About the event

Join us at our virtual conference as we celebrate the vital contributions of pathology professionals around the world. This year’s theme, ‘The global pathology workforce’, highlights the dedication and expertise of pathologists and laboratory scientists who are at the heart of healthcare systems across the world.

We are delighted to welcome Jim Campbell, Director of the Health Workforce Department at the World Health Organization (WHO), will open the event taking part in a conversation with Professor Peter Johnston, Vice President for Workforce and Corporate Services.

This special event, chaired by the President of the Royal College of Pathologists, Dr Bernie Croal, is sponsored and hosted in partnership with the British Society for Haematology (BSH) and Diagnexia.

The event will also feature other inspiring talks, a roundtable discussion, engaging lunchtime activities and a poster competition, with cash prizes to be won (for how to enter go to the main event page). The programme overall will focus on the areas below:

  • tackling the global pathology workforce shortage – strategies to address the declining number of pathology professionals worldwide, including workforce planning, training pipelines and international collaboration
     
  • digital pathology as a scalable solution – exploring how digital technologies and AI can help mitigate workforce shortages, alongside the ethical, regulatory and infrastructure considerations involved
     
  • aligning qualifications and training across borders – enhancing the consistency of education and standards in diagnostic services, particularly when tests and reporting are performed internationally
     
  • advancing patient care and global health equity – how shared service models and global collaboration in pathology can improve healthcare outcomes and access to diagnostics in the face of a changing demographic and reduction in workforce.
Registration fees and what is included

Fee: £25

Includes:

  • All speakers including key-note speaker
  • The roundtable discussion
  • Online lunchtime activities
  • Poster competition - announcement of winners and presentation of winning poster
  • Digital event brochure

Cancellation policy

Please note: Cancellation fees apply. The total registration fee is forfeited if cancelled within 48 hours before the event. Payments are not transferrable to a different event.

Hosted on Zoom webinar

This meeting will be held via Zoom webinar. Details of the meeting with accompanied guidance will be sent to attendees within one week of the confeernce.

We highly recommend you download Zoom to your computer/laptop to make the most of virtual conference, however if this is not possible, find out more about Zoom webinar and how it works by visiting the Zoom website.

Please note: If you experience any problems when connecting to the Zoom webinar such as lagging or freezing, then this may indicate that there is an issue with your internet connection, or the device you are using. We suggest that you try to move to an area with a more stable connection and then re-join.

We unfortunately will not be able to provide you with a refund or transfer you onto another event if you happen to encounter these problems on the day. 

Meet the event contributors

Event Contributors - IPD 2025

  • Chair - Dr Bernie Croal

    President, the Royal College of Pathologists, UK

    Dr Bernie Croal is the current President of the Royal College of Pathologists. He is a Consultant Chemical Pathologist working in Aberdeen, specialising in intravenous nutritional support. He has spent a long career in various leadership roles within NHS Scotland, including clinical director and regional lead for pathology, NHS Scotland demand optimisation lead and chair of the Scottish Clinical Biochemistry Network. He is also a past President of the Association for Laboratory Medicine (known as LabMed) and is a fellow of the Royal Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, Physicians of Edinburgh and Ireland, Academy of Healthcare Science and the Institute of Biomedical Science.

  • Keynote speaker - Jim Campbell

    Director, Health Workforce Department, world Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland

    Jim Campbell is the Director, Health Workforce at the WHO. He oversees the development and implementation of evidence and tools to support countries in the education, employment and retention of the health and care workforce. He oversees collaborative networks and partnerships with academia, civil society, government institutions, professional associations, and unions, with particular focus on data exchange, digital technologies/AI and equality for women and youth. Jim is graduate of the University of Bristol and the University of Leeds, and an Honorary Fellow of the Faculty of Public Health and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.

