Professor James Kench

(Head of Department)

MBBS, BSc(Med), FRCPA, FFSC(RCPA), MIAC, IFCAP

Clinical Professor James Kench graduated in medicine at the University of Sydney in 1986 following a BSc(Med) in 1983. He commenced training in anatomical pathology in 1988 at Westmead Hospital then completed his training at Prince of Wales Hospital before being awarded his Fellowship in 1993. He is also a member of the International Academy of Cytology and an International Fellow of the College of American Pathologists.

Prof Kench has been Head of Tissue Pathology and Diagnostic Oncology at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital since 2009 and is also currently Local Pathology Director-RPA. He has nationally and internationally recognised subspecialty expertise in prostatic, pancreatic, hepatic and gastrointestinal pathology. Dr Kench is a Board member of the International Collaboration on Cancer Reporting (2019-) and of the International Society of Urological Pathology (2015-19). He is Co-Chair of the ICCR Prostate Cancer Dataset Authoring Committee and a member of the ICCR Dataset Steering Committee. He is also a member of the Upper Gastro-intestinal Cancer Registry Steering Committee and the Hepatobiliary Subcommittee, the Australian and New Zealand Urogenital and Prostate Cancer Trials Group (ANZUP) Scientific Advisory Committee, and the NSW Cancer Council Prostate and Colorectal Cancers Expert Advisory Panels.

Dr Kench has published over 160 peer reviewed journal articles, including in journals such as Nature, JNCI, Cancer Cell, Journal of Clinical Oncology etc, plus 8 books and book chapters, with >13,000 citations. He has a longstanding research collaboration with the Prostate Cancer Group at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research and is an Executive member of the Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre-NSW.

In his spare time James likes to pursue his interests in Roman history, culture and travel. He is a cricket tragic and can be found at Moore Park in the first week of every year.

Dr Sunaina Anand

MBChB

Dr Sunaina Anand graduated from the University of Otago and completed her pathology training in Wellington, New Zealand.  She became a fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia in 2012.  She worked in Middlemore Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand prior to joining Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in 2016.

Her areas of interest include breast pathology, dermatopathology and gynaecological pathology.    

A/Professor Lyndal Anderson

MBBS, BMedSci, FRCPA, FIAC, MHM, MPhil, GradDipCrim, GradCertClinEduc.

Associate Professor Lyndal Anderson is a medical graduate of the University of Tasmania and commenced Pathology training in England in 2000. In Australia she trained at St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney and the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital before completing her Fellowship from the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia in 2005. She completed a Master of Philosophy in Gynaecological Pathology with The University of Sydney in 2011 and a Masters of Health Management with The University of New South Wales in 2012.

Her primary interests include Gynaecological Pathology and Cytopathology. Dr Anderson is a Senior Staff Specialist at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, an Associate Professor at Western Sydney University and Senior Clinical Lecturer at The University of Sydney. She is on the National Cervical Screening Renewal Program Project Steering Committee, the Cancer Council of Australia Working Party for the Guidelines for Prevention of Cervical Cancer and the working party for cervical biopsy reporting guidelines for the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia. She is the current National representative for Public Pathology Australia and a member of the Research Advisory Committee for ANZGOG. She is the current Vice President for the Australian Society of Cytology.

Present interests include research collaborations with the Australian Ovarian Cancer Study Group and INOVATE study, Australian Cervical Cancer Typing Study Group and commitment to medical education through registrar teaching and completion of a Graduate Certificate of Clinical Education in 2011. In 2015 she was awarded a Women’s Leadership Australia Accelerated Leadership Performance Program Scholarship to the Australian School of Applied Management.

Previous Departmental Christmas party awards include Tranny-Oke Best 2014 Dressed Group (KISS), Best Dressed Female 2015 (Fallen Angel) and Best Costume 2016 (Heroes and Villain – Queen of Hearts). Lyndal is a previous title holder of the Launceston limbo roller skating for which she received a free popcorn and coke.

