Diagnostic Relevance of microRNAs: Understanding Gene Regulation in Thyroid Cancer

Dr. Broadfoot is a board-certified pathologist with expertise in anatomic and clinical pathology as well as molecular genetic pathology. He earned bachelor’s degrees in biology and emergency administration and management from Arkansas Tech University before beginning his career as a research technician, where he studied the epigenetic effects of environmental water pollutants. He subsequently pursued his medical degree at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), graduating with honors in research. Dr. Broadfoot completed his residency in anatomic and clinical pathology at UAMS, followed by a subspecialty fellowship in molecular genetic pathology at Emory University. Dr. Broadfoot currently serves as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Molecular Pathology at UAMS and is a consultant for Interpace Biosciences. His work focuses on advancing molecular diagnostics to support precision medicine and improve patient care.

Dr. Giordano received his B.A. from Johns Hopkins University in 1983 and earned his M.D. and Ph.D. through a combined program at Rutgers University and UMDNJ - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. His graduate studies in the department of Microbiology involved regulation of gene expression by phage T3 and T7 RNA polymerases. He completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at the National Cancer Institute and fellowship training in Oncologic Pathology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. After AP training, he joined the faculty of the Department of Pathology at the University of Michigan Medical School as Assistant Professor, was promoted to Associate Professor in 2001, and Professor in 2008. He also holds a joint appointment in the Metabolism and Endocrinology Division of the Department of Internal Medicine. Dr. Giordano has interests in the molecular biology of endocrine neoplasia and maintains an active translational research program using contemporary molecular and genomic profiling techniques to address problems in endocrine and other types of oncologic pathology. He is Director of the Tissue and Molecular Core of the Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Director of the Molecular Pathology Research Laboratory in the UM Department of Pathology, a former member of AP Test Committee for the American Board of Pathology, and past President of the Endocrine Pathology Society. Recently, he has become very involved in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) program of the NCI and NHGRI, where he serves as co-Chair of the Thyroid and Adrenocortical projects, member of the Pheochromocytoma Analysis Working Group, and member of the Steering Committee for their final Pan-Cancer project. Dr. Giordano is board-certified in Anatomic Pathology.

Dr. Nicole Massoll is a Professor in the Department of Pathology for the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and founder of FNApath. Dr. Massoll is a member of the College of American Pathologists, American Thyroid Association, and Endocrine Society. In addition, she is the Chief Medical Officer for Interpace Biosciences® and is a board-certified pathologist with an added qualification in cytopathology. She received her MD and Pathology training at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and completed her Cytology fellowship at Shands Hospital Gainesville, Florida while working with Dr. Ernie Mazzaferri.