Country Advisors

Country advisors act as key points of contact for members, both in the relevant country and in the UK. They support the work of the international regional advisor for the region by implementing regional priorities at country level, identifying opportunities for engagement, project collaborations and membership development.

Americas

  • Dr Miguel A. Perez-Machado

    Country Advisor for Brazil

    Dr Miguel Perez-Machado moved to London after finishing his PhD in Immunology. He studied Medicine in his country of origin (Cuba) were he use to teach and lead a research group dedicated to developing monoclonal antibodies. In London he became a Histopathologist and full member of the Royal College of Pathology. He underwent a period of specialist training in FNA cytology at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden. Dr Perez-Machado moved from Madrid after finishing his PhD. He has years of experience reporting histopathology (gynaecological and thyroid) and cytopathology specimens. He has published his research in international journals and is actively involved as speaker and organizer in national and international meetings. Miguel is the lead cytopathologists at the Royal Free Hospital where he works as a consultant; he is also an Associate professor at University College London. Miguel is passionate about teaching and developing new diagnostic tools in Cytopathology, particularly in pancreas, effusions and thyroid gland.

Europe

  • Dr Marc Ooft

    Country Advisor for The Netherlands

    I am currently a Histopathology consultant and the Head and Neck pathology lead for Pathology DNA which is the largest private Histopathology and Molecular pathology practice in the Netherlands, encompassing approximately 20% of all Pathology diagnostics of the country. My subspecilisations are Head and Neck pathology, soft tissue and bone pathology, gastro-intestinal pathology and pulmonary pathology. I completed my training as a pathologist and PhD in nasopharyngeal cancer at the University Medical Centre Utrecht in the Netherlands. After this, I did a 2 year fellowship at the Amsterdam University Medical Centre, where I focused on head and neck pathology and additionally gained experience in gastrointestinal pathology, lung pathology, cytology and the associated molecular pathology diagnostics. I subsequently worked in London in the United Kingdom for two and a half years at King's College Hospital (KCH) as Head of Department, Head of Molecular Pathology and as the Pathology coordinator of the colorectal cancer screening program.

    My role at KCH gave me significant insight into NHSE and Genomics England. Working in the United Kingdom and being part of the Royal College of Pathologists (RCPath) has also given me significant insight into the inner workings of the RCPath. Additionally, I am an active member of the Dutch Society of Pathology (NVVP) which is the Dutch equivalent of the RCPath, I am in multiple national subcommittees (i.e. national guideline committees on unknown primary carcinomas, and national committee on benign salivary gland tumours) representing the Dutch Society of Pathology, and I am in the governing board of the Dutch Head and Neck Pathology expert group.

Middle East and North Africa (MENA)

  • Dr Fatima Al-Hashimi

    Country Advisor for Bahrain

    Dr Fatima Al-Hashimi, is a Consultant Histopathologist at King Hamad University Hospital (KHUH) in Bahrain. She did her undergraduate education at the Arabian Gulf University (AGU) through the Prime Minister’s Court scholarship programme.  Following that she did her histopathology training at London's NHS Hospitals for five years. After qualifying with the Fellowship of the Royal college of Pathology (FRCPath), she pursued two fellowships in Urological Pathology and Renal Pathology from Johns Hopkins University  and the University of North Carolina respectively. She is also a Senior Lecturer at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI-Bahrain). Recently, Dr. Al-Hashimi has been confirmed as an examiner for the RCPath in November 2022.

    She has been recipient of the RCPath Annual Achievement Awards (2022) for Team work with her teammates for their work with IHistopathology online teaching project. Dr. Al-Hashimi has a number of publications and is interested in teaching and collaborative research work.

