Overview

  • Dr. Al Diffalha is the Medical Director of UAB Tissue Biorepository (UAB-TBR) and The Director Of GI Pathology Fellowship. Dr. Al Diffalha is an American Board Certified Anatomic/Clinical pathologist. He completed his gastrointestinal, hepatobiliary and pancreas pathology fellowship training at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer center and Tampa General Hospital in Tampa FL 2016-2017 as well as general surgical pathology fellowship training at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center between 2015-2016 with breast focus. Dr. Al Diffalha achieved his residency training in Anatomic and clinical pathology at Loyola University Medical Center (LUMC) in Chicago, IL between 2011-2015. He had pathology training at University Of Damascus, Syria 2006-2011. He obtained his medical degree from University of Damascus, Syria 2006.

    • Selected Publications

    Academic Article

    Year Title Altmetric
    2022 Breast Implant Capsule-Associated Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Report of 2 Patients.  International Journal of Surgical Pathology.  30:900-907. 2022
    2022 Developing 3D Organoid Raft Cultures from Patient-Derived Xenografts as Rapid Models to Screen Efficacy of Experimental Therapeutics.  International Journal of Molecular Sciences.  23. 2022
    2022 Carcinosarcoma with chondroid differentiation and neuroendocrine carcinoma: unusual triphasic tumour arising from intracholecystic papillary neoplasm of the gall bladder.  BMJ Case Reports.  15. 2022
    2022 Reducing regorafenib toxicity by combining with dual JAK-HDAC inhibitor in colorectal cancer..  Journal of Clinical Oncology.  40:e15597-e15597. 2022
    2022 DCZ0415, a small-molecule inhibitor targeting TRIP13, inhibits EMT and metastasis via inactivation of the FGFR4/STAT3 axis and the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in colorectal cancer.  Molecular Oncology.  16:1728-1745. 2022
    2022 Gastric Xanthomatosis Secondary to Lipoprotein X in Primary Biliary Cholangitis.  Journal of Investigative Medicine High Impact Case Reports.  10. 2022
    2022 Videoconference microscopy is a reliable alternative to conventional microscopy in the evaluation of Barrett's esophagus: Zooming into a new era.  Gullet.  35. 2022
    2022 Benefit of Gene Expression Profiling in Gastrointestinal Neuroendocrine Tumors of Unknown Primary Origin 2022
    2022 Sialyltransferase ST6GAL-1 mediates resistance to chemoradiation in rectal cancer.  Journal of Biological Chemistry.  298. 2022
    2022 Gastrointestinal Manifestations of COVID-19 Infection: Clinicopathologic Findings in Intestinal Resections Performed at Single Institution.  Frontiers in Medicine.  9. 2022
    2022 Age-Dependent Heterogeneity of Lymph Node Metastases and Survival Identified by Analysis of a National Breast Cancer Registry. 2022
    2022 Fulminating herpes simplex hepatitis..  Autopsy and Case Reports.  12:e2021410. 2022
    2022 Spindle Cell Sarcoma of the Uterus Harboring MEIS1::NCOA1 Fusion Gene and Mimicking Endometrial Stromal Sarcoma.  International Journal of Surgical Pathology.  2022
    2021 A 12-year retrospective evaluation of anal pre-cancerous lesions and cancer in people living with HIV-1 infection in the Southeastern U.S.  Infectious Agents and Cancer.  16. 2021
    2021 Corrigendum to ‘Targeting P4HA1 with a Small Molecule Inhibitor in a Colorectal Cancer PDX Model’ [Translational Oncology 13 (2020) 100754] (Translational Oncology (2020) 13(4), (S1936523320301030), (10.1016/j.tranon.2020.100754)).  Translational Oncology.  14. 2021
    2021 Jejunal Perforation Secondary to Disseminated Histoplasmosis.  Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery.  25:3004-3006. 2021
    2021 NAB2-STAT6 Gene Fusions to Evaluate Primary/Metastasis of Hemangiopericytoma/Solitary Fibrous Tumors.  American Journal of Clinical Pathology.  156:906-912. 2021
    2021 Expression of MHC class I polypeptide-related sequence A (MICA) in colorectal cancer.  Frontiers in Bioscience-Landmark.  26:765-776. 2021
    2021 Inhibin-positive hepatic carcinoma: proposal for a solid-tubulocystic variant of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.  Human Pathology.  116:82-93. 2021
    2021 Atypical spindle cell/pleomorphic lipomatous tumor of the stomach: A case report.  Human Pathology: Case Reports.  25. 2021
    2021 Positivity for SATB2 distinguishes Islet1 positive rectal neuroendocrine tumours from pancreaticoduodenal neuroendocrine tumours 2021
    2021 Gastric Sclerosing Epithelioid Fibrosarcoma Harboring a Rare FUS-CREM Fusion.  International Journal of Surgical Pathology.  29:565-570. 2021
    2021 Abstract LB245: TRIM29 mediates metastasis though hypoxia-regulated proteins in microsatellite-stable and p53-mutated colorectal cancers.  Cancer Research.  81:lb245-lb245. 2021
    2021 Autoimmune hepatitis developing after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine: Causality or casualty?.  Journal of Hepatology.  75:222-224. 2021
    2021 Osteosarcoma with Telangiectatic Features Metastatic to the Small Bowel.  Human Pathology: Case Reports.  24. 2021
    2021 A Surprising Find on Screening Colonoscopy.  Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.  19:A22. 2021
    2021 Acute Liver Failure Due to Toxoplasmosis After Orthotopic Liver Transplantation.  Journal of Investigative Medicine High Impact Case Reports.  9. 2021
    2021 EBV Positive Mucocutaneous Ulcer (EBVMCU): Single Center Series of Three Cases and Review of Literature.  Annals of Clinical and Laboratory Science.  51:124-130. 2021
