Department of Pathology

Debra L. Zynger, MS, MD

Professor-Clinical

Portrait of Debra L. Zynger, MD
  • Office Location:
  • E405 Doan Hall
  • 410 W. 10th Ave.
  • Columbus, OH 43210

Biosketch

Debra L. Zynger, MS, MD, is a Professor in the Department of Pathology and Department of Urology. She is the Director of the Division of Urologic Pathology.

Dr. Zynger earned an MS in Genetics from Stanford University and MD from Indiana University. She completed her residency training in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology at Northwestern University and Urologic Pathology Fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh.

Dr. Zynger has coauthored 2 Urologic Pathology textbooks, published over 100 journal articles, served as a peer reviewer for 44 journals and is on 5 editorial boards. Dr. Zynger is the Editor in Chief for PathologyOutlines, Ohio Delegate Chair for the College of American Pathologists, serves on the Board of Governors for The Ohio Society of Pathologists and presents numerous talks at national conferences.

Dr. Zynger’s research interests are:

  1. Usage, accuracy, cost and value within urologic pathology specimens
  2. Improving consistency in synoptic reporting of urologic cancer
  3. Bladder cancer prognostication and pathologic reporting
  4. Identification of novel urologic diagnostic biomarkers
  5. Quality improvement in breast cancer pathology

Medical students are very involved in conducting research with Dr. Zynger. During her time at The Ohio State University, 35 medical students, 12 resident and fellow trainees and 2 undergraduate students have achieved authorship on a journal publication with Dr. Zynger as the senior investigator. Their work has been recognized with 42 research awards.

Board Certifications

Anatomic Pathology, American Board of Pathology

Academic and Medical Appointments

Professor, Clinical Scholars Track, Departments of Pathology and Urology, The Ohio State University, Columbus OH

Director, Division of Urologic Pathology

Divisions of Urologic Pathology and Breast Pathology

Additional Resources

Amazon Listings ResearchGate

Education and Training

2009 Fellow, Urologic Pathology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA

2008 Resident, Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL

2004 M.D., Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN

1999 M.S., Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA

Selected Publications

Search in PubMed

  • N Santhanam, DL Zynger. Ovarian Thecal Metaplasia of the Adrenal Gland: A Contemporary Case Series with Immunohistochemistry. International Journal of Surgical Pathology. 2026 Jun;34(4):1021-1029.
  • RO Ahmed, R Sandhu, N Pernick, DL Zynger. Pathology Fellowship Trends from 2015-2024: More Openings but Less Interest. Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. 2026 May 26;150(6):419-421.
  • H Xu, P Kapur, A Christie, AW Nielsen, A Perny, C Small, J Miyata, C Roberts, Roy Elias, VT Tcheuyap, C Duarte, A Van Bokhoven, J Panian, H Li, KA Collier, DL Zynger, LM Contreras, B Beuselinck, N Agarwal, A Mortazavi, S Pal, RR McKay, ET Lam, S Rajaram, J Brugarolas. Determinants of Pancreatic Tropism in Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma. Journal of Clinical Investigation. 2026 Mar 9;11(5):e195195.
  • AR Sangoi... D Zynger, SR Williamson. Interobserver Reproducibility of Pelvicalyceal Invasion in Renal Cell Carcinoma Nephrectomies Among Genitourinary Pathologists. American Journal of Surgical Pathology. 2025 Dec 1;49(12):1307-1314.
  • DJ Wu...D Zynger, AR Sangoi. Interobserver Reproducibility of Hilar Soft Tissue Invasion in Testicular Germ Cell Tumors Among Genitourinary Pathologists. Histopathology. 2025 Nov;87(5):677-686.
  • M Nourbakshs...DL Zynger, SR Williamson, GA Giannico. Current Practices in Prostate Pathology Reporting: Results from a Survey of Genitourinary and General Pathologists. Histopathology. 2025 Aug;87(2):206-222.
  • R Ahmed, DL Zynger. Factors Impacting Tumor Displacement Artifact and Pseudo-Lymphovascular Invasion in Testicular Germ Cell Tumors. American Journal of Clinical Pathology. 2025 Apr 19;163(4):516-525.
  • AM Lombardo, Tyler Sheetz, Ricardo Carrau, DL Zynger, EA Singer. An Uncommon Case of Sinonasal Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Metastatic to the Kidney Treated with Metastasectomy. Journal of Kidney Cancer and VHL. 2024 Aug 30;11(3):45-50.
  • B Choy, M Tretiakova, DL Zynger. What's new in genitourinary pathology 2023: WHO 5th edition updates for urinary tract, prostate, testis, and penis. Journal of Pathology and Translational Medicine. 2024 Jan;58(1):45-48.
  • M Akgul, J Cha, SR Williamson, K Arora, M Celik, LM Rooper, DL Zynger, AR Sangoi. Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Metastatic to the Kidney: A Series of 10 Patients Emphasizing Unilateral Presentation and Long Time Interval from Primary Diagnosis. Virchows Archiv. 2024 Jan;484(1):127-133.
  • DL Zynger, N pernick. The Pathology Job Market Post-COVID-19: Where are we now? A comparison of Pathology Job Advertisements from 2013-2017 to 2018-2022. Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. 2023 Nov 1;147(11):1227-1228.
  • DJ Wu, MN Wong, CT Lee, DL Zynger. The Stratification of Positive Lymph Nodes into pN1 and pN2 for Upper Urinary Tract Carcinoma is not Prognostically Significant. Human Pathology. 2023 Jul;137:48-55.
  • MN Wong, D Wu, CT Lee, DL Zynger. Renal Pelvic Urothelial Carcinoma with Invasion into Renal Medulla can be Redefined as pT2 Disease to Improve Correlation with Survival. Modern Pathology. 2023 Jun;36(6):100140.
  • D Wu, CT Lee, DL Zynger. Reclassifying pT3 renal pelvic urothelial carcinoma with renal parenchyma invasion to pT2 improves correlation with overall survival. Human Pathology. 2022 Jul;125:79-86.
  • AT Taylor, S Dason, DL Zynger. Clinicopathologic Features of Scrotal Leiomyosarcoma. Human Pathology. 2022 Jun;124:96-102.
  • SJ Wegman, JG Tretter, DL Zynger. Implementation of a Required Third Year Medical Student Surgical Pathology Clinical Experience. Academic Pathology. 2022 Mar 25;9(1):100027.
  • M Siedow, M Eisner, I Washington, A Yaney, DL Zynger, D Martin, X Mo, D DiCostanzo, D Diaz Pardo. Impact of Prostate Biopsy Secondary Pathology Review on Radiotherapy Management. Prostate. 2022 Feb;82(2):210-215.
  • MDC Rodriguez Pena, SC Portillo, A Ali, M Aron, P Colombo, R Cox, D Ertoy, I Gallegos, F Khani, M Květoslava, R Lucianò, H Miyamoto, AO Osunkoya, MR Raspollini, DF Sanchez, F Scarfo, J So, DL Zynger, S Wei, GJ Netto, C Magi-Galluzzi. Testicular Germ Cell Tumors with Spermatic Cord Involvement: A Retrospective International Multi-Institutional Experience. Modern Pathology. 2022 Feb;35(2):249-255.