  • Dr Raja Hasan Alyusuf

    Country Advisor for Bahrain

    Dr Raja Alyusuf is a graduate from the College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudia Arabia and has Fellowship of the Royal College of Pathologists, UK. Completed her pathology training from Edinburgh, UK. Has 23 publications in peer-reviewed journals including original research. Has more than 30 years of experience in diagnostic pathology. Has 19 years of experience in healthcare management. Chaired the department of Pathology, Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC), Bahrain from Feb 2003 - Feb 2013. Served as the Deputy Chief of Medical Services for Diagnostic affairs, SMC-from Feb 2013 - December 2017 and the Head of Al-Shamil Field Hospital for COVID19 from June 2020-December 2020. She is currently the Government Hospitals Autonomy Project Manager since October 2014, the Head of Government Hospitals Project Management Office since September 2022 and the Chief of Medical Services for Medical Specialities since Feb 2023. She is currently part-time Clinical Associate Professor in Pathology in the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Medical University Bahrain. Founding member and past president of Bahrain Association of Pathologists.

  • Dr Hala Kandil

    Country Advisor for Egypt

    Dr Hala Kandil is a Consultant Microbiologist at West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. She is also a Senior Academic Visitor at the Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Engineering Sciences, University of Oxford. Dr Kandil has obtained higher qualifications in two different but related specialities, Clinical Immunology and Medical Microbiology and Virology.

    After graduation from Faculty of medicine, Alexandria University, Egypt in 1991, she began her career in Immunology and obtained MSc, MD in Clinical Immunology from Alexandria University; and she was appointed as lecturer in the Department of Immunology and Microbiology at Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Egypt.

    Dr Kandil was awarded her PhD in Clinical Immunology from Imperial College, London University in 2004. She then joined the Medical Microbiology training program at The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, during which she obtained her MSc in Microbiology from Queen Mary University of London and her FRCPath in Medical microbiology and Virology, Royal College of Pathologists, UK in 2010. Dr Kandil started her consultant career in Microbiology at The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust.

    She is currently the chair of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Committee and the microbiologist leading on diabetic foot infections, outpatient antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) and sepsis at West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. Part of her role is to lead on microbiology laboratory diagnostics and innovation. She is also a member of the Supreme Council Antimicrobial Stewardship Committee of University Hospitals in Egypt.

    Dr Kandil has received several awards from different UK organisations in recognition of her achievement in the field of antimicrobial stewardship. Her most recent award was at the National BAME Health and Social Care Awards where she was nominated and awarded the title of ‘’ The Clinical Champion Of The Year 2021’’ in recognition of her clinical, laboratory and academic achievements in UK during COVID-19 pandemic.

  • Dr Nadia Mahmoud Mokhtar

    Country Advisor for Egypt

    Dr. Nadia Mahmoud Mokhtar is a Professor of Pathology at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Cairo University. She received her PhD degree in Pathology from London University, St.  Bartholomew's Hospital in July 1978.  She was appointed Chairman of the Department of Pathology at NCI from August 2001 till July 2007.  She held the position of editor-in-chief of the Journal of the Egyptian National Cancer Institute (JENCI) 2004-2020. In 2014 she collaborated to establish the Egyptian Committee for Pathology Training (ECPT) in association with the Royal College of Pathologists (UK) and the Supreme Council of Universities (SCU) in Egypt. She is the 1st President of the ECPT helping to promote training and education in the fields of Laboratory Sciences. She helped to introduce the FRCPath part I exam to be held in Egypt that started in 2015 and part II in 2018. She was awarded the Fellowship of the Royal College of Pathologist in November 2019 as an appreciation for her devoted help in establishing the connection in education and training of pathologists between Egypt and UK.

  • Dr Siamak Arami

    Country Advisor for Iran

    Dr Siamak Arami is a Consultant Haematologist at London North West University Healthcare trust since 2015 and an Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer for Imperial College London, previously holding a post as a Consultant Haematologist in Kings College Hospital, developing a particular interest in myeloid disorders. Dr Arami qualified in medicine in 2000 in Tehran, conducting immunology research at Royal Free Hospital, London in primary immunodeficiency syndromes in National Research Institute under World Health Organisation programme. He specialised in haematology at the St Marys Hospital London and Northern deanery, receiving his membership of the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Pathologists in 2008 and 2013, respectively. He completed his postgraduate fellowship in haematological cancers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre in Seattle, USA. Dr Arami's research interests include digital health technology and management of patients with myeloid disorders. He has been an investigator in many national and international clinical trials.