Professor Wendy Cooper

PhD, MBBS (Hons 1), BScMed (Hons 1),  FRCPA, FFSc.

Professor Wendy Cooper is a senior staff specialist in Tissue Pathology and Diagnostic Oncology at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Anatomical Pathology Clinical Stream Lead for NSW Health Pathology, a Clinical Professor at the University of Sydney and a Conjoint Professor at the University of Western Sydney. Wendy graduated from Medicine at the University of Sydney with First Class Honours in 1998. She also received a Bachelor of Science (Med) with First Class Honours in 1996. She obtained her Fellowship from the Royal Australasian College of Pathologists in 2004 and in 2008 completed a PhD from the University of Sydney titled “Molecular markers of prognosis in early stage non-small cell lung cancer” for which she received the prestigious Peter Bancroft Prize.

Her primary interest is in pulmonary pathology, haematopathology and molecular pathology. Wendy has extensive expertise in solid tumour FISH assays and a wide range of cutting edge predictive molecular biomarkers essential for cancer treatment decisions. Wendy is the Chair of the Pathology Committee of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer and the Thoracic series champion for the International Collaboration on Cancer Reporting. She was one of the editors and authors of the new 5th edition of the WHO classification of thoracic tumours.

Her major research interest is in prognostic and predictive biomarkers in lung cancer. She has published extensive work in this area and enjoys being able to rapidly translate cutting edge research findings into clinical practice for the benefit of patients.

Dr Peter Ferguson

MBChB, PhD, FRCPA

Dr Peter Ferguson received his medical training at the University of Otago and worked as a junior doctor in Dunedin, Masterton and Wellington, New Zealand. He discovered a passion for research at Victoria University and the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research where he pursued his doctoral studies applying magnetic nanoparticles to improve early cancer detection. Dr Ferguson trained as an Anatomical Pathologist at Wellington Hospital and became a fellow of the RCPA in 2016. He was appointed the Deborah and John McMurtrie Fellow at the Melanoma Institute of Australia in 2017 and became a staff specialist at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in 2018.

His subspecialty interests include dermatopathology, with a particular interest in melanocytic lesions and Merkel cell carcinoma, and genitourinary pathology. He is an editorial board member of the Pathology journal and Chair of the Pathology and Biomarker Working Group of the Australasian Centre for Excellence in Melanoma Imaging and Diagnosis (ACEMID).

Dr Ferguson is an active researcher with local and international collaborations. He has published over 70 peer reviewed journal articles and book chapters in the fields of melanoma, genitourinary pathology and immunotherapy. He enjoys teaching registrars, medical students and the general public. 

Peter has interests in rowing, ocean swimming and Mandarin Chinese - all of which bring him enjoyment as he tries to keep his head above water. 

A/Professor Ruta Gupta

MBBS, MD, FRCPA, Grad Cert in Higher Education

Associate Professor Ruta Gupta received her initial training in Pathology at the Tata Memorial Hospital and King Edward Memorial Hospital, Mumbai India followed by Fellowships at the Cedars Sinai Medical Center, United States of America and The Canberra Hospital and Australian National University (ANU). She received her Fellowship of the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) in 2011.

Dr Gupta is a full time staff specialist at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Sydney, a member of the Sydney Head and Neck Cancer Institute (SHNCI) and a Visiting Scientist at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research.  Her primary interests include head and neck pathology, genitourinary pathology and molecular pathology. Ruta serves on the Cancer Institute of NSW (CINSW) Head and Neck Cancer Surgery Clinical Advisory Group. She is also a member of the NSW Statewide BioBank Stakeholders Network and has developed the head and neck tumour biobank at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital/Chris O’Brien Lifehouse. Ruta is a member of the RCPA Structured Pathology Reporting Committee for head and neck cancers and chairs the protocol development for larynx, neck node dissection and ear resection specimens. She is also a member of the International Collaboration on Cancer Reporting (ICCR) for head and neck. Ruta is covenor of the head and neck pathology sessions at the Australasian IAP.