    2021 Expression of trefoil factor 3 is decreased in colorectal cancer 2021
    2020 TRIP13 promotes metastasis of colorectal cancer regardless of p53 and microsatellite instability status.  Molecular Oncology.  14:3007-3029. 2020
    2020 Monomorphic Epitheliotropic Intestinal T-cell Lymphoma: A Study of Four Cases and Review of Literature.  Annals of Clinical and Laboratory Science.  50:806-812. 2020
    2020 Alcohol and Liver Clock Disruption Increase Small Droplet Macrosteatosis, Alter Lipid Metabolism and Clock Gene mRNA Rhythms, and Remodel the Triglyceride Lipidome in Mouse Liver.  Frontiers in Physiology.  11. 2020
    2020 Cirrhotomimetic hepatocellular carcinoma: experience of a single institution and review of the literature..  Hepatic Oncology.  8:HEP28. 2020
    2020 CDX-2 Expression in Esophageal Biopsies Without Goblet Cell Intestinal Metaplasia May Be Predictive of Barrett’s Esophagus.  Digestive Diseases and Sciences.  65:1992-1998. 2020
    2020 PAICS, a purine nucleotide metabolic enzyme, is involved in tumor growth and the metastasis of colorectal cancer.  Cancers.  12. 2020
    2020 Targeting P4HA1 with a Small Molecule Inhibitor in a Colorectal Cancer PDX Model.  Translational Oncology.  13. 2020
    2019 MTHFD1L, A Folate Cycle Enzyme, Is Involved in Progression of Colorectal Cancer.  Translational Oncology.  12:1461-1467. 2019
    2019 Disparities in clinical outcomes across age, sex and race among patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma: a single center experience.  Annals of Oncology.  30:iv64. 2019
    2019 Biological, medical, and other tissue variables affecting biospecimen utilization.  Biopreservation and Biobanking.  17:259-263. 2019
    2019 The importance of human tissue bioresources in advancing biomedical research.  Biopreservation and Biobanking.  17:209-212. 2019
    2019 The utilization of biospecimens: Impact of the choice of biobanking model.  Biopreservation and Biobanking.  17:230-242. 2019
    2019 Analysis of the immune landscape of small bowel neuroendocrine tumors.  Endocrine-Related Cancer.  26:119-130. 2019
    2019 Diffuse histology-proven mucinous cystic neoplasm of the pancreas: A case report and review of literature.  International Journal of Surgery Case Reports.  64:123-127. 2019
    2018 Invasive Breast Carcinoma Tumor Size on Core Needle Biopsy: Analysis of Practice Patterns and Effect on Final Pathologic Tumor Stage.  Clinical Breast Cancer.  18:e1027-e1030. 2018
    2018 CD133 expression as a helicobacter pylori-independent biomarker of gastric cancer progression 2018
    2018 EGFR L861Q mutation in a metastatic solid-pseudopapillary neoplasm of the pancreas.  Cancer Genomics and Proteomics.  15:201-205. 2018
    2017 Symmetrical lipomatosis of tongue, misdiagnosed as primary amyloidosis.  Human Pathology: Case Reports.  8:1-2. 2017
    2017 Immunohistochemistry in the workup of prostate biopsies: Frequency, variation and appropriateness of use among pathologists practicing at an academic center.  Annals of Diagnostic Pathology.  27:34-42. 2017
    2017 NUT midline carcinoma: A rare malignancy 2017
    2017 Duodenal toxoplasmosis in a bone marrow transplant patient: A rare case report.  Human Pathology: Case Reports.  7:16-18. 2017
    2017 Rare case of combined small cell lung cancer with adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.  Human Pathology: Case Reports.  7:31-34. 2017
    2017 An isolated intestinal duplication cyst masquerading as a mucinous cystic neoplasm of the pancreas: A case report and review of the literature.  International Journal of Surgery Case Reports.  39:208-211. 2017
    2016 Intratesticular adenomatoid tumor: A case report and review of the literature.  Human Pathology: Case Reports.  4:13-17. 2016
    2016 Use of Fluorodeoxyglucose-Positron Emission Tomography in the Diagnosis of Intravascular Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma..  Federal practitioner : for the health care professionals of the VA, DoD, and PHS.  33:32S-36S. 2016
    2016 Microvascular injury in persistent gastric ulcers after yttrium-90 microsphere radioembolization for liver malignancies.  Human Pathology.  50:11-14. 2016
    2015 Cervical squamous cell carcinoma metastatic to pericardial fluid - Large cell balls masquerade as adenocarcinoma.  Diagnostic Cytopathology.  43:912-915. 2015

    Chapter

    Year Title Altmetric
    2016 Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) of the mediastinum and thymus.  141-151. 2016

    Teaching Overview

  • University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Pathology
    Teaching residents and fellows (2017-current)

    University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Medicine, GI Division
    Teaching residents and fellows (2017-current)

    University of Alabama at Birmingham, Anatomic pathology
    Medical Student
    Teaching medical students in small group sessions

    Loyola University Medical Center (2011-2014)
    Stritch School of Medicine
    Teaching medical students in small group sessions and virtual microscopy

    Damascus University, Department of pathology (2007- 2010)
    Medical School
    Teaching medical students in small group sessions and virtual microscopy

    • Education And Training

  • Damascus University Pathology, Residency
  • Loyola University Medical Center Pathology, Residency
  • H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center (MCC) Pathology, Postdoctoral Fellowship
  • H.Lee Moffitt Cancer Center (MCC) Pathology, Postdoctoral Fellowship
  • Doctor of Medicine, University of Damascus 2006

    • Full Name

  • Sameer Al Diffalha