Comparative Pathology Laboratory of Columbia University

The scientific mission of Comparative Pathology Laboratory (CPL) is to serve the Columbia University biomedical researchers by providing accurate, timely and high quality veterinary pathology service so as to translate the knowledge of disease process, diagnosis, treatment and prevention in research animals to improve diagnostic and clinical applications in veterinary and human medicine.

Interpretation of pathological findings in animals is not exactly similar to human pathological findings. In several occasions normal findings were reported as pathological findings in rodents (RD Cardiff, JM Ward & SW Barthold :  One medicine-one pathology: are veterinary and human pathology prepared? Laboratory Investigation 2007, 88, 18–26). Hence pathological interpretation by a board certified veterinary pathologist is sought by many top tiered journals, FDA, NIH etc. The CPL provides pathology service for your research animal studies and interpretations are made by a veterinary pathologist certified by the American College of  Veterinary Pathology and American Board of Toxicology.

CPL provides a complete range of diagnostic services for the animals used in teaching and research. The services include anatomic pathology, clinical chemistry panels, complete blood count, parasitology examinations, microbiology testing etc. All these services are provided to the faculty and researchers working with animals in Columbia University. The CPL also provides research services related to histopathology, molecular biology, and histomorphometry. Our laboratory maintains collaborative research partnership with several national and international biomedical research centers and hence any service or procedures related to veterinary pathology needed for CU research community will be made available on request.

CPL is also actively involved in Rodent Health Surveillance program of CU by providing necropsy evaluation of sentinal rodents with ancillary testing including microbiology, parasitology, serology, PCR, and histologic evaluation. CPL also conducts microbiological environmental monitoring of animal facilities through swab and RODAC (Replicate Organism Detection And Counting).. The serology program of CPL conducts rodent serological testing for viral and bacterial infectious agents using ELISA.

Residency Training

Academic and Scientific Supervision
Dr. Manu Sebastian D.V.M, MS,  Ph.D. is the Chief of Comparative Pathology Laboratory and Assistant Professor of Clinical Pathology in College of Physicians and & Surgeons, CU. Dr Sebastian is board certified by the American College of  Veterinary Pathology and American Board of Toxicology. Prior to joining CU, Dr Sebastian was Assistant Professor of Veterinary Pathology and Chief of Toxicology Testing in College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia. He has more than 12 years of veterinary pathology diagnostic, research and teaching experience. He worked as an independent researcher and has published over 30 peer-reviewed articles, reviews and multiple book chapters on veterinary medicine, toxicology and comparative pathology.

Our Staff...
M Azeem has an MS in zoological sciences with expertise in serologic techniques. Phone: (212) 305-2289, address: BB1913, email: ma57@columbia.edu

A Rivas is a clinical medical technologist with expertise in clinical pathology, histology and microbiology.
Phone: (212) 305-1461, address: BB1912C, email: amc18@columbia.edu

J Kaushal has a BS in biochemistry with expertise in clinical pathology, histology and microbiology.
Phone: (212) 305-1461, address: BB1912C, email: jk2400@columbia.edu