  • Dr Abbas Hashim Abdulsalam

    Country Advisor for Iraq

    I served for less than 16 months as a specialist haematopathologist in Al-Khadimiya Teaching Hospital. From April 2007 until July 2014, I was based at Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital working as a specialist haematopathologist with interest in both diagnostic and research work in various fields of haematopathology with some focus on haemato-oncology. From late 2007 I started teaching at Al-Ma’amoon University College, Department of Techniques of Medical Investigations as an external lecturer in haematopathology, and as a staff member from October 2014 till present date. I was affiliated to the National Center of Hematology, Baghdad-Iraq, from 2007 to 2018, and from 2019 I am affiliated with Baghdad Teaching Hospital as a Specialist Hematopathologist and supervisor and teacher of the candidates of the Commission of Arab Board of Hematopathology (Clinical Pathology). I became an assistant professor of hematopathology in July 2019. From October 2022 I started teaching in Al-Turath University College.

  • Dr Sana Dlawar Jalal

    Country Advisor for Iraq (Kurdistan)

    Dr Sana Dlawar Jalal is Professor of haematology and Head of Pathology & forensic Medicine department at the Sulaimani School of Medicine, University of Sulaimani, Iraq. She is a medical graduate of the University of Baghdad and undertook her pathology training at the Baghdad Teaching Laboratories, Baghdad Medical City. She gained her Fellowship of the Iraqi Board of Pathology in Haematopathology in 2004 and her Fellowship of the Royal College of Pathologists in 2015. She is largely involved in delivering pathology lectures and practical sessions to undergraduates and postgraduate students at Sulaimani College of Medicine. She helped to establish a successful premarital screen clinic for thalassemia and haemoglobinopathies in 2006 and later became the acting Head of the Molecular Haematology department. In 2011 she established an immunophenotyping service in Sulaimani for leukaemia and lymphoma. Dr Jalal’s main research interests are in thalassaemia and leukaemia and lymphoma immunophenotyping. She is member of several professional bodies and has published over 25 scientific papers. She is keen to strengthen the link between the international department of Royal College of Pathologists and Kurdistan Association of Pathologists, and had hosted the director of International Activities at Sulaimani College Medical Conference.

  • Dr Nour Hemali

    Country Advisor for Libya

    Dr Nour Hemali qualified from University College Tripoli/Libya in 2008 and trained as a pathologist at West midlands deanery. She was appointed as a Consultant Histopathologist Royal Stoke University hospital 2023. She is currently a tutor at Keele University Hospital and supports visiting doctors for clinical attachments, and FY2 foundation doctors. Dr Hemali is a member of the Pulmonary Pathology Society, British division of International Academy of Pathology and Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Dr Hemali is interested in Dermatopathology, Thoracic pathology and Respiratory cytology.

  • Dr Stephanie Thomas

    Country Advisor for Oman

    Stephanie has been a Consultant Medical Microbiologist at Manchester University Foundation Trust (MFT) since 2010 and is Head of Service for the Manchester Medical Microbiology Partnership (MMMP). She carried out undergraduate training at St. Andrews University and Dundee University (Scotland). She completed Specialist Registrar training in the North-West of England, where she completed a Masters degree in Diagnostic and Medical Virology (University of Manchester) and a Diploma in Tropical Medicine & Hygiene (Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine). She holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Medical Education. In 2017 Stephanie undertook an Observership at the WHO/UN City Copenhagen with the European Society for Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases. In 2021 she undertook a Sabbatical in the Laboratory & Testing Cell of Public Health Scotland (PHS), working on the COVID-19 response. Stephanie has published widely, been invited as speaker to scientific conferences nationally and internationally and contributed to textbook chapters on Infection and Infection Prevention. Her research interests lie in management of sepsis. She has a particular interest in infectious risks associated with Climate Change. Stephanie has close links with several institutions in the MENA region and has recently been appointed as Adjuvant Assistant Professor at the Institute of Public Health, UAEU.

