Sara Szabo, MD, PHD
- Staff Pathologist, Division of Pathology
- Medical Director, Anatomic Pathology
- Director, Oncopathology
- Professor, UC Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
- UC Department of Pediatrics
- sara.szabo@cchmc.org
- Board Certified
About
Biography
Curiosity about nature’s mysteries drove me to the sciences in my teens, with the thrill of small daily discoveries as I tinkered in my mother’s kitchen or my father’s workshop. Yet, my grandfather saw me as a future pediatrician, as a “lady doctor” caring for the neighborhood’s babies and children. Since then, I’ve walked a meandering professional path in diagnostics — from radiology, through molecular virology to pediatric pathology. My daily thrill now comes from correlative diagnostics, working with clinicians to provide personalized care for children and young adults.
My routine clinical work is microscopy-based, with molecular diagnostics, which is salient to data-driven discovery with researchers and is driving better care for every patient we see. In other words: It is an engine of personalized medicine and a motivator for me as a physician.
I make comprehensive diagnoses, focusing on tumors arising in soft tissues and bones, pediatric tumors of abdominal and thoracic organs, and of vascular tumors and malformations. While I’m mostly invisible to families, I do enjoy the trust of my clinician colleagues and like to hear how their patients are doing.
An award that is personal to me was one I received 2015 — the Society for Pediatric Pathology President’s Distinguished Colleague Award. It bespoke of Dr. Kapur’s humanity, collegiality and professional philosophy as a pediatric pathologist.
In research, I've teamed up with clinical and basic scientists to advance therapy for:
- Soft tissue tumors such as rhabdomyosarcomas and neurofibromatosis
- Vascular malformations
- Inflammatory conditions in fatty liver disease (NAFLD)
- Bone marrow transplantation
This work transforms our personal and team practices. I sometimes joke that I’m a neighborhood pathologist-scientist to serious basic scientists.
In my free time, I dance free-style while cardio-kickboxing and “kick” while dancing. I dream of creating a chocolate shop, with neighborhood photos and children’s portraits.
MD: University of Pecs Medical School, Pecs, Hungary, 1983-1989.
PhD: Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 1992-1998.
Fellowship: Pediatric Pathology, Texas Children's Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 2003-2004.
Board Certifications: Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, The American Board of Pathology, 2003; Pediatric Pathology, The American Board of Pathology, 2005.
State Licensure (Active): Ohio, Wisconsin, Louisiana.
Interests
Pediatric pathology; pathology and genetics of soft tissue and bone tumors
Services and Specialties
Interests
Pathology and genetics of soft tissue and bone tumors, vascular anomalies, and select inflammatory disorders
Research Areas
Additional Languages
HungarianPublications
TRLS-10. CLINICAL TRIAL IN PROGRESS - CONNECT2007: PHASE I/II STUDY OF LUTATHERA IN PATIENTS WITH RECURRENT AND/OR PROGRESSIVE HIGH-GRADE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM (CNS) TUMORS AND MENINGIOMAS THAT DEMONSTRATE UPTAKE ON DOTATATE PET. Neuro-Oncology. 2024; 26:0.
Presurgery health influences outcomes following vertical sleeve gastrectomy in adolescents. Obesity. 2024; 32:1187-1197.
C5aR plus MEK inhibition durably targets the tumor milieu and reveals tumor cell phagocytosis. Life Science Alliance. 2024; 7:e202302229.
Obesity amplifies influenza virus-driven disease severity in male and female mice. Mucosal Immunology. 2023; 16:843-858.
MEK inhibition reduced vascular tumor growth and coagulopathy in a mouse model with hyperactive GNAQ. Nature Communications. 2023; 14:1929.
Novel Pathogenic DNAH5 Variants in Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia: Association with Visceral Heterotaxia and Neonatal Cholestasis. Journal of Pediatric Genetics. 2023; 12:246-253.
Strategies for the Treatment of Infantile Soft Tissue Sarcomas With BCOR Alterations. Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology. 2023; 45:315-321.
ASO Author Reflections: Minimizing Time in Hospital via Bone Biopsy or Other Means. Annals of Surgical Oncology. 2023; 30:3666.
Pediatric and Young Adult Image-Guided Percutaneous Bone Biopsy-A New Standard of Care?. Annals of Surgical Oncology. 2023; 30:3658-3665.
Endemic mycoses in children in North America: a review of radiologic findings. Pediatric Radiology: roentgenology, nuclear medicine, ultrasonics, CT, MRI. 2023; 53:984-1004.
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