HUP Pathologist Assistant Joseph A. DiRienzi, PA(ASCP) has retired after more than 47 years at Penn Medicine. A celebration was held on November 24th to honor Joe's many contributions to the Department. Below is a tribute from Dr. Leslie Litzky: 

Joe was drawn into Penn’s Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Department as a histotechnologist student in the former School of Histotechnology in July of 1978. He was hired as a histotechnologist upon graduation, acquired additional skills in electron microscopy, and ultimately became the outstanding Pathologists’ Assistant in Medical Pathology (Autopsy) that he is with national recognition by his peers and the gratitude of generations and generations of trainees and pathology attendings alike.  Joe – as everyone knows him simply throughout the hospital – has been supervising the daily activities of the morgue and Autopsy Suite for over 40 years. Effusive thank you notes to Joe from grateful families extend back to the time of pen and paper when it actually required someone to write a letter, buy a stamp and go to the post office and has continued through the decades, multiple chairs, and the introduction of email. Would that it were otherwise, but a hospital can be just as much about death as life and recovery.  Joe has always understood that it is never “too late” – to go the extra mile to support a bereaved family, to help an overwhelmed clinical staff member with the logistics of death forms, or to expertly reassure a very junior pathology resident doing a first autopsy. The other side of his “extra mile” is the decades of support Joe has provided to his colleagues – both in and outside of the Department.  Joe is an “institution” and everyone – including not a few hospital administrators – have him on speed dial.  We affectionately call him the “Fire Chief” – he is often the first to spot a problem and he is certainly the first one everyone thinks of when they spot a “fire” or even a smoldering ember.  He is very good at damage control!  And all of this has been achieved with sensitivity, seemingly endless patience, and dedication.  And even after all that he has done for so many – he stills feels – with his very genuine humility – that has been his great privilege to serve in this Department.  
 

Carlos Castellanos, Laboratory Assistant on third shift in the Lancaster General Core Laboratory, received the inaugural Carlene Landis Memorial Laboratory Award. The first philanthropic award for the LGH laboratory, this award was established by the Landis family in honor of Carlene Landis, who worked as a Laboratory Assistant in the Core Lab for 15 years. This honor recognizes a laboratory employee who demonstrates consistent dedication, reliability, teamwork, leadership, and a commitment to professional development. These attributes reflect the exemplary qualities Carlene embodied during her tenure from 2002 to 2017. Larry Landis presented Carlos with the award and a monetary prize of $1,000 in recognition of his exceptional commitment to his work and professional growth. 
 

Carl June, MD is the inaugural recipient of the Broermann Medical Innovation Award, which honors translational research with proven or high potential to transform patient care worldwide. The €1 million prize will be awarded annually to researchers who demonstrate exceptional excellence and whose work advances medical science and improves patient care by addressing critical healthcare challenges. Dr. June June intends to use his prize money to establish a fund for training international exchange students.

Dr. June received the 2025 J. Allyn Taylor International Prize in Medicine for his commitment to advancing transformative, patient-focused research. This year's $50,000 Taylor Prize highlights the transformative potential of cell-based immunotherapy and Dr. June's career defining work in that field.

Dr. June was also named among Philadelphia Magazine's 150 Most Influential Philadelphians and U.S. News and World Report's 2025 Best Leaders in Health. 
 

Deb Mincarelli, MBA, Senior Director of Laboratory Systems, Implementation, and Standardization, was recently featured as a Penn Medicine Difference Maker for her work assisting families impacted by childhood cancer through her family’s nonprofit NixCancer Foundation.