Diagnostic Pathology Comparative Pathology: Enhancing Basic and Translational Research Amanda P. Beck, DVM Associate Professor, Department of Pathology 718.678.1111 amanda.beck@einsteinmed.org View Profile Comparative Pathology data analysis provides critical information required for the validation and characterization of animal models. Amanda Beck, DVM, Scientific Director of Einstein’s Histology and Comparative Pathology Facility, is a board-certified veterinary comparative pathologist with extensive experience in the development and evaluation of non-human primate and mouse models of cancer and pre-neoplasia, infectious disease, and aging. Dr. Beck interfaces with Einstein/Montefiore researchers on a variety of basic science and translational research projects. These include, for example, models of pancreatic, intestinal, liver, breast, skeletal muscle, lung, hematopoietic, endocrine and bone cancer. She advises investigators on the influence of mouse genetic background/strain on phenotypic expression and study outcomes, and on tissue collection, preparation and fixation during the planning stages of studies. Dr. Beck also closely interacts with Einstein’s Institute for Animal Studies, which provides vivarium housing and colony healthcare for all experimental animals in the College of Medicine’s Animal Barrier facility. She provides diagnostic veterinary pathology support to the laboratory animal veterinarians and veterinary technicians, which is particularly important when an investigator experiences unexpected illness or death in their research animals. This allows the veterinary staff to monitor for potential outbreaks of infectious disease and to detect any potential husbandry or experimental issues to be rectified.