Ruta’s primary research interests include mechanisms of development and spread of cutaneous and mucosal squamous cell carcinoma and molecular pathology of salivary gland tumours. Her research interests focus on improving diagnostic methods and survival outcomes. She has mentored several medical students, pathology and surgical trainees present their work on national and international platforms as well as publish in scientific peer reviewed journals. She also serves on the editorial board of Head and Neck Pathology.

Ruta likes to travel and cook. She has been travelling more than cooking recently and thus a MasterChef title appears to be a few years away.

A/Professor Rooshdiya Karim

MBBS (Hons I), FRCPA, PhD

Associate Professor Rooshdiya Karim graduated from the University of Sydney in 2000 and commenced training in Anatomical Pathology in 2001. She trained primarily at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and obtained her Fellowship with the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia in 2006. She has been a Staff Specialist in the Department of Tissue Pathology and Diagnostic Oncology at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital since 2006. A/Prof Karim completed a Doctorate of Philosophy in Medicine with the University of Sydney in 2010. Previously, she has been a Cancer Institute of NSW Clinical Fellow studying phyllodes tumour from 2006-2011, and Melanoma Pathology Fellow with the Sydney Melanoma Unit in 2006.

Her primary interests are Bone and Soft Pathology, as well as Dermatopathology (both melanocytic and non-melanocytic). She is part of the Medical Renal Pathology Service at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.

A/Prof Karim’s doctoral thesis examined epithelial-stromal interaction in phyllodes tumours of the breast and she has ongoing research activity in this area. She has coordinated the “Review and Recent Advances in Pathology” and “Too Hards” education sessions for trainees in Anatomical Pathology in NSW (teleconferenced to ACT, Tasmania and Northern Territory as well) for the Royal College of Pathologists Australasia since 2006. She is also actively involved in registrar education within the department.

Rooshdiya is somewhat of an aberration in the Department and detests karaoke and costume parties. However, she enjoys baking (and eating) for the Department Bake-off Competitions.   Her idea of bliss is a good book (fiction of course).

Professor Soon Lee

MBBS, MD, PhD, FRCPA, FRCPath

Professor C. Soon Lee, MBBS (Melb), MD (Melb), FRCPA, FRCPath (UK), MIAC, AFRACMA

Prof Lee is the Foundation Chair and Professor of Pathology at Western Sydney University. He is also the Head of Cancer Pathology, Bosch Institute, University of Sydney, Head of Cancer Pathology and Cell Biology Laboratory, Ingham Institute, Conjoint Professor UNSW and Senior Pathologist at Liverpool Hospital and Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. Prof Lee has a national and international profile in translational research in biomarkers of common human cancers and their applications in pathology practice. His research group has made significant contributions that have influenced and led to changes in the clinical practice of pathology include the detection of EGFR and HPV in head and neck cancers, detection of the human herpes virus 8 in the diagnosis of early stage Kaposi’s sarcoma, the use of the EWS/FLI1 transcript in the diagnosis of Ewing’s sarcoma.

His expertise and technical innovations, especially in cancer pathology, are recognised in the international peer-reviewed literature, with more than 300 publications consisting of more than 200 international peer-reviewed journal publications and book chapters and over 120 peer-reviewed abstract publications. He has over 7,600 citations for his publications; with an H-index of 49. Professor Lee has mentored 20 higher degree students, many of which have gone on to forge successful academic careers as Associate Professors, Professors and Heads of Departments.  He is the recipient of the 2017 Lady Mary Fairfax Distinguished Researcher in Excellence in Teaching (Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research) and 2018 Distinguished Pathologist Award of the International Academy of Pathology.

Prof Lee was the previous Editor of the journal, Pathology (2000-2009) and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Clinical Pathology (2010-2016), one of the world’s most influential journals in Clinical Pathology.

