
The University of Florida Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories are pleased to offer a specialized dermatopathology service. The goal of our service is to provide high quality interpretation of animal skin biopsy specimens by pathologists with interest and expertise in dermatopathology. Our team includes 3 dermatopathologists with years of experience in this area.
Pathologists
Aline Rodrigues Hoffmann, DVM, PhD, Diplomate ACVP

Dr. Aline Rodrigues Hoffmann received her Veterinary Medicine and Master’s degree from Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Brazil. She pursued a combined veterinary pathology residency and PhD program at Texas A&M University, TX, USA, becoming Board certified by the American College of Veterinary Pathologists in 2009, and completing her PhD in 2011. She has been involved and dedicated to diagnostic pathology and, in particular, dermatopathology for more than 15 years. After living many years in Texas and now in Florida, she developed a special interest for fungal infections in animals, and she now runs the Molecular Fungal ID Lab at UF. Her research is mostly focused on investigating the role the skin microbiome plays in health and disease in companion animals, basic dermatopathology research, pathogenesis of infectious diseases, and microbiology. Dr. Rodrigues Hoffmann is a member of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists, American Academy of Veterinary Dermatology, International Society of Veterinary Dermatopathology, and American Society of Microbiology. She has been an author or co-author on over 80 peer-reviewed scientific publications.
She and her husband are parents of two boys and 10 chickens. Their family loves the outdoors, especially visiting the coast of Florida and Brazil.
Jackie Marr, DVM, Diplomate ACVP

Jackie Marr, DVM DACVP, is a New Hampshire native. She received her DVM degree from the University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine and subsequently completed a three-year residency in Anatomic Pathology at Cornell University. Upon board certification, she completed a one-year fellowship in dermatopathology, also at Cornell University. Her main area of interest is diagnostic pathology, particularly immune-mediated and infectious diseases of the skin.
Pamela E. Ginn, DVM, Diplomate ACVP (Professor Emeritus)

Dr. Pamela Ginn graduated from Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1983 and spent the first seven years of her career in small animal practice in central Florida. She completed a residency in anatomic pathology at the University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine in 1992 and was board certified in anatomic pathology in 1993. She quickly developed a special interest in dermatopathology during her residency and continued developing her interest and career at the University of Florida for the next 14 years. During her career at the University of Florida, she taught dermatopathology to veterinary students, and anatomic and dermatology residents. She has also taught courses in disturbances of growth, endocrine, renal, lymphoid, cardiovascular pathology as well as special topics such as tumors and tumor-like lesions of the skin, equine dermatopathology, immune mediated skin diseases, cutaneous manifestations of systemic disease, and histiocytic disorders. She is author or co-author of many scientific publications including textbook chapters in highly regarded pathology textbooks. She is a member, founding member and past officer of the International Society for Veterinary Dermatopathology and a member of the American Academy for Veterinary Dermatology.
Specimen Submission
A completed and printed submission form must be submitted with the samples. Please make sure that the veterinarian’s contact information and a history are completed in the submission form. Send digital images to dermpath@vetmed.ufl.edu.
Shipping Samples
Send samples with a printed copy of the completed order form to:
UF Dermatopathology Service
2015 SW 16th Ave. Room VS-50
Gainesville, FL 32608
Research
Our laboratories are interested in research projects involving disease process affecting the skin in animal species. Contact us if you are interested in a collaborative project and would like to submit research samples.
One of the main areas of focus of our lab is the investigation of skin microbiome of companion animals. Over the years, we have developed several studies describing the bacterial and fungal skin microbiome of dogs and cats. We have investigated the organisms colonizing healthy skin, as well as those with allergic conditions, and bad odor. We continue our interest in this field.