Pathology has a central role in multiple research institutes within the 
VU University Medical Center, and research at the department of pathology of the VU University Medical Center covers major topics in Oncology, Cardiovascular diseases, Neuropathology, and Immunology. Of these, oncological research hast the largest volume. Research at the Department of Pathology focuses both on basic and translational aspects. In early disease these research programmes deal with pathogenesis and prevention, and in advanced disease the main issues are profiling, biological classification and monitoring. In addition, a major focus exists on cell based therapies.

All research programmes are embedde in the respective VUmc research institutes, i.e. the VUmc Institute for Cancer and Immunology (V-ICI), the Graduate School Neurosciences Amsterdam Rotterdam (ONWAR), and the Institute for Cardiovascular Research VU (ICar-VU).

Furthermore, the research programmes participate in the Graduate School of Oncology Amsterdam(OOA), the Amsterdam Leiden Institute for Immunology (ALIFI) and the Graduate School for Cardiovascular Diseases Maastricht Amsterdam (CARMA). Graduate students of the department receive their training from these graduate schools, and staff members of the department participate in courses of these graduate schools.