Looking Forward: Cutting-Edge Technologies and Skills for Pathologists in the Future

Area of Science:

• Toxicologic Pathology
• Biotechnology
• Genomics

Background:

• Toxicologic pathology is crucial for advancing animal and human health.
• The field faces evolving technological and economic landscapes, necessitating skill refinement for pathologists.
• Continuous learning and adaptation are essential for addressing current and future challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To summarize key advancements presented at a career development workshop.
• To highlight cutting-edge technologies relevant to the future of toxicologic pathology.
• To inform pathologists about essential new skills and tools.

Main Methods:

• A career development workshop, "Looking Forward: Cutting-edge Technologies and Skills for Pathologists in the Future," was sponsored by the Society of Toxicologic Pathology (STP).
• Experts presented on emerging technologies including artificial intelligence, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) technology, microRNAs, and next-generation sequencing.
• The article summarizes the content of these expert presentations.

Main Results:

• Presentations covered artificial intelligence applications in pathology.
• Discussions included the potential of CRISPR technology for research and diagnostics.
• The role of microRNAs and next-generation sequencing in toxicologic pathology was explored.

Conclusions:

• Pathologists need to integrate new skills in areas like AI and advanced sequencing.
• Emerging technologies offer significant potential to enhance toxicologic pathology practices.
• Adaptation to technological advancements is vital for the future of the field.