John C. Papadimitriou, MD, PhD

My early publications addressed the defense mechanisms of nucleated cells to the complement mediated cell membrane attack. This work contributed to the understanding of these defenses, including the removal of these lesions from the cell surface, as well as the mechanisms of the ensuing cell death (when these defenses are pharmacologically inhibited) relating to massive calcium influx and adenine nucleotide loss. These studies have had significant impact on understanding complement mediated cell injury and death in various clinical contexts, including antibody mediated allograft rejection.

Papadimitriou JC, Ramm LE, Drachenberg CB, Trump BF, Shin ML. Quantitative analysis of adenine nucleotides during the prelytic phase of cell death mediated by C5b-9., J Immunol. 1991 Jul 1;147(1):212-7.

Papadimitriou JC, Carney DF, Shin ML. Inhibitors of membrane lipid metabolism enhance complement-mediated nucleated cell killing through distinct mechanisms. , Mol Immunol. 1991 Aug;28(8):803-9.

Papadimitriou JC, Phelps PC, Shin ML, Smith MW, Trump BF. Effects of Ca2+ deregulation on mitochondrial membrane potential and cell viability in nucleated cells following lytic complement attack. Cell Calcium. 1994 Mar;15(3):217-27

Papadimitriou JC, Drachenberg CB, Shin ML, Trump BF. Ultrastructural studies of complement mediated cell death: a biological reaction model to plasma membrane injury. Virchows Arch. 1994;424(6):677-85

Ultrastructural evaluation of features of human tumors, thus aiding to their diagnosis and understanding of their pathogenesis.

Papadimitriou JC, Drachenberg CB. Giant mitochondria with paracrystalline inclusions in paraganglioma of the urinary bladder: correlation with mitochondrial abnormalities in paragangliomas of other sites. Ultrastruct Pathol. 1994 Nov-Dec;18(6):559-64

Papadimitriou JC, Weihing RR, Choi C, Drachenberg CB. Prostatic marker-negative amphicrine carcinoma of the prostate. Ultrastruct Pathol. 1994 May-Jun;18(3):357-63.

Drachenberg CB, Mendenhall S, Papadimitriou JC. Adult-type granulosa cell tumor, presenting as extraovarian metastases: ultrastructural diagnosis. Ultrastruct Pathol. 1996 May-Jun;20(3):231-9

Papadimitriou JC, Drachenberg CB, Brenner DS, Newkirk C, Trump BF, Silverberg SG "Thanatosomes": a unifying morphogenetic concept for tumor hyaline globules related to apoptosis. Hum Pathol. 2000 Dec;31(12):1455-65

Allograft pathology (kidney and pancreas), leading to development of internationally used diagnostic schemas and guidelines for the identification of side effects.

Papadimitriou JC, Drachenberg CB, Klassen DK, Gaber L, Racusen LC, Voska L, Cangro CB, Ramos E, Wali R, Weir MR, Bartlett ST. Histological grading of chronic pancreas allograft rejection/graft sclerosis. Am J Transplant. 2003 May;3(5):599-605

Papadimitriou JC, Cangro CB, Lustberg A, Khaled A, Nogueira J, Wiland A, Ramos E, Klassen DK, Drachenberg CB. Histologic features of mycophenolate mofetil-related colitis: a graft-versus-host disease-like pattern. Int J Surg Pathol. 2003 Oct;11(4):295-302

Drachenberg CB, Papadimitriou JC. Endothelial injury in renal antibody-mediated allograft rejection: a schematic view based on pathogenesis.Transplantation. 2013 May 15;95(9):1073-83

Papadimitriou JC, Drachenberg CB, Munivenkatappa R, Ramos E, Nogueira J, Sailey C, Klassen DK, Haririan A. Glomerular inflammation in renal allografts biopsies after the first year: cell types and relationship with antibody-mediated rejection and graft outcome. Transplantation. 2010 Dec 27;90(12):1478-85

Polyoma virus infection to human carcinogenesis, particularly in the renourinary system in transplant patients.

Alexiev BA, Drachenberg CB, Papadimitriou JC. Polyomavirus-cystitis associated with in situ and invasive urothelial carcinoma in a heart transplant recipient: evidence suggesting sequential progression/evolution from infection to carcinoma. Transplantation. 2015 Jan;99(1):e3-4

Alexiev BA, Randhawa P, Drachenberg CB, Papadimitriou JC. BK virus-associated urinary bladder carcinoma in transplant recipients: productive or nonproductive polyomavirus infections in tumor cells?--reply. Hum Pathol. 2013 Dec;44(12):2871-2

Alexiev BA, Papadimitriou JC, Chai TC, Ramos E, Staats PN, Drachenberg CB. Polyomavirus (BK)-associated pleomorphic giant cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder: a case report. Pathol Res Pract. 2013 Apr;209(4):255-9

Alexiev BA, Randhawa P, Vazquez Martul E, Zeng G, Luo C, Ramos E, Drachenberg CB, Papadimitriou JC. BK virus-associated urinary bladder carcinoma in transplant recipients: report of 2 cases, review of the literature, and proposed pathogenetic model. Hum Pathol. 2013 May;44(5):908-17

Complete list of publications can be found on Pubmed

• Head and Neck carcinogenesis.
• Cell injury and death.
• Immunopathological mechanisms.
• Polyomavirus associated viral carcinogenesis. 

