Matter Mission and Mentorship

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• Joyce Pritchett- [email protected]

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• Stephanie Healey- [email protected]

Topics covered:

• Department of Pathology

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The University of California San Diego School of Medicine is pleased to welcome Christopher "Dirk" Keene, MD, PhD, as the new chair of the Department of Pathology effective April 1, 2026.

"I am thrilled to welcome Dr. Keene to UC San Diego," said Barbara Jung, MD, associate vice chancellor and dean for the School of Medicine. "His experience developing world-class neuropathology biorepository infrastructure and fostering collaborative, data-driven research and mentoring learners and faculty will be instrumental as we advance our strategic vision for medical education, research and patient care. His positive, forward-looking and measured leadership style will resonate with the UC community at large."

Keene earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and his MD and PhD degrees at the University of Minnesota. He completed anatomic pathology residency and neuropathology fellowship training at the University of Washington (UW), where he began his faculty career.

As the new pathology chair, he will lead the development of the department's strategic vision in partnership with the School of Medicine and UC San Diego Health leadership and department faculty. He will also oversee planning and implementation strategies to advance education, clinical care and research.

"As UC San Diego Health continues its regional expansion, Dr. Keene's leadership will be essential in shaping a comprehensive 10-year strategy for advanced laboratory medicine across San Diego, Riverside and Imperial Counties," said Patricia Maysent, chief executive officer at UC San Diego Health. "His proven ability to grow clinical programs and steward complex resources positions the department for continued innovation and impact."

Keene joins UC San Diego from UW, where he most recently served as the Nancy and Buster Alvord Endowed Chair and head of the Division of Neuropathology, professor of laboratory medicine and pathology, and adjunct professor of ophthalmology and neurological surgery. A board-certified neuropathologist, he founded the Pacific Northwest Brain Donor Network and the UW Biorepository and Integrated Neuropathology (BRaIN) Laboratory and led the UW Alzheimer's Disease Research Center Precision Neuropathology Core.

His research explores normal structure and function of the human brain and how the brain changes with aging and traumatic brain injury-as well as the neuropathological basis of conditions such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's-to understand how these mechanisms intersect over a person's lifetime.

A central part of his work focuses on advancing human brain research through high-quality biorepositories and collaborative data sharing. Through the BRaIN Lab and the Pacific Northwest Brain Donor Network, Keene helped build the infrastructure that provides access to brain tissue and its corresponding clinical, imaging and molecular data, enabling discoveries that bridge laboratory science and patient care. The program has become a key resource for national and international researchers.

"I always thought I would be a scientist. Then when I was in college, I took a psychology class and fell in love with the brain," said Keene. "I have a lot of dementia in my family, so that really led me to want to understand people and what happens to the brain. Joining UC San Diego provides a great opportunity for me to make a difference. The pathology department is already one of the best in country. I am looking forward to stepping into a great place and working with Dean Jung and Patty Maysent and their teams to make it even better."

As a physician-scientist, Keene relishes the opportunity to integrate patient care with basic science research.

"Pathology is one of the few specialties that really has that dual mission of basic and translational research and patient care at heart, so it's been a perfect place for me," he added. "In pathology, we have a unique opportunity to harness the revolutionary advances happening in imaging, omics and artificial intelligence (AI). Together, these technologies are poised to transform both health care and research."

As chair, Keene's long-term goal is to leverage existing expertise and infrastructure to better diagnose disease and deepen the understanding of complex conditions like dementia and cancer.

"We are uniquely positioned for this moment," said Keene. "UC San Diego has world-class imaging capabilities from whole-body MRI to spatial multiomics to subcellular microscopy. When you combine that with AI and machine learning, we can uncover patterns and discoveries that were previously invisible. Pairing advanced imaging with integrated pathology and laboratory science allows us to better understand what is happening in cells and organs in both health and disease. Ultimately, this integration will help us develop new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat diseases."

Beyond advancing the department's research and clinical mission, Keene is equally focused on the people who will carry that work forward.

"The most important thing we can be doing is training the future generations of scientists and clinicians to carry on the work we have begun and do it even better," said Keene. "As a scientist, we make important discoveries, maybe once in a lifetime, if we're lucky. Or we receive a grant, that can be a point of elation, but as an academic clinician, you get to experience those highs every day when you are taking care of patients and training students. I've loved being able to integrate patient care and diagnostics, with research and mentoring."

Outside of his professional achievements, Keene enjoys the simple pleasures of life. He and his wife, Lisa, have two adult children. The family often spends their free time walking and hiking with their dogs (Irish setters and a Havanese), kayaking and reading, activities that keep them connected to nature and each other.