Dr Peter Luk

BMedSc (Hons), MBBS (Hons), PhD, FRCPA

Dr Luk is a medical graduate of the University of Tasmania in 2003 and received his PhD in cancer cell biology and pharmacology from the University of New South Wales in 2011. In his doctoral research, he explored Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor signalling pathway in lung cancer and the optimisation of targeted therapy. Following the completion of his PhD, he joined Professor Philip Hogg's Cancer Drug Discovery group at the Lowy Cancer Research Centre where he gained further experience in cancer drug development and molecular biology. Subsequently, he trained in anatomical pathology at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and received his Fellowship from the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia in 2017.

Dr Luk is a Staff Specialist at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and a Senior Lecturer at The University of Notre Dame. His main interest is in head and neck pathology and works closely with the Sydney Head and Neck Cancer Institute at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse. He also has strong interest in soft tissue and bone pathology as well as molecular pathology.

Peter’s current research interest is in the discovery of prognostic and targetable biomarkers in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma as well as salivary gland cancers. His research also involves the use of molecular techniques to establish diagnostic algorithms in head and neck cancers. He received multiple awards for outstanding academic achievement in his undergraduate studies and was admitted to the Dean’s Roll of Excellence for all six years (1998-2003). His doctoral program was supported by a full scholarship from the Australian Postgraduate Award and the UNSW Faulty of Medicine Rising Star Postgraduate Award.

In his younger days, Dr Luk was a devout PC Gamer focusing on massively multiplayer online role-playing games including Ultima Online, World of Warcraft and EVE Online in which his most glorious achievement was being the top PVPer of the month in his Alliance.

Dr Catriona McKenzie

MBBS (Hons 1) FRCPA

A/Prof. Catriona McKenzie graduated with first class honours from the University of Sydney in 1996. She trained at Royal North Shore, Concord, Royal Prince Alfred and St Vincent’s Hospitals in Sydney before receiving her Fellowship from the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia in 2003.

Catriona is a Senior Staff Specialist at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and a Clinical Associate Professor at The University of Sydney. Prior to this she was appointed as a staff specialist at Royal North Shore Hospital. Her primary interests include liver and gastrointestinal pathology with expertise in liver transplantation pathology. She is convenor of the national liver pathology and transplant pathology sessions at the Australasian IAP.

Research interests include non-melanoma skin cancers, drug induced liver disease in the elderly and liver transplantation pathology. She is an enthusiastic educator and current chair of the RCPA Academic Committee tasked with raising the profile of pathology with medical students and junior doctors. She is a current examiner for the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia.

Outside work Catriona enjoys food, family, friends, reading, travel, cycling and running.

A/Professor Paul McKenzie

(OAM) MBBS, FRCPA, Dip Cytopathology

Associate Professor Paul McKenzie graduated from the University of Sydney in 1977 and trained in anatomical pathology at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, completing the Fellowship of the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia in 1984. He has worked as a specialist at the Liverpool Hospital 1985-6, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital 1986-9, Colin Laverty and Assoc. 1989-92, Liverpool Hospital 1992-6 and Royal Prince Alfred Hospital 1996-current.

His professional interests include cytology, renal pathology, breast pathology, urological pathology and gynaecological pathology as well as long term interests in cancer screening, pathology education, laboratory quality and accreditation.

Dr McKenzie was previously Director of Tissue Pathology at RPAH 2002-9. For the RCPA he has been chair of the Anatomical Pathology Advisory Committee, College President 2009-11 and chair of the RCPA Foundation as well as an examiner and a member of many other committees.  He was chair of the National Pathology Accreditation Advisory Council 2012-6 and is currently chairing the drafting committee for standards relating to digital pathology reporting. He is currently the clinical lead for the Anatomical Pathology Clinical Stream within NSW Health Pathology, advising on Anatomical Pathology practice and provision of AP services for the State.