  • Professor Yousuf Karim

    Country Advisor for Qatar

    Yousuf is Division Chief, Hematology/Immunology/Transfusion, at Sidra Medicine, Doha, and Clinical Professor in Immunopathology, Qatar University. He studied medicine at Cambridge University with clinical training at Guy’s & St Thomas’ Hospitals, qualifying in 1993 with Distinctions in Medicine and Pathology. He was Clinical Lecturer in Immunology at King’s College London 1998-2004, then Consultant Immunologist at Surrey Pathology Services 2004-2018 and Clinical Lead in Immunology at Guy's & St Thomas' Hospitals 2006-2014. He worked for 25 years in the NHS, before moving to establish the Immunology laboratory at Sidra Medicine, a new tertiary paediatric and maternity academic center. His current research concerns early recognition and diagnosis of primary and secondary immunodeficiency. He has authored over 85 publications and chapters, and received grant awards in autoimmunity and immunodeficiency, totaling £1.75 million. He was Chair of the Clinical Immunology Committee of the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology 2014-2017, an Expert Member for the NICE Quality Standards on Drug Allergy in 2015, and on the Guidelines Committee of UK-Primary Immunodeficiency Network 2016-2018.

  • Professor Ali Hajeer

    Country Advisor for Saudi Arabia

    Prof. Ali Hajeer is a highly accomplished medical scientist and academic from the University of Manchester. He has a PhD in Immunology, is a Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists (FRCPath) and is a Fellow of the American College of Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics Specialist (FACHI). He currently serves as the Director of the Immunopathology Lab in the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs and is the Chair of the Student Research Board at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Prof. Hajeer is an esteemed member of the scientific community, with more than 200 peer-reviewed publications to his name and 5 textbooks.

  • Professor Dalal Mohideen Nemenqani

    Country Advisor for Saudi Arabia

    Dalal Mohideen Nemenqani is, a professor and consultant of pathology and cytology, previous Dean of the College of Medicine, Taif University. She served as the chairman of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at King AbdulAziz Specialist Hospital in Taif. She graduated from the College of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University in 1991 and became a member of the Royal College of Pathologists (MRCPath) in 2000, the Fellowship (FRCPATH) London, UK in 2008. She got her Master in health profession education in 2018 and currently is an Item writer, examiner and Clinical case designer for SCFHS. She is a member of several international professional societies. She has more than forty published articles in international peer reviewed journals; in addition to many scientific presentations in local and international conferences. Currently Professor Nemenqani is the Editor-in-Chief of the Saudi Journal for Health Sciences.

  • Dr Mohammed Omer Ahmed Altohami

    Country Advisor for Sudan

    Dr Mohammed Altohami is a haematologist working at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, with special interest in diagnostic and general haematology, HLH, CLL and myeloma. Dr Altohami completed his undergraduate medical training at University of Khartoum in 2009. He was appointed as teaching assistant in the department of pathology, based on his outstanding academic performance. He started pathology training in late 2010 and entered the pathology specialist register at Sudan Medical Specialisation Board (SMB) in 2014. Since then he continued to work and train in laboratory and clinical haematology. He is actively engaged in clinical practice, education and research. His objective is to promote pathology education, training and practice in Sudan, and to strengthen the ties, collaborative work, and exchange of expertise between Sudan and the College.

  • Dr Shroque Zaher

    Country Advisor for United Arab Emirates

    Dr Shroque Zaher is a consultant histopathologist and Assistant Professor of Pathology at Mohammed bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (MBRU). She is a medical graduate of the University of Glasgow, and undertook her pathology training at the London and East of England deaneries including reputed teaching hospitals such as St. Thomas, London.

    She gained her Fellowship of the Royal College of pathologists in 2015 and her Certificate of completion of training (CCT) in 2016.

