The Renal / EM Division offers a variety of specialized procedures, including renal biopsy pathology, specialized immunofluorescence including Alport staining, direct immunofluorescence (e.g. skin, mucous membrane and lung specimens) and diagnostic electron microscopy.
Agnes B. Fogo, M.D. and Paisit Paueksakon, M.D. offer expert renal pathology services. Dr. Fogo has taught renal pathology courses at multiple venues, including the USCAP, ASN and ISN. She is an author of two books on renal pathology, and is the senior editor of the online Atlas of Renal Pathology at AJKD.org for the NKF, coauthored with Dr. Lusco, and Drs. Charles Alpers and Behzad Najafian at the University of Washington, Seattle. In addition, Dr. Fogo has published extensively in the area of progression of renal diseases and renal pathology. Dr. Paueksakon did a specialized renal pathology fellowship at Vanderbilt.
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Renal/EM Division hours of operation are 8 am - 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. To ensure proper handling of STAT or weekend holiday biopsies, our updated standard procedures for sending biopsies for delivery during the week and for delivery on weekends is detailed below.
*Please note that FedEx does not pick up or deliver on holidays*.
Please follow the criteria below for STAT processing. The referring nephrologist is usually the person who determines that the biopsy needs STAT processing, and should inform local Pathology and Vanderbilt Renal Pathology.Procedures for sending STAT biopsies for receipt over the weekend
***Biopsies that are sent on Friday and need to be processed and reviewed during weekends should be sent priority overnight via Fed-Ex to the following address:
Client Services/Central Receiving
Attn: Dr. Agnes Fogo, Director
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
TVC 4607, 23rd and Pierce Avenue
Nashville, TN 37232
Phone Number: (615) 322-4844
***Please remember to mark weekend biopsies "Saturday Delivery" in the appropriate Fed-Ex field, to ensure proper delivery.
Please call us with Fed Ex tracking numbers or leave message with this information on the Renal/EM Division voice mail (615-322-3130), so we can track the package.
Biopsies that need to be processed during holidays or weekends need to be called in to us. You, or the nephrologist can do this by paging the attending on call at 615-831-8233 to give us this alert information. You can also page our fellow on call at 615-831-8363.Procedures for sending routine biopsies out Monday through Thursday
Biopsies that need to be processed and reviewed during the week should be shipped to:
Dr. Agnes Fogo, Director
Renal/EM Division, VUMC
Medical Center North C-2317
1161 21st Ave. South
Nashville, TN 37232-2561
Phone: (615) 322-3070
I hope this brings clarification to our standard processes for STAT and weekend biopsies. If you have any questions, please contact my Administrative Assistant, Kimberly Rampersad, by phone at 615-343-2501, or by email at kimberly.a.rampersad@vumc.org.
