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About Dermatopathology and the Services Available

A skin biopsy requires a dermatopathology expert to achieve the highest level of interpretation.  Dr. Brian Hinds is the Director of the UC San Diego Health Dermatopathology Lab and board-certified in dermatology/dermatopathology.  With highly specialized training, Dr. Hinds is committed to achieving clinicopathologic correlation that enables concrete, accurate diagnoses for all patients. 

Dr. Brianne Daniels is board-certified in pathology/dermatopathology.  Along with Dr. Hinds, she is committed to providing excellent patient care in dermatopathology by achieving clinicopathologic correlation and accurate diagnoses in every case.

Our Services ​

Our Dermatopathology Laboratory is committed to providing value through a trusted relationship with our contributors, who seek high quality diagnostic services for their patients. We serve as a high-volume referral center for the local community and Southern California as a whole, addressing the full gamut of skin disease.

We welcome the ability to collaborate with community dermatologists and surgical pathologists, as well as primary care physicians, pediatricians, internists, hematologists /
oncologists, and surgeons to provide rapid interpretation of primary skin specimens or slide consultations for patients. We also accept direct requests from patient for second opinions.

Our dermatopathology laboratory is CLIA-certified and offers an extensive menu of services: 

  • We provide over 60 in-house immunoperoxidase and special stains that enhance diagnostic specificity. The reporting style ensures full clarity and accuracy in diagnosis for contributors as well as patients.  
  • To reduce patient anxiety surrounding skin biopsies: 
    • we offer 24-hour lab-to-clinic turnaround for routine specimens and,
    • we perform complex studies within 24-72 hours.
  • For complex tumors (melanocytic, adnexal, lymphoid, etc) and genodermatoses, we have partnered with the UC San Diego Center for Advanced Laboratory Medicine (CALM) which gives access to world-class genomic methodologies, such as microarray analysis and next-generation sequencing.  
  • As a melanoma referral center, we have partnered with our colleagues in the NCI-accredited UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center to allow access to comprehensive cancer care. 
  • We also provide a direct conduit to dermatology research laboratories within our Department of Dermatology, as we work closely with our talented investigative dermatologists.