Paul was recently a member of the guideline committee for PSA Testing and Early Management of Test-Detected Prostate Cancer for the Cancer Council and Prostate Cancer Foundation and is currently on a committee developing guidelines for the management of early breast cancer in women for Cancer Australia.  He was awarded the Medal for Distinguished Service by the New Zealand Society of Pathologists in 2011 and the Order of Australia Medal in 2018 for service to medicine, particularly to anatomical pathology.

His other interests include oil painting of landscapes, portraiture and the figure.

Dr Rob Rawson

MBBS (Hons), B.Com, FRCPA

Dr Robert Rawson is a medical graduate of the Australian National University and commenced his training in Pathology in 2011. He was based primarily at Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney with rotations to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and St George Hospital before completing his Fellowship with the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia in 2016.  He was appointed the Cameron Pathology Fellow at the Melanoma Institute of Australia and Royal Prince Alfred Hospital for 2016. He took up a position as staff specialist at Royal Darwin Hospital before returning to Royal Prince Alfred in 2018.

His primary interests include dermatopathology, particularly melanocytic pathology, and gynaecological pathology.

He is involved in numerous research collaborations within the Melanoma Institute Australia Translational Research Group at Sydney University and was the winner of the Premier’s Award for Outstanding Cancer Research in 2016. He is also committed to medical education of pathology registrars and medical students. 

Rob spends his spare time on the triathlon course where he watches Professor Scolyer disappearing in the distance ahead of him. He was also awarded most intimidating crowd control officer at Chelsea Football club for the 2002-2003 season.

Dr Elizabeth Robbins

BM (UK) Dip MEL, FRCPA,  FRCPath (UK)

Dr Elizabeth Robbins is a graduate of Southampton University (1998). After clinical hospital training placements in the UK, she spent time travelling and working in NZ and Australia and undertook a fellowship in forensic pathology at the IOFM (Sydney).  She completed her pathology training in the UK (Southampton, Portsmouth, Reading) gaining fellowship in 2008 and also completed a post graduate diploma in medical ethics and law (Keele University). Past appointments include staff specialist in forensic pathology at the Institute of forensic medicine and staff specialist in histopathology with Healthscope. She commenced employment at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in 2012.

Special areas of interest include breast, haematolymphoid , cytopathology and  teaching. She regularly presents at breast and haematology MDTs at Lifehouse and RPAH.

Currently Dr Robbins is collaborating with investigators at The Garvan Insttitute of Medical Research and Chris O’Brien Lifehouse in the NeoMet study and biobanking, and has previously collaborated with investigators at Peter MacCallum centre in breast cancer research. Dr Robbins is a member of the IAP, ASC and Sydney Catalyst and is committed to registrar training and education.

Extracurricular activities include Pilates (followed by rapid icing of all joints), holidaying and teaching her children how to cook (badly)

Professor Richard Scolyer, AO

BMedSci, MBBS, MD, FRCPA, FRCPath, FAHMS

Professor Scolyer studied medicine at the University of Tasmania. After completing clinical training in Australia and overseas, he undertook pathology training at the Canberra Hospital and at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital leading to Fellowship of the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia. He provides a clinical consultation service for the diagnosis of difficult pigmented lesions and receives more 2000 cases for opinion from Australasia and beyond annually.

Prof Scolyer effectively integrates his clinical practice with leading an award-winning translational melanoma research laboratory. His record includes co-authoring more than 770 publications including in prestigious journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine, Lancet, Nature, Cell, Nature Genetics, Lancet Oncology, Journal of Clinical Oncology, Journal of the National Cancer Institute and Cancer Discovery. Richard has presented on more than 390 occasions at conferences throughout the world.

