Oscar F. Lopez-Nunez, MD

As a pediatric pathologist, I am aware of the enormous impact my diagnoses could have on children’s lives and the lives of their families. I approach each one of my patients with the same level of empathy and care as I would with my own children.

I was inspired to pursue pathology over many years of training, where I developed a particular interest in studying disease mechanisms. As a pathology trainee, my personal experiences as a father and my fascination with understanding pediatric oncologic diseases helped me realize how deeply I care for children. So, I became a pediatric pathologist.

I consider myself to be an essential part of an interdisciplinary team. By spending quality time at the microscope, providing a comprehensive pathologic assessment in my reports and maintaining continuous communication with my clinical colleagues, I strive to achieve the correct diagnoses and the best care in every case.

Although my little patients and their families probably will not see me, I do see them. To me, every glass slide under my microscope is a small window into a child’s life. I want families to know I’m committed to providing the best care possible every time I render a diagnosis — no matter how simple or complex.

My areas of research include molecular characterization of bone and soft tissue tumors, like sarcomas. Many of these tumors show aggressive biologic behavior and the identification of molecular signatures can be beneficial from a diagnostic and a therapeutic point of view. I am also interested in the pathobiological mechanisms of pediatric eosinophilic disorders and inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases.

I love spending my free time with my wife and son doing outdoor activities, like hiking and biking. I also enjoy gardening outdoors. Among other things, I love freestyle drawing and illustration — a skill that I often use when spending time with my son or while creating online educational content for my peers in pathology.