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Diana M. Bell, MD

Professor of Pathology and Otolaryngology, Division of Anatomic Pathology

Diana Bell is a Professor in the Head and Neck and Endocrine section of Division of Anatomic Pathology, at UPMC. Dr. Bell completed her anatomic pathology residency at Stony Brook New York State University with subsequent fellowships in Oncologic Surgical Pathology and Head and Neck pathology at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Prior to her training, she did immunology postdoctoral fellowship in the field of dendritic cells and cancer vaccines. She is a member of several professional organizations, including North American Head and Neck Pathology Society, North American Skull Base Society, American Association for Cancer Research.

Request Second Opinion/Consultation

Pathology material (glass slides and/or tissue blocks) should be sent to:

Attn: - Lynn Wolkenstein
Administrative Assistant, Department of Anatomic Pathology
Presbyterian Campus - Suite A-616
200 Lothrop Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15213-2582

Telephone: 412-647-7065
Fax: 412-647-7799
Email: wolkensteinl@upmc.edu

Before sending any materials, please review Department of Pathology client invoicing and billing policies.

Clinical Expertise

Head and Neck and Endocrine Pathology

Certifications

Anatomic Pathology

Specialties

Head and Neck and Endocrine Pathology

Research Interests

A dedicated head and neck pathologist, Dr. Bell's research interest focuses on sinonasal and salivary gland tumors. The aim of her research is to find and apply new strategies and technologies to better understand key molecular changes during the pathogenesis of head and neck cancers, with emphasis on salivary gland and sinonasal tumors

Currently we involve microarray gene expression profiling technologies for whole genome RNA transcription to detect genes differentially transcribed in the above tumors. On DNA level we investigate epigenetic changes of the cancer genome, to find strongly deregulated genes by epigenetic CpG island methylation, involved in development and survival of these tumors (MCAM and pyrosequencing methodologies).The genes resulting from these studies are subjected to cluster, pathway and functional in silico analysis to select promising candidate genes for studies on protein level for molecular / biomarkers and for therapeutic targets. The resulting differentially expressed proteins will be further tested for their potential for biomarkers and targeted therapy.

Dr. Bell is a member of the WHO 2016 Consensus and Editorial Study Section of Head and Neck Tumors.