My clinical research focus has centered on head and neck pathology, describing and clarifying the features of specific disease entities. Head & Neck Pathology is an extremely complex branch of Pathology, due to its vast heterogeneity. A distinct need for a specialized pathologist in the area is clear, for clinicopathological decisions. Only a small number of pathologists is specialized in this area.

• Surgical Pathology / Head and Neck Pathology
• Cytopathology
• Immunopathology
• Renal pathology
• Transplantation Pathology

• 1969 - University Entrance Examination; Entry with Honors
• 1970 - Examination for the University of Athens Scholarship “A. Papadakis.” Scholarship awarded for the Academic Years, 1970-1975
• 1973-1974 - “Praise of Excellence” for Proficiency in German Language and Literature, awarded by Goethe-Institut, Athens
• 1975 - M.D. Degree, magna cum laude
• 1978 - Doctorate Diploma (Dr. med.), cum laude
• 1978 - Selected with Honors as Medical Officer of the Greek Navy
• 1992 - Who’s Who, Platinum Edition
• 1995 - Selected as one of 15 best teachers in Sophomore Year (Awarded by Class of 1997
• 2014 - Teaching commendation in Host Defenses & Infectious Diseases Immunology Section
• 2016 - Top Doctor: Baltimore Magazine

Ongoing Research Support

Maryland Stem Cell Research Commission grant 2015-MSCRFI-1638, “Enhanced Expansion of Undifferentiated, Pluripotent Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells by NME Proteins”  PI Dr. David Kaetzel (Biochemistry).
06/30/15-06/29/16
Role: Co-investigator
My role is in evaluation of cell transplant morphology in vivo, assessment of angiogenesis, apoptosis, fibrosis, proliferation, senescence and other morphological parameters.

Completed Research Support

Flight Attendant Medical Research Institute (FAMRI) (PI:  Wolf)
07/01/04-06/30/06
Correlation of Chronic Sinusitis and Tobacco Smoke. This project studied the respiratory mucosal epithelial changes in experimental animals chronically exposed to tobacco smoke.
Role:  Co-investigator
My role was to evaluate semiquantitatively the mucosal changes in the respiratory tissue.

DOD/USAMRMC (PI:  Gullapalli)
11/01/03-10/31/06 Improved Sensitivity and Specificity for Detection of Prostate Cancer
This project studied the sensitivity of imaging techniques in detecting prostatic carcinomas.
Role:  Co-investigator
My role was to evaluate, grade and map the prostatic specimens for the presence of cancer.

Maryland Kidney Foundation  (PI:  J. Papadimitriou)
07/01/09-06/30/11
Role Of Autophagy in Tubular & Glomerular Chronic Lesions
This project studied the presence of autophagy in renal tissues and correlated these findings with function
Role: PI
My work consisted in studying the light and electron microscopic features of the autophagic cellular inclusions and correlate them with renal functional parameters.

• 1972 - Research Associate, Department of Internal Medicine and Hematology, City Hospital of Solothurn, Switzerland, under the supervision of Prof. S. Moeschlin, University of Basel
• 1973 - Research Associate, Blood Bank and Department of Immunology, City Hospital of Aarhus, Denmark, under the supervision of Prof. Kissmeyer-Nielsen, University of Aarhus
• 1976 - Research Associate, Laboratory of Histochemistry, Medical Poly-clinic, University of Heidelberg, West Germany
• 1976- 1978 - Research Associate, Institute for Immunology and Serology, University of Heidelberg, West Germany
• 1986- 1987 - Fellow in Surgical Pathology, Department of Pathology, University of Maryland
• 1988- 1991 - Instructor, MedicalSchool, University of Maryland, Baltimore
• 1991- 1996 - Assistant Professor, Tenure Track, University of Maryland, Baltimore
• 1996- 2002 - Associate Professor, Tenured, University of Maryland, Baltimore
• 2002-present -  Professor, Tenured, University of Maryland, Baltimore
• 1991-present - Director, Surgical Pathology, University of Maryland Medical Center
• 2009-present - Member, University of Maryland Greenebaum Cancer Center