Department of Pathology

Dalhousie University

Sylvia Pasternak

Professor

PATH-PasternakSylvia
Department of Pathology , Division of Clinical Dermatology & Cutaneous Science , Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences

Email: sylvia.pasternak@nshealth.ca
Phone: 902-473-1459
Research Topics:
  • Merkel cell carcinoma
  • Eyelid pathology
  • Clinical pathologic correlation in Dermatopathology

Dr Sylvia Pasternak is a practicing Dermatopathologist, certified by the International Committee for Dermatopathology. She is a member of the Canadian Society of Dermatopathologists, the American Society of Dermatopathology and the International Society of Dermatopathology. She is the Dermatopathology Program Director at the QEII Health Sciences Centre. Dr Pasternak is also the responsible Pathologist for the Ocular Pathology Service at the QEII Health Sciences Centre.

Education

  • MD: University of Sao Paulo, Brazil
  • Residency (Ophthalmology): University of Sao Paulo, Brazil
  • Ocular Pathology Fellowship: University of British Columbia, BC, Canada
  • Master Of Science: Dalhousie University, NS, Canada
  • Residency (Anatomical Pathology): Dalhousie University, NS, Canada
  • Dermatopathology Fellowship: University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA

Selected Publications

  1. Merkel cell carcinoma: An update. DeCosteRC, Carter MD, Ly TY, Gruchy JR, Nicolela AP, Pasternak S. Hum.Pathol.2023 Oct;140:39-52
  2. Endocrine mucin-producing sweat gland carcinoma: Emerging evidence of a multi-centric cutaneous origin and occasional concurrence with analogous breast tumors. Ravi, PY, Walsh, NM, Archibald, C, Pasternak S Am J Dermatopathol 2022 May 1;44(5): 321-326
  3. Pasternak S, Carter MD, Ly TY, Doucette S, Walsh NW.  Hum Pathol. 2018 Dec; 82:232-238. Immunohistochemical profiles of different subsets of Merkel cell carcinoma.
  4. Relationship between p63 and p53 expression in Merkel cell carcinoma and corresponding abnormalities in TP63 and TP53: a study and a proposal. DeCoste RC, Carter MD, Pasternak S, Fleming KE, Gaston D, Legge A, Ly TY, Walsh NM. Hum Pathol 2021 Nov;117:31-41.
  5. RB1-deficient squamous cell carcinoma: the proposed source of combined Merkel cell carcinoma. DeCosteRC, WalshNM, Gaston D, LyTY, Pasternak S, Cutler S, NaghtingaleM, Carter MD. Mod Pathol.2022 Dec;35(12):1829-1836.
  6. Morphological patterns of metastases from Combined Merkel cell carcinomas: study of an eastern Canadian cohort of cases. Gruchy JR, Pasternak S, Ly TY, DeCoste RC, Fleming KE, Carter MD, Walsh NM. Hum Pathol 2022 Nov;29:47-55