AmeriPath Announces the Expansion of Its Gastrointestinal Diagnostic Services in New England with the Appointment of Mark Redston, M.D., as Director.

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- AmeriPath, Inc., the nation's leading provider of anatomic pathology, cancer diagnostics, and related health care information services, is pleased to announce the expansion of its GI diagnostic services in New England with the appointment of Mark Redston, M.D., as Director.

Dr. Redston will join Drs. West and Kornacki, of AmeriPath New York, in servicing the needs of gastroenterologists in the Northeast Region. In addition, Dr. Redston will provide leadership and molecular expertise in the application of new molecular diagnostic tests focused on GI disease introduced by the Molecular Profiling Institute and the AmeriPath Esoteric Division's Specialty Laboratories. Dr. West stated, "Mark Redston, M.D. has the unusual distinction of being a highly skilled and experienced anatomic gastrointestinal pathologist who in addition has an international reputation for his work on the molecular pathology of gastrointestinal neoplasia. He brings to AmeriPath's GI diagnostics team more than a decade of experience in subspecialty GI molecular pathology and an established reputation as a knowledgeable and interactive resource for the interpretation of difficult morphologic cases. His expertise will help to ensure that AmeriPath remains at the forefront of cutting-edge diagnostics in our continuing quest to provide optimal patient care."

A board certified anatomic pathologist, Dr. Redston is fellowship-trained in gastrointestinal pathology from The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD and has served in numerous, prestigious appointments in both the GI academic and clinical service arenas. Academically, Dr. Redston served as Assistant Professor, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Canada; and as Associate Professor, Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA. Clinically, Dr. Redston served as Medical Staff Member, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto; Associate and Staff Scientist, The Samuel Ludenfeld Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital; Associate Pathologist, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston; Member, GI Malignancies Program, Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center, Boston; Associate Pathologist, Faulkner Hospital, Boston; Consulting Staff Member, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston; and as Consultant Pathologist, The Children's Hospital, Boston.

Dr. Redston's extensive research has focused on translational studies of GI cancer. These include studies to uncover molecular mechanisms of neoplastic susceptibility and tumor progression as well as studies to investigate the use of molecular genetic markers in predicting the outcome of and responses to chemotherapy, molecular correlative studies of mismatch repair deficiency in colorectal cancer, and the characterization of molecular progression in mismatch repair deficient neoplasms. Of particular clinical relevance, Dr. Redston has authored several landmark studies in the use of molecular markers to predict response to chemotherapy in colon cancer. In addition, Dr. Redston has been involved in one of only two NIH-funded, multicenter, internationally controlled trials of selective cox-2 inhibitors for the prevention of colorectal adenomas, in collaboration with Dr. Monica Bertagnolli of the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center, the principal investigator of this research effort.

Bruce Walton, AmeriPath's President of Anatomic Pathology, Eastern Region, commented, "We are pleased and honored that Dr. Redston has joined our team of GI pathologists. Dr. Redston's reputation and unquestionable expertise in morphologic and molecular diagnostics will help to ensure that AmeriPath's research and development efforts remain at the forefront of GI diagnostic and prognostic test development. Our focus continues to be on the local placement of highly qualified GI pathologists - reinforced by the resources of a national company - in order to achieve and maintain a truly unparalleled record of excellence in support of the medical communities and the patients we serve."

AmeriPath New England GI diagnostics will focus on providing primary GI histological services, consultations on difficult cases, and esoteric services to assist physicians in the development and management of GI disease.

About AmeriPath

AmeriPath, a leading national provider of physician-based anatomic pathology, dermatopathology, and molecular diagnostic services to physicians, hospitals, clinical laboratories, and surgery centers, supports community-based medicine by assisting physicians in the optimization of patient care. A standing team of AmeriPath subspecialized pathologists is on hand at all times to provide medical expertise, diagnostic quality, and personal consultation services. AmeriPath's national network of more than 400 highly trained, board-certified pathologists provides medical diagnostics services in outpatient laboratories owned, operated, and managed by AmeriPath as well as in local hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers. AmeriPath's Web site address is www.ameripath.com.

About Specialty Laboratories

Specialty Laboratories supports local pathology and community-based medicine by partnering with pathologists and hospitals to improve patient care and reduce episode-of-care costs. Specialty offers hospitals an extensive menu of highly advanced clinical tests used by physicians to diagnose, monitor, and treat disease and a single-source solution for esoteric testing needs. Specialty's Web site address is www.specialtylabs.com.