    She became an Assistant Professor at MBRU in 2018, and since her appointment has taken an active role in establishing firm links between the Royal College and MBRU, including hosting the President of the Royal College , Professor Jo Martin at the University and successfully establishing an MOU between the two institutions.

    She regularly undertakes clinical work in the UK, and is a very keen advocate of pathology, particularly at the undergraduate level. She is responsible for delivering a large component of the pathology undergraduate curriculum (she also holds a post graduate certificate of medical education) and has ambitious aims to increase the visibility of pathology in the clinical environment and firmly believes this begins at the student level.

South East Asia

  • Professor Amin Islam

    Country Advisor for Bangladesh

    Dr Islam is a senior Consultant haematologist and haemato-oncologist working in Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, Essex, United Kingdom. He has completed haematology training programs under London deanery and obtained completion of certificate of training from joint Royal Colleges of Physicians post graduate training board. He has received training in the most prestigious hospitals in the world including the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Addenbrookes Cambridge University Hospital and Barts and the London Hospitals NHS Trust and Barts Cancer Institutes. Dr Islam has been awarded FRCP by the Royal College of Physician of London in 2017 due to significant contribution in medicine both nationally and internationally and has completed FRCPath the highest degree in pathology from the Royal College of Pathologist in 2013. He is holding honorary Senior Consultant positions in University College London Hospital NHS Foundation trust taking Essex patients for highly specialise chemotherapy, immune therapy including CART and Stem cell transplantations and have established a robust MDT network. He has a keen interest in clinical research and have been leading international clinical trials as principal and coinvestigator and he has developed a special interest in clinical teaching and holding the position of Hon Clinical Senior Lecturer in haematology in Queen Mary University of London.

    Working as the module lead in haematology for Anglia Ruskin Medical School in Essex. He is the named educational and clinical supervisors for haematology specialist trainees. Hold the position of head of haematology and clinical laboratory services and gain ample of managerial skills. Dr Islam have been publishing in international peer reviewed high impact factor journal and has been presenting globally as invited speakers and presented many high-quality abstracts in international congress. Dr Islam has a passion about global haematology quality improvement programs via international collaborative twining programs with world leading institutes. He is a Visiting Professor in Haematology, Haemato-Oncology in Bangladesh Institutes of Health Sciences and Bangladesh University of Health Sciences. He is the founding chairman of a charitable organisation known as Janaan Health, which is working for the underprivileged population especially in health and education sectors to improve the overall health and education of people.

  • Dr Joydeep Chakrabartty

    Country Advisor for India

    Dr Joydeep Chakrabartty is a consultant Haematologist with a special interest in Cellular Therapy,  at the HCG group of hospital, based at Kolkata, and also an Honorary Asst Prof in Haematology at the Vivekananda Institute of Medical science- Kolkata. He passed his MBBS from the Kolkata University followed by his Membership of the Royal college of Physicians in 2006 and passed his Fellowship in 2010 and obtained his CCT in 2012. He was awarded the Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons- Glasgow in 2017.

    He has set up transplant unts across various states in India and has written a few papers and posters in his subject. He has also contributed to some chapters in text book/s. His main interest is stem cell transplant and cellular therapy. He is an avid teacher and has lectured in various meetings worldwide.

  • Dr Lipsita Patnaik

    Country Advisor for East India

    Dr Lipsita Patnaik is a Consultant Histopathologist at Blackpool Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust since 2008 and the current Head of School of Pathology of Health Education Northwest. She has interest in cardiothoracic and gynaecological pathology. She is a member of British Division of International Academy of Pathology (BDIAP), Association of Clinical Pathologists (ACP) and British Association of Gynaecological Pathologists (BAGP).

    Dr Patnaik completed her undergraduate and post graduate training in India and pursued further speciality training in Manchester, United Kingdom. She became a Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists in 2007 and obtained the CCT in 2008. Dr Patnaik has special interest in postgraduate education and training, curriculum development and assessment. She has supported postgraduate  training in Histopathology initially as the programme director and now as the Head of School bringing in several changes including the roll out of the new curricula (2021).