In 2006, Prof Scolyer was awarded the degree of Doctor of Medicine by The University of Sydney for his thesis of publications on melanocytic pathology. In June 2021, he was appointed Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for distinguished service to medicine, particularly in the field of melanoma and skin cancer, and to national and international professional organisation by The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia. In 2020, he received the NSW Premier's Award – Outstanding Cancer Researcher of the Year, the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) Distinguished Fellow Award, The University of Sydney’s Alumni Award for International Achievement and Clarivate Web of Science Group “Highly Cited Researcher”. He has received the NSW Premier's Award for Outstanding Cancer Research on 11 occasions including in 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2020, Thomson Reuters 2015 Citation Award in the Clinical Medicine category, the 2018 William O. Russell/Joanne Vandenberge Hill Award for Lifetime Achievement in Anatomical Pathology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Research Australia’s 2018 GSK Award for Research Excellence and the 2019 American Society of Dermatopathology’s Elson B Helwig Award for excellence in dermatopathology His publications have received most highly cited awards on five other occasions. According to Thomson Reuters ISI Web of Knowledge, Prof Scolyer is the highest ever published scientist in the world in the field of melanoma pathology and he also has the highest H index in this field. The Fame Report (2011) published by Medical Experts International ranked him the 6th leading melanoma expert in any field or discipline worldwide and the highest ranked melanoma pathologist worldwide. In September 2021, he was ranked the world’s 7th leading melanoma expert in any field or discipline and the world’s leading melanoma pathologist.

Prof Scolyer is an expert member of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Blue Books Editorial Board for the 5th edition of the WHO Classification of Skin Tumours series and was an editor of the 4th Edition of the World Health Organisation Classification of Tumours Skin Tumours volume in which he was the responsible editor for 3 of the 6 sections and authored/co-authored more than 30 chapters. He is also Vice Chair of the Melanoma Expert Panel of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) for the 8th  and 9^th editions of AJCC Cancer Staging System, co-leads the Australian Melanoma Genome Project (part of the International Cancer Genome Consortium) (Nature 2017), was lead pathologist for the NIH funded The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Melanoma Project (Cell, 2015), chairs the Melanoma Expert Panel for the International Collaboration on Cancer Reporting, and lead pathologist/member of the overseeing Management Committee, Multidisciplinary Working Party and Author for the Australian Melanoma Clinical Practice Guidelines and primary author of the College of American Pathologists Melanoma Reporting protocol. He is also an editorial board member of the American Journal of Surgical Pathology, Modern Pathology and Histopathology and a number of other international journals and Senior Associate Editor of Pathology. Professor Scolyer is a Past President of the Australasian Division of the International Academy of Pathology and is the current International Vice President representing Australasia on the International Academy of Pathology International Council. Together with other MIA colleagues, he is chief investigator on a 5-year NHMRC program grant and has a personal Fellowship from the NHMRC.

Richard is a keen triathlete and has competed for the Australian Triathlon team at the world championships.

Dr Joo Shin

MBBS PhD FRCPA

Dr Joo Shin is a medical graduate of University of Queensland. His training included initially Chemical Pathology and then Anatomical Pathology, which was mostly at Royal Prince Alfred and Liverpool Hospitals. He was awarded his FRCPA in 2009. He combined his training with a PhD on the ‘Predictive markers of radiotherapy response in rectal cancers’, which was awarded from University of Sydney in 2011.

He is a Senior Staff Specialist at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital with primary subspecialty interests in Gastrointestinal Tract, Liver and Breast pathology. He regularly presents at the Multidisciplinary team meetings in Neuroendocrine and Upper GIT, Colorectal, Gastroenterology and Breast Surgery Units at RPA/Chris O’Brien Lifehouse. He joined our department in 2017and was previously a specialist at Liverpool Hospital and a Senior Lecturer at Western Sydney University, involved in Pathology teaching and curriculum design at the then its new medical school. There, he also co-supervised successful competition of multiple MBBS Honours, Masters and PhD students.

His research output to date has followed on from his PhD and has concentrated on biomarkers of treatment response, disease progression and prognosis in mainly colorectal, and also breast cancers. 

Joo has amassed a box full of cheap plastic sporting trophies for coming runner up, third or making up the numbers in multiple obscure suburban and school competitions, which are proudly stuffed in his garage. 

