Pathology resident presents at leading pathology conferences

Lingling Xian, M.D., Ph.D., presented at the American

Society for Clinical Pathology conference.

Lingling Xian, M.D., Ph.D., a third-year pathology resident at USA Health, recently presented her research work at prominent national and international conferences in the field of pathology. Her contributions were highlighted at the 2023 United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology (USCAP) conference, College of American Pathologists (CAP) conference, and the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) conference, where she presented three posters. 

At the USCAP 2023 conference, Xian presented her findings on “Synchronous Colorectal Cancers: Different Primaries or Intramucosal Metastasis?” Synchronous colorectal cancers refer to more than one primary colorectal cancer detected in a single patient at initial presentation.  

She showed a case at the CAP 2023 conference on metastatic prostate ductal adenocarcinoma, a rare subtype of prostate cancer, that presented as a solitary colon mucosal polyp.  

Additionally, at the ASCP 2023 conference, Xian shared insights on a skin inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor that penetrated through the skull to the dura, the tough outermost membrane enveloping the brain and spinal cord.  

Two of her abstracts have already been accepted for presentation at the USCAP 2024 annual meeting, known for its stringent selection process.  

With a focus on becoming a GI/liver pathologist and independent investigator, Xian has her eyes set on Yale University, where she has received an offer for further GI/liver pathology fellowship training in 2025 upon completion of her residency at USA Health. “For my long-term aspirations, I aim to become a pathology physician-scientist, fully dedicated to delivering the utmost diagnostic care to patients, while simultaneously exploring the nature of human diseases,” she said. 

Lingling Xian, M.D., Ph.D., presented her 

research at the CAP conference.

Acknowledging the support she received, Xian expressed gratitude to her mentor, Wei Xin, M.D., Ph.D., professor of pathology at the Whiddon College of Medicine and director of anatomic pathology at USA Health, for his guidance and supervision. Xin was the GI pathology attending physician on the cases and supervised all four of Xian’s GI pathology abstracts.  

Her research endeavors also were supported by Ajay Singh, Ph.D., professor of pathology at the Whiddon College of Medicine and leader of the cancer biology and cancer health disparities programs at the USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute; Elba Turbat-Herrera, M.D., Ph.D., professor of pathology and interdisciplinary clinical oncology, and director of the USA Health Biobank; and Eric Wei, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of pathology and director of cytogenetics. 

Xian earned a medical degree from Shihezi University School of Medicine in Xinjiang, China; and a Ph.D. from Fudan University in Shanghai, China. Prior to her residency training at USA Health, she gained valuable experience through postdoctoral training and junior faculty positions at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore.