demonstrates a surgical specimen during their rotation.

Blood & Platelet Center

Pictured: Turner-UCLA students tour the Blood & Platelet Center and learn about the blood donation process and its impact on patient care with Terri and Tom.

Building on the success of the Mini Pathologist’s PlayLab (MPP), the Inclusive Excellence Program is looking for opportunities to expand this engaging outreach initiative to additional schools and communities throughout the greater Los Angeles area and beyond.

The Mini Pathologist's PlayLab introduces students to the world of pathology and laboratory medicine through interactive, hands-on activities that make laboratory science approachable, engaging, and fun. Through activities such as examining parasite specimens, exploring bacterial growth on agar plates, and learning about urinalysis and other diagnostic techniques, students gain firsthand exposure to the important role laboratory professionals play in healthcare.

As we move into FY27, our goal is to build upon the existing PlayLab model and bring these experiences directly to more students at local schools, particularly those who may have limited exposure to careers in pathology, laboratory medicine, and the broader healthcare field. By expanding our school partnerships, we hope to increase awareness of the many career pathways available within our field and inspire students to envision themselves pursuing futures in science and healthcare.

Expanding the PlayLab will also create new opportunities for faculty, staff, trainees, and students across our department to serve as volunteers and mentors, share their own career journeys, and help make laboratory medicine more visible and accessible to the next generation.

We look forward to strengthening our community partnership and growing the PlayLab into a sustainable outreach program that can reach more schools, students, and future healthcare professionals throughout our community.

The Inclusive Excellence Grand Rounds Lecture Series will continue in FY27, bringing speakers and perspectives to the department that encourage learning, discussion, and new approaches to advancing Inclusive Excellence in pathology and laboratory medicine.

FY27 speakers and dates:

Our work is led by a dedicated team of Co-Chairs and Program Manager who bring diverse perspectives and expertise from across the department. They are passionate advocates for Inclusive Excellence and are continuously striving to develop and achieve goals that will ultimately improve patient outcomes, expand awareness of Pathology among learners of all ages and introduce students to career options in our labs.

 Learn more about our IE leaders and their contributions by visiting the Inclusive Excellence Website.

Inclusive Excellence Co-Chairs

L to R: Dr. Donald Doanman and Ron Gonzalez

L to R: Dr. Israa Laklouk and Dr. Rebecca Sosa

Program Manager

Maria

To help address the greatest need for blood in a generation, Abbott, a global leader in blood testing, and the Big Ten Conference will team up to host the 3rd annual college conference-wide blood donation competition. “The We Give Blood Drive” initiative is designed to motivate Big Ten students, alumni and fans to donate blood by tapping into school pride and devotion to their teams. The top-donating university will receive a $1 million prize from Abbott to support student and community health initiatives.

From now until December 4, 2026, we are calling on all donors to help UCLA WIN the "We Give Blood Drive" competition! Read more at the UCLA Newsroom here.

You may also show your support with the UCLA We Give Blood Zoom background. 

Please schedule your appointment today by visiting the BPC website or calling 310-825-0888, option 2.

On Saturday, August 15, 2026, a group of Department volunteers and their family members participated in a volunteer event at the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. The PLM volunteers were assigned an assembly line to pack food kits for our community. Assembly line tasks included building boxes, food stations (placing items in boxes), replenishing the food stations (moving food and opening boxes), and stacking the completed food kits on pallets. Our group packed 3,038 kits in a little over 3 hours!

Thank you to those who were part of our volunteer team: Bernardo, Derek, Dolly, Dr. Donald Doanman, Effie, Ellie, Evan, Fred, Huong, Jamie, Joy, Kelli, Ko, Maddie, Melinda, Ron, Ryon, Shay, Dr. Sheeja Pullarkat, and Dr. Sue Kang!

Future volunteer dates will be forthcoming – please plan to join us! The PLM volunteers at our events have really enjoyed helping our local communities while in the process getting to know each other better.

We are excited to announce that UCLA Health will be participating in the Greater Los Angeles Heart and Stroke Walk with the American Heart Association on Saturday, October 3, 2026, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. We are thrilled our Chief Administration Officer, Kelli Scott, and a one of our Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Pathologists, Dr. Daniel Stefanko, will be our Co-Captains!

Our Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Department is committed to raising $2,500 and we need your support to reach this goal. We have a proud history of exceeding our fundraising goals and we are confident we can achieve this again in 2026.

Here’s how you can get involved:

Register as a Walker: Sign up to join our team "Pathology and Laboratory Medicine" and participate in the walk. Register here.

Make a Donation: Every donation helps us get closer to our goal and supports a vital cause. To contribute, please visit our fundraising page, select the team "Pathology and Laboratory Medicine," and click "Donate to a Team Member."

Registered UCLA Health walkers who fundraise or donate $50 will receive the UCLA Health team t-shirt and gain entry into UCLA Health’s Team Tailgate on walk day for a delicious BBQ lunch! Additionally, there will be multiple chances to win LA Dodgers tickets!

If you have any questions about donations or registration, please email Anastasia (agustafson@mednet.ucla.edu).

Thank you for your support in making a difference!