  • Dr Bharat Rekhi

    Country Advisor for North India

    Dr. Bharat Rekhi (MD, DNB, MIAC, FRCPATH) is Professor/Pathologist at Tata Memorial Centre(TMC), Mumbai, India with a special interest in bone and soft tissue tumors(adult and pediatric), gynec pathology and related molecular and cytopathology. He serves on the editorial board of WHO-IARC for reporting system in soft tissue cytopathology and is a standing committee member for WHO-IARC books(5th and 6th editions). He has many awards to his credit, three gold medal orations and presented at National and International Conferences, including ICC, ECC, European Congress of Pathology(ECP), IAP-Asia Pacific, USCAP,  ESMO-Asia 2019 and NUHS surgical pathology course, Singapore, 2019. He was chairperson in sessions during ECP 2020, 2021 and 2022. He is the Editor-In-Chief of IJPM, secretary of the Indian Academy of Cytologists and authored/co-authored 254 PUBMED-indexed publications and has written several book chapters, including the 5th edition of World Health Organization (WHO) classification of Tumors of soft tissue and bone, pediatric and skin tumors. He is an outreach editor for the cytopathology journal, associate editor of BMC Cancer and a recognized MD teacher.

  • Dr Renu Mariam Thomas

    Country Advisor for South India

    Dr Renu Mariam Thomas completed her specialist training (CCST) in Histopathology from United Kingdom in 2000. She has worked in various prestigious institutions in the United Kingdom and India and currently works as a Senior Consultant Histopathologist at VPS Lakeshore Hospital &Research Centre, Kochi, Kerala, India. With her special interest in Renal and Transplantation Pathology, she started the Nephro-pathology services at VPS Lakeshore Hospital and Research Centre in 2014 and has authored a book- Atlas of Renal transplant Pathology- a clinicopathological archive. She has wide research interests as well and has authored and co-authored several publications in national and international journals, with diverse subject matter and has also authored a chapter on Gastrointestinal Pathology in ‘Clinical Gastroenterology’. She is an active member of various societies and has delivered lectures and conducted CMEs in various forums. She is a dedicated mentor and is the educational supervisor for national board trainees in her institute and also an examiner for FRCPath examination.

  • Dr Shanika Vitharana

    Country Advisor for Sri Lanka

    Dr Shanika Vitharana is the Consultant Haematologist in bone marrow transplant, at Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children, Sri Lanka. With 6 years of experience as a Haematology consultant. She graduated from University of Sri Jayawardenapura, Colombo in 2004 and was selected for the training program and obtained MD Haematology in 2012. She went on to work in UK for 2 years at Huddersfeild and Calderdale  NHS Trust and obtained FRCPath in 2015. Her special interests are on Malignant haematology, Stem cell transplantation and haematopathology.  Dr Shanika Vitharana served for the Sri Lanka College of Haematologists as Sectary in 2017 – 2018 and has been a Council member since 2018. She has also been a member of the Specialty Board in Haematology and transfusion medicine since 2018 and  an examiner for haematology exams conducted by the Post Graduate Institute of Medicine Sri Lanka.

     

Sub-Saharan Africa

  • Dr Shahin Sayed

    Country Advisor for Kenya

    Dr Sayed is Associate Professor & Consultant in Anatomical Pathology and Cytology, in the Department of Pathology, Medical College, Aga Khan University and the current Chair and Laboratory Director of Pathology at Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya. Dr Sayed graduated from the University of Nairobi with a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery degree. She holds a Master of Medicine in General Pathology from the University of Nairobi and a PhD in Anatomical Pathology from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. She is a Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists, United Kingdom and a Fellow and Secretary General of the College of Pathologists of East Central and Southern Africa. She is a Commissioner with the Lancet Commission on Diagnostics and the Lancet Oncology Commission for Sub-Saharan Africa. She is passionate about training the next generation of pathologists and researchers in Sub –Saharan Africa.

