Donald S. Karcher, MD, FCAP is Professor and Immediate Past Chair of Pathology at George Washington University (GW). He has been a member of the GW Pathology faculty for many years, serving as Chief of Hematopathology, Chief of Flow Cytometry, Director of the Residency Training Program, Director of the Division of Clinical Pathology, Director of Laboratories, and for 20 years as Chair of Pathology. He stepped down as Chair in 2020 and continues to serve on the Pathology faculty.
Dr. Karcher’s clinical expertise includes hematopathology and flow cytometry. His work as a hematopathologist involves diagnosis of leukemias, lymphomas, and other hematologic disorders. He developed the Flow Cytometry laboratory at GW many years ago and continues to direct this laboratory, which is involved in determination of the immunophenotype of leukemias and lymphomas and analysis of the cellular components of the immune system. He also has special interests in clinical laboratory administration and pathology informatics and has published and lectured nationally on both topics
Dr. Karcher’s research interests for many years focused on hematopathology, with a special focus on HIV-related lymphomas and other effects of HIV infection on the hematopoietic system. He was instrumental in discovering a new type of lymphoma (primary effusion lymphoma) common in HIV-infected patients. His more recent interests and publications deal with laboratory administration, the pathology workforce, and pathology resident education. His publications (original research, reviews, books, chapters, and abstracts) currently total 124, and he has also published 9 computer programs.
