[Organization and contents of future research in pathology]

The organisation of research in Pathology in the future will be driven by the pressure for profitableness. This situation is already now leading to a continuous shifting of capacity from "non profitable" research (and teaching) to diagnostics. Since research continues to be a central future goal of the university institutes of Pathology, we have to claim that all our institutes shall have a financially incontestable research unit (at least 1 x BAT1 and 1 x BAT2, 1-2 BATV and consumables for approx. TDM75/year) and appropriate space. Additionally, academically orientated full pathologists and fellows, research assistants on grant money and M.D. students will perform research. One of the central future goals must be increase in motivation of researchers through output-orientated individual support and the enhancement of their career expectations. Research planned by politicians ("planned research") can--as "planned economy"--not be successful. Main goal of our future research efforts in the postgenomic era will be further clarification of the molecular basis of diseases. Applied research will be driven by the need for molecular classifications including individual prediction of prognosis, progression and choice and response to therapy. The future face of Pathology entirely depends on the fact, how actively this type of research is done in our labs and, consequently, how well we will be trained to do non-morphologic diagnostics on tissue in the future.