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The Dorothy Rosenthal, M.D., Cytopathology Fund

Support a Fellow in Cytopathology

The Dorothy Rosenthal, M.D. Cytopathology Fund, an endowed fund in the Johns Hopkins Department of Pathology, was established in 2011 to honor Dorothy L. Rosenthal, M.D., Professor Emerita of Pathology and former Director of the Division of Cytopathology, for her leadership and her significant contributions to the Department and the field of cytopathology. The income from the fund provides fellowship support in the Division of Cytopathology.

Dr. Rosenthal received her medical degree in 1966 from the University of Kansas School of Medicine and was a post-sophomore fellow at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Lawrence. She was an intern in pathology at the University of Illinois and finished her residency in pathology at Milwaukee County Mental Health Complex in Wisconsin in 1970.

After completing her training, Dr. Rosenthal joined the faculty at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Medicine in 1973, ultimately being appointed as Director of Cytopathology. In 1995, she was recruited to Johns Hopkins as a Professor of Pathology and served as Director of Cytopathology at the Johns Hopkins Hospital from 1995 to 2003. From 2000 to 2004, Dr. Rosenthal served as Vice-Chair of the Johns Hopkins Department of Pathology and as Director of Pathology at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. She also held appointments in the Departments of Oncology, and Gynecology and Obstetrics.

Dr. Rosenthal devoted her professional life to the development of diagnostic cytopathology and has been internationally recognized for her work, including receiving the UCLA Woman of Science Award, the Goldblatt Award of the International Academy of Cytology, and the Papanicolaou Award from the American Society of Cytopathology. Throughout her career, she has mentored countless residents and fellows, held numerous leadership positions in professional organizations, and acted as an advisor and committee member to several government and regulatory panels.

Dr. Rosenthal's clinical interests lie in cervical cancer screening, breast cancer, and thyroid tumors, and she dedicated her research efforts to an "improved" Pap test that capitalizes on morphologic changes and reflects the molecular injury caused by a viral infection. She authored numerous publications during her distinguished career, including "Cytologic Detection of Urothelial Lesions," "Computerized Scanning Devices for Pap Smear Screening: Current Status and Critical Review," "Cervical Disease Screening and Detection: Emerging Techniques in Molecular Diagnostic Assays," and "Automation and the Endangered Future of the Pap Test," and served as Editor-in­Chief for the successful textbook series Essentials in Cytopathology. Dr. Rosenthal also led the expert group that published "The Paris System for Reporting Urinary Cytology" and co-edited this landmark monograph.

Although Dr. Rosenthal retired from the Pathology faculty in 2005, she remains an important figure in the Division of Cytopathology’s history.

If you would like to honor Dr. Rosenthal’s legacy as an outstanding scientist, teacher, mentor, and leader, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution in her honor to the Dorothy Rosenthal, M.D. Cytopathology Fund through the Department of Pathology's secure online giving form by clicking the button below.

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