We are excited to announce that UCLA Health will be participating in the 2026 Blood Cancer United’s Light the Night on Saturday, November 7, 2026 at the Centerpiece Park at Century Plaza Towers. Blood Cancer United’s (BCU) mission is to cure cancers and improve the life of cancer patients and their families. With your help, research funding can be provided for cutting edge treatments and ensures for critical health initiatives within our communities that support and advocate for cancer patients.

We are delighted that Ron Gonzalez, Olympic Analytical Laboratory Processing Supervisor, will be our Pathology and Laboratory Medicine team captain for the fourth year in a row! Our Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Department is committed to raising $2,500 and we need your support.

Here’s how you can get involved:

Register as a Walker: Sign up to join our team "Pathology and Laboratory Medicine" and participate in the walk. Register here.

Make a Donation: Every donation helps us get closer to our goal and supports a vital cause. To contribute, please visit our fundraising page. Donate here.

Registered UCLA Health walkers who fundraise or donate $50 will receive the UCLA Health team t-shirt. $100 fundraisers will also receive BCU’s 2026 Light The Night Walk t-shirt. Access the participant resources for

more prizes you can win by fundraising.

If you have any questions about donations or registration, please email Ron Gonzalez (RCGonzalez@mednet.ucla.edu).

We can’t wait to Light The Night with you!

Summer and the end of the school year often bring a drop in blood and platelet donations, but the need for lifesaving blood never takes a break. If you're an eligible employee, faculty member, staff member, trainee, or volunteer, please consider donating blood or platelets. Just one donation can help patients undergoing surgery, cancer treatment, trauma care, and other critical medical procedures.

The Association for the Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine (ADLM) Annual Conference took place July 26-30, 2026 in Anaheim, CA. Department attendees included Dr. Allison Chambliss, Dr. Omai Garner, Dr. Imir Metushi, and Dr. Lu Song.

Congratulations to Dr. Allison Chambliss on an exceptional ADLM 2026! Dr. Chambliss presented in the session “Cases from the Journal of Applied Laboratory Medicine: Maximizing the Impact of the Clinical Chemistry Laboratory on Patient Management” and helped lead the Academy of Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine team to victory in Lab Feud. We are proud to celebrate her expertise, leadership, and success both on the podium and the game show stage!

L to R: Zahra Shajani-Yi, PhD (Labcorp), Patrick Kyle, PhD (University of Mississippi Medical Center), Dr. Allison Chambliss (UCLA), and Ron Henriquez, PhD (Brooke Army Medical Center)

Congratulations to Dr. Shaimaa Maher ('26) on presenting her poster "Accidental Acetaminophen Overdose: A Pediatric Case Study."

L to R: Dr. Shaimaa Maher and Dr. Imir Metushi

Congratulations to Drs. Allison Chambliss and Josh Deignan on being selected to serve on the American Society for Clinical Pathology Effective Test Utilization Steering Committee! Their expertise and leadership will help advance best practices in laboratory medicine and patient care. We are proud to celebrate this well-deserved recognition!

L to R: Dr. Allison Chambliss and Dr. Josh Deignan

Congratulations to Dr. Shaun Yang on being interviewed by The New Yorker for the article “Stumped by a Medical Mystery? Try Metagenomics.” The article explores how metagenomic testing can solve difficult medical mysteries by searching broadly for genetic evidence of pathogens, highlighting cases where conventional testing failed. It also emphasizes the technology’s limitations. Dr. Yang cautions that results can be misleading and should be interpreted alongside clinical evidence, noting that his team found metagenomic blood testing meaningfully improved care in only 16% of cases.

Despite these limitations, Dr. Yang remains enthusiastic about metagenomics, pointing to cases where it quickly identified pathogens that conventional tests missed, including Andes hantavirus on a cruise ship and a previously undetected Ebola variant in the D.R.C.

Read More >

The Pathology Art Collective highlights the creativity of members across our department and we are now accepting new submissions to be displayed and featured. Submissions may include paintings, drawings, photography, poetry, and more.

If your creative outlet extends to home improvement projects, cooking, gardening, sewing, theater, or musical performance, we also welcome photos showcasing that work.

We will update this content regularly. The content must be suitable and professional, and I reserve the right to remove any content deemed otherwise. We can display copies of your work or the original, as you prefer.

Please send your submissions to Phyllis Gilmore at (pagilmore@mednet.ucla.edu).

Thank you for partaking in this opportunity to showcase your creative work to the UCLA community!

Friday, August 7, 2026
Clinical Seminar Series – Topic: Neuropathology
Calixto-Hope Lucas, MD
Assistant Professor of Pathology
Johns Hopkins University
Advancing Meningioma Risk Stratification: Insights from WHO, cIMPACT, and Omics

Friday, August 21, 2026
Clinical Seminar Series – Topic: Transfusion Medicine
Ross Fasano, MD
Professor, Departments of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine and Hematology
Emory University School of Medicine
Optimizing DHTR-HHS Diagnosis and Treatment in Sickle Cell Disease

Friday, September 11, 2026 at 12:00 PM PT – Hybrid – 13-105 CHS + Zoom
Inclusive Excellence Series
Omai Garner, PhD
Professor
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
University of California Los Angeles

Responding to a Syphilis Crisis: How Diagnostic Availability Can Impact Care

Mednet

UCLA Health

Pathology