Michelle R. Downes

Dr. Michelle R. Downes

Division of Anatomic Pathology, Laboratory Medicine and Molecular Diagnostics, Sunnybrook Health Science Centre, 2075 Bayview Ave, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

11Years (2016-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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1 August 2018 in American Journal of Surgical Pathology
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
AHAnjelica Hodgson
Anjelica Hodgson
ESElzbieta Slodkowska
Elzbieta Slodkowska
AJAchim Jungbluth
Achim Jungbluth
SLStanley K Liu
Stanley K Liu
DVDanny Vesprini
Danny Vesprini
Michelle R. DownesMichelle R. Downes
Michelle R. Downes
Programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) immunohistochemistry is used to guide treatment decisions regarding the use of checkpoint immunotherapy in the management of urothelial carcinoma of the bladder and hypopharyngeal (HP) squamous cell carcinoma. With increasing PD-L1 testing options, a need has arisen to assess the analytical comparability of diagnostic assays in order to develop a more sustainable testing strategy. Using tissue microarrays, PD-L1 expression in tumor cells (TCs) and immune cells (ICs) was manually scored in 197 cases and 27 cases of bladder and HP cancer, respectively. Three commercial kits (Ventana SP263, Ventana SP142, Dako 22C3) and 1 platform-independent test (Cell Signalling Technologies E1L3N) were utilized. Across the 3 commercially available clones, 14% and 74% of urothelial carcinomas were positive and negative, respectively, whereas 7% and 78% of HP carcinomas were positive and negative, respectively. Twelve percent of bladder and 15% HP cases showed discrepant PD-L1 classification results. Regardless of the scoring algorithm used, E1L3N provided comparable PD-L1 staining results. Fleiss’ kappa and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) analyses demonstrated substantial agreement among all antibody clones (k=0.639 to 0.791) and excellent reliability among SP263, 22C3, and E1L3N antibodies (ICC, 0.929 to 0.949) in TC staining. Compared with the other 3 clones, SP142 TC staining was lower with only moderate correlation (ICC, 0.500 to 0.619). Generally, the reliability of immune cell staining was lower compared with TC staining (ICC, 0.519 to 0.866). Our results demonstrate good analytic comparability of all 4 antibodies. The results are encouraging and support growing optimism in the pathology and oncology communities concerning strategies in PD-L1 assay use.

30 August 2018 in Histopathology
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
PDF file
MMMehdi Masoomian
Mehdi Masoomian
Michelle R. DownesMichelle R. Downes
Michelle R. Downes
JSJoan Sweet
Joan Sweet
CCCarol Cheung
Carol Cheung
AEAndrew J Evans
Andrew J Evans
TKTheodorus Van der Kwast
Theodorus Van der Kwast

27 June 2018 in Histopathology
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
PDF file
AHAnjelica Hodgson
Anjelica Hodgson
SLStanley K Liu
Stanley K Liu
DVDanny Vesprini
Danny Vesprini
BXBin Xu
Bin Xu
Michelle R. DownesMichelle R. Downes
Michelle R. Downes


27 June 2019 in Histopathology
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
PDF file
Michelle R. DownesMichelle R. Downes
Michelle R. Downes
ESElzbieta Slodkowska
Elzbieta Slodkowska
NKNora Katabi
Nora Katabi
AJAchim A Jungbluth
Achim A Jungbluth
BXBin Xu
Bin Xu

1 December 2018 in Human Pathology
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
CWChiyun Wang
Chiyun Wang
EHElan Hahn
Elan Hahn
ESElzbieta Slodkowska
Elzbieta Slodkowska
AEAntoine Eskander
Antoine Eskander
DEDanny Enepekides
Danny Enepekides
BXBin Xu
Bin Xu