The United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology’s (USCAP) board of directors has named Thomas M. Ulbright, MD, Lawrence M. Roth Professor Emeritus of Pathology at the Indiana University School of Medicine, as its distinguished pathologist for 2026.
The award is presented annually to an individual who is recognized for making major contributions to the pathology field over the years. It also recognizes "distinguished service in the development of the discipline of pathology."
Ulbright said he was "extremely honored" to receive USCAP’s top award.
"USCAP is considered the premier association of academic pathology in the world, and its recognition of my contributions over a long career is extremely gratifying," Ulbright said. "When I read the list of the prior award recipients, all of whom are pathologists I have greatly admired, it made me feel very humble to realize that I was considered among them. Furthermore, the basis of the award is not a single paper or discovery, but a body of work, almost all of which was accomplished at Indiana University."
Ulbright has been a USCAP member since 1980 — the same year he joined the IU School of Medicine faculty.
He served as the school's director of anatomic pathology from 1992-2011 and is an international expert in the field of genitourinary tract pathology.
Ulbright came to IU at a time in which Lawrence Einhorn, MD, and John Donohue, MD, were revolutionizing the way in which testicular cancer was treated, ultimately improving cure rates for many patients. His frequent review of testicular neoplasms and post-chemotherapy specimens led him to publish his own expertise on the subject. In all, he's published many book chapters, served as a section editor for the fourth edition of the World Health Organization’s book concerned with genitourinary tract tumors, and was the first author of three editions of the book, "Tumors of the Testis and Adjacent Structures" published by the American Registry of Pathology. He has published more than 330 journal articles. He has served on the editorial boards of a variety of pathology journals.
In 2022, he received an IU Indianapolis Spirit of Philanthropy award.
Ulbright was honored this week at USCAP's annual meeting in San Antonio, Texas.