A/Professor Geoff Watson

MBBS (Hons), FRCPA

Associate Professor Watson has been a staff specialist in Anatomical Pathology at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital since 1990.

He graduated in Medicine from the University of New South Wales with Honours in 1980, and obtained part 1 of the Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 1983 before changing to anatomical pathology in 1985. Pathology training was undertaken at the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children, Royal Newcastle Hospital and Westmead Hospital, completing his Fellowship of the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) in 1989, including developing fetal/perinatal experience.

At Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, he enjoys the diversity of teaching hospital pathology, though maintains a special interest in urology, cytology and clinical diagnostics.

He has long been involved with post-graduate training for Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists, and has current research interest in application of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) for imaging of the prostate gland.  He has been involved in laboratory accreditation with the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) and was a previous chair of the RCPA Anatomical Pathology Advisory Committee.

Mr Matthew Bright   

B.AppSc. (Biomed.)  , CT(ASC), MIAC

Matthew  first  worked  in  Cytology  as  a  trainee  at  St Vincents  Hospital  in  Sydney  in  1990. He  then  worked   at  Lidcombe  Hospital  and  The  Women’s  Hospital  in  Paddington,  where  he passed  his  Australian  and  International  Cytology  exams. In  1995  Matthew  took  on  the  role  Of Scientist  in  Charge  of  Cytology at  Quinn  Pathology  Services. He  has  held  senior  positions  in Cytology  ever  since at  Douglass Hanly Moir, SDS  Pathology  and  Laverty  Pathology. He  joined RPAH  in  June  2017.

Matthew  has  worked  in  both  Private  and  Public  laboratories. He  has  a  strong  interest  in Gynaecological  Cytology  and  enjoys the  interesting  Non-Gynae  Cytology  that  RPAH  receives. Since  joining  RPAH, Matthew  has  been  significantly  involved  in  implementing  new  workflow protocols, reporting  formats ,  working  with   NSW Health  IT  and  Molecular  Biology  to  incorporate  HPV results  for  The  Renewal, The  National  Cervical  Screening  Program (NSCP)  and  The  National  Cervical  Screening   Register (NSCR)  .

Matthew  regularly  plays  tennis, albeit  with  clicky  ankles – the  result  of  his  mother  sending  him  to  one  term  of  tap  dancing  classes  when  he  was  8  years  old.

Ms Trina Lum

MMedSc (Path), BSc (Biomed Sc), DipAppSc (Food Tech)

Trina began her career in this department in 2001 as a technical officer in histology.  She then moved on to become a hospital scientist, which eventually led to assuming the mantle of second in charge of histology.  Trina was then appointed to her current position of senior scientist in charge of immunohistochemistry.

She leads a dedicated team consisting of highly skilled, qualified and experienced scientific and technical officers.  The lab provides an automated immunohistochemistry (IHC) and in situ hybridisation (ISH) services to both the department and external organisations. The laboratory offers in excess of 250 antibodies with the option of red or brown chromogens. The service has optimised and validated  biomarkers such as HER2, BRAF, ALK and PD-L1 for clinical use. These biomarkers are critical for determining eligibility for targeted therapies and immune check point inhibitors. This is a particularly high volume service and processes nearly 40,000 slides per year. Trina is committed to maintaining the efficiency of the lab and ensures the implementation of any advances in technologies and/or techniques.

She is responsible for supervising and training staff, introduction of new tests and techniques, participation and management of internal and external quality control, as well as providing technical expertise for research.

Trina has a passion for and understands the importance of training and continuing education.  To this end, she has attended numerous state and national scientific meetings and continued to maintain professional affiliations with the Australasian Immunohistochemistry Society, Australian Institute of Medical Scientists (AIMS) and the Histotechnology Group of NSW.

Trina is well known in some pilates circles for being the only person to ever take 2 sickies after signing up for a course that consisted of only 6 classes.  She is drawn to anything purple and often indulges in spoiling Milo, her pet pekingese.