  • Dr Kenneth Iregbu

    Country Advisor for Nigeria

    Dr K.C. Iregbu is a Chief Consultant Clinical Microbiologist with the National Hospital Abuja and also lectures at the College of Health Sciences, University of Abuja. He holds the MB, BS degree of the University of Benin, MSc and MPH of the University of Lagos and the postgraduate MD degree of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN). He also holds the Fellowship of the NPMCN (FMCPath), FWACP (Lab Med), FCPath (east centra & southern Africa) and FRCPath (UK). Dr Iregbu has, among others, been a two-time member of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, member of the Board of the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, member Senate and Governing Board NPMCN, and Chairman/Chief Examiner of the Faculty of Pathology, NPMCN. He has been an external examiner to some Universities in Nigeria and the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons. Dr Iregbu is a researcher, and has successfully supervised many postgraduate research/dissertations, and has more than 70 articles in peer-reviewed local and international medical journals. He has also attended many local and international scientific conferences and workshops and presented papers. His areas of interest include antimicrobial resistance and stewardship, sepsis and infection control.

  • Professor Komala Pillay

    Country Advisor for South Africa

    Professor Komala Pillay is the Wernher and Beit Chair and Head of the Division of Anatomical Pathology at the University of Cape Town (UCT) and National Health Laboratory Services (NHLS), Groote Schuur Hospital (GSH) and Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital (RCWMCH) since January 2020.  In July 2022 she was appointed as the Head of Department of Pathology at UCT/NHLS comprising eight divisions. Professor Pillay qualified as a pathologist in 2004 and has specialist qualifications in South Africa (CMSA) and the United Kingdom (RCPath).  She was a Consultant Pathologist at UCT/NHLS since 2005 and practised as the only anatomical pathologist at RCWMCH from 2007-2019 also contributing significantly to research (more than 100 publications) and teaching undergraduates and postgraduates.  She is the Chair of the Anatomical Pathology Expert Committee (APEC) for the NHLS and a member of the Examiners’ board (Anatomical Pathology) for the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa (CMSA).

Western Pacific

  • Dr San San Min

    Country Advisor for Australia

    Dr San San Min is a Chemical Pathologist with special interest in metabolic medicine, lipids and cardiovascular disease prevention. Dr Min completed her specialist chemical pathology training in London's Guy's and St Thomas' Hospitals, King's College Hospital and Barts Health NHS Trust following her junior UK hospital doctor experiences in various specialities. She has been practising as a Chemical Pathologist since 2016 in the UK NHS and Australia, in both public and private pathology labs. She has been actively participating in medical education and research as an honorary senior lecturer and affiliated researcher in UK and Australia Universities. She is a keen advocate for promoting and advancing excellence in pathology internationally.

  • Dr Brian Lam

    Country Advisor for Hong Kong

    Dr Brian Lam received MBBS from the University of Hong Kong with Gold Medal in Pathology. He completed his Anatomical Pathology training in Hong Kong, and was awarded FRCPath in 2018. He also holds Fellowships at the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (FRCPA), Hong Kong College of Pathologists (FHKCPath), Hong Kong Academy of Medicine (FHKAM), International Academy of Cytology (FIAC), Faculty of Pathology in Ireland (FFPath RCPI) and Faculty of Public Health in the UK (FFPH). He completed MSc in Precision Medicine at the University of Oxford with Distinction in 2022.

    Dr Lam is a registered Pathology Specialist in Hong Kong, Australia and the UK. He is now Consultant at the Department of Pathology, Tseung Kwan O Hospital, Hong Kong, where he practices general histopathology with subspecialty interests in head and neck pathology, breast pathology and cancer genomics. He also serves as Honorary Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Hong Kong and Chinese University of Hong Kong. He is currently Examiner in Histopathology and Country Advisor for Hong Kong SAR at the Royal College of Pathologists (RCPath), as well as panel member of the Anatomical Pathology Advisory Committee at the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA). Between April to June 2024, he undertook his subspecialty training in head and neck pathology at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, where he worked under the mentorship of Professors William Faquin and Vania  Nose  of Harvard Medical School.