Molecular Genetic Pathology Fellow
UC San Diego
Dr. Jennifer Chousal is a Clinical Pathologist and Molecular Genetic Pathology Fellow at UC San Diego. Her research focuses on the development and validation of RNA-based diagnostic assays. Current projects include automation of cell-free RNA (cfRNA) extraction and sequencing workflows, integration of placental histopathology with molecular data, the identification of biomarkers of placental dysfunction, and standardization of RNA-seq–based fusion detection in hematologic malignancies. Drawing on her background in RNA biology and computational analysis, Dr. Chousal aims to bridge translational research and clinical diagnostics to improve the accuracy and accessibility of molecular testing. Clinically, she contributes to molecular assay development, validation, and variant interpretation across oncology, hematopathology, and germline testing. Before fellowship, she completed her MD and PhD in Biomedical Sciences at UC San Diego, where her doctoral work investigated post-transcriptional gene regulation during early development. Her long-term goal is to advance RNA-based diagnostics, with a focus on maternal and reproductive health, while also supporting their broader clinical implementation.