Representative Publications

View Dr. Bell’s recent publications on Pub Med

  1. Bell D, Choby G, Afkhami M, Maghami E, Ferrarotto R, Snyderman C, Wang E, Hanna E, Seethala R. Magnifying glass on sinonasal NUT carcinoma heterogeneity via spatial transcriptomics. Head Neck. 2025. Jul 7. PMID: 40621801.
  2. Bell D, Wang EW, Choby G, Snyderman C, Arivarasan K, Seethala RR. Sinonasal nonkeratinizing squamous cell carcinoma with synchronous presence of HPV-high risk and MKRN1::BRAF fusion. Head Neck Pathol. 2026. Mar 13. PMID: 41824150.
  3. Bell D, Weber RS, Zhang M, Afkhami M, Seethala RR. Sinonasal biphasic seromucinous adenocarcinoma: a report of two morphologically distinct cases with multimodal omics characterization. Virchow Arch. 2026 May 4. PMID: 42080922.
  4. McGrath N, Liang L, Bakkar R, Gernon TJ, Maghami E, Afkhami M, Bell D. Outside canonical BRAF p.V600E box: 7 novel BRAF gene fusions in BRAF p.V600E WT papillary thyroid carcinoma. Virchow Arch. 2026. Feb 16. PMID: 41692849.
  5. Bell D, Bell AH, Weber RS, Hanna EY. Intestinal-type adenocarcinoma in head and neck: dissecting oncogenic gene alterations through whole transcriptome and exome analysis. Mod Pathol. 2023. Oct 30. PMID: 37914089.
  6. Bell D, Bell A, Ferrarotto R, Glisson B, Takahashi Y, Fuller G, Weber R, Hanna E. High-grade sinonasal carcinomas and surveillance of differential expression in immune related transcriptome. Ann Diagn Pathol 49:151622. e-Pub 9/2020. PMID: 32927372.
  7. Bell D, Bell AH, Kupferman ME, Prieto VG, Weber RS, Hanna EY. Comparative transcriptome analysis of sinonasal inverted papilloma and associated squamous cell carcinoma: Out-HOXing developmental genes. Head Neck 41(9):3090-3104, 9/2019. e-Pub 4/2019. PMID: 31041828.
  8. Bell AH, Prieto VG, Ferrarotto R, Goepfert RP, Myers JN, Weber R, Bell D. Magnifying glass on spiradenoma and cylindroma histogenesis and tumorigenesis using systematic transcriptome analysis. Ann Diagn Pathol 41:14-23. e-Pub 5/2019. PMID: 31128548.
  9. Bell A, Bell D, Chakravarti N, Ma J, Henton N, Prieto VG. Detection of a MicroRNA molecular signature of ultraviolet radiation in the superficial regions of melanocytic nevi on sun-exposed skin. Mod Pathol 31(11):1744-1755, 11/2018. e-Pub 6/2018. PMID: 29955145.
  10. Bell AH, DeMonte F, Raza SM, Rhines LD, Tatsui CE, Prieto VG, Fuller GN, Bell D. Transcriptome comparison identifies potential biomarkers of spine and skull base chordomas. Virchows Arch 472(3):489-497, 3/2018. e-Pub 8/2017. PMID: 28844110.
  11. Hanna EY, Abdelmeguid ASA, Roberts D, Bell AH, Weber RS, Bell D. Cellular subtype may predict survival outcomes in salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma patients-a single-institution experience. Virchows Arch 472(3):505-512, 3/2018. e-Pub 10/2017. PMID: 29063189.
  12. Bell D, Raza SM, Bell AH, Fuller GN, DeMonte F. Whole-transcriptome analysis of chordoma of the skull base. Virchows Arch 469(4):439-49, 10/2016. e-Pub 7/2016. PMID: 27401718.
  13. Bell D, Bell AH, Bondaruk J, Hanna EY, Weber RS. In-depth characterization of the salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma transcriptome with emphasis on dominant cell type. Cancer 122(10):1513-22, 5/2016. e-Pub 3/2016. PMID: 26953815.
  14. Fonseca I, Bell A, Wani K, Bell D. Global transcriptome and sequenome analysis of formalin-fixed salivary epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma specimens. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 54(4):249-59, 4/2015. e-Pub 12/2014. PMCID: PMC4845898.
  15. Bell D, Saade R, Roberts D, Ow TJ, Kupferman M, DeMonte F, Hanna EY. Prognostic utility of Hyams histological grading and Kadish-Morita staging systems for esthesioneuroblastoma outcomes. Head Neck Pathol 9(1):51-9, 3/2015. e-Pub 5/2014. PMCID: PMC4382491.
  16. Bell A, Bell D, Weber RS, El-Naggar AK. CpG island methylation profiling in human salivary gland adenoid cystic carcinoma. Cancer 117(13):2898-909, 7/2011. e-Pub 1/2011. PMCID: PMC3123690.
  17. Bell D, Roberts D, Kies M, Rao P, Weber RS, El-Naggar AK. Cell type-dependent biomarker expression in adenoid cystic carcinoma: biologic and therapeutic implications. Cancer 116(24):5749-56, 12/2010. e-Pub 9/2010. PMCID: PMC2998592.
  18. Bell D, Luna MA, Weber RS, Kaye FJ, El-Naggar AK. CRTC1/MAML2 Fusion Transcript in Warthins Tumor and Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma: Evidence for a Common Genetic Association. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 47(4):309-314, 4/2008. PMID: 18181164.
  19. Bell D, Chomarat P, Broyles D, Netto G, Harb GM, Lebecque S, Valladeau J, Davoust J, Palucka KA, Banchereau J. In breast carcinoma tissue, immature dendritic cells reside within the tumor, whereas mature dendritic cells are located in peritumoral areas. J Exp Med 190(10):1417-1426, 11/1999. PMCID: PMC2195690.