    Follow Jim on X (formerly Twitter) https://x.com/JimC_HRH

  • Conversation lead - Professor Peter Johnston

    Vice President for Workforce and Corporate Services, The Royal College of Pathologists, UK

    Professor Johnston is a Consultant Histopathologist (NHS Grampian) whose diagnostic work is general histopathology, haematopathology and cytopathology.  He is Vice-President for Workforce and Corporate Engagement at the Royal College of Pathologists and is a member of College Council and Trustee Board.  An Aberdeen graduate, he is committed to medical education and workforce development, holding many roles in the undergraduate and postgraduate sectors.  His research is in medical careers decision making, clinical learning environments, educational culture, and doctors’ wellbeing in and beyond COVID-19.  Human factors in educational and clinical settings is an area of interest.

  • Speaker - Dr Thinn Hlaing

    Consultant Chemical Pathologist & Country Director Myanmar (Global Health Partnership)

    Thinn is the Country Director for Myanmar and is also a Consultant Chemical Pathologist at Royal Surrey County hospital. Thinn graduated from the University of Medicine 1, Yangon. She underwent the core medical training in Wales followed by the specialist training in Chemical Pathology & Metabolic Medicine at Addenbrooke’s Hospital. Thinn worked as a Consultant Chemical Pathologist at Sheffield Teaching Hospital NHS Trust until 2016. Thinn returned to Myanmar during the midst of the country’s landmark democratic transition to be a part of this significant change. Thinn continued to practise as a Chemical Pathologist as well as working for the Global Health Partnership (previously known as THET) as a country Director since 2017. Thinn has led together with colleagues in setting up the trauma and pathology health partnership work between Cambridge University Hospital and partners in Myanmar since 2012.

    Thinn co-founded the diaspora led UK-based charity Brighter Future Foundation www.brighterfutureuk.org  in 2008.

  • Roundtable Panellist - Professor Priyani Amarathunga

    Professor in Pathology, Consultant Histopathologist, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka

    Priyani Amarathunga is a Histopathologist and a Professor in Pathology with 24 years of experience, currently serving as the Head, Department of Pathology and Director of the Centre for Diagnosis and Research in Cancer at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka. She has special interest in renal and perinatal pathology. She also has significantly contributed to MBBS curriculum development and quality assurance, laboratory quality assurance and postgraduate training, mentoring numerous successful histopathologists. She has authored 20 peer-reviewed articles and presented over 100 papers. She is the President of the College of Pathologists of Sri Lanka for 2025.
     

  • Roundtable Panellist - Mr Russell Dacombe

    Senior Research Associate , Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine

    Russell Is an experienced international researcher and consultant specialising in diagnostic systems, policy and regulation development and implementation in developing countries. Specialises in the diagnostic aspects of anti-microbial resistance, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical disease control and capacity building of laboratory organisations. Russel has worked in this area in numerous countries across Sun-Saharan Africa and South-East Asia.

    Follow on:
    linkedin.com/in/russell-dacombe-300117104
    [email protected]
     

  • Roundtable Panellist - Professor Xavier Matias-Guiu

    Xavier Matias-Guiu M.D, Ph.D. Professor of Pathology at the Universities of Barcelona (2019-24) and Lleida (2002- ). Chairman of Pathology Hospital U Arnau de Vilanova de Lleida (2002- ) and Hospital U de Bellvitge, Barcelona, Spain (2015-24). Pathology training (1983-86), and Faculty member (1988-2002) in Sant Pau Hospital, Barcelona, Spain. Research Pathology Postdoctoral fellow at New England Medical Center-Tufts University, Boston, USA (1991-92). President Sociedad Española de Anatomía Patológica (2019-21), European Society of Pathology (2025-27), International Society of Gynecologic Pathologists (2021-23). Guidelines panel member: WHO 2014, 2020, 2024, ESMO-ESGO-ESTRO 2016, ISGYP 2019, ESGO/ESTRO/ESP 2020, 2024, ICCR 2022, ESMO 2000, 2022, FIGO Staging Subcommittee.

 

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