Lunch Time Talk: The Role of The Pathologist- What They Do and Why!

Date(s): 11 September 2023

Time: 1.15pm

Cost: £3

Booking Link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/lunch-time-talk-the-role-of-the-pathologist-what-they-do-and-why-tickets-656809082647?aff=oddtdtcreator

Join Surgeons' Hall Museums this Summer for our new series of bite sized lunch time talks.

In this lunch time talk Professor William Wallace will discuss the central role of the Pathologist and the integral part they play in diagnosing disease as well as informing treatment.

Pathology is the study of disease and the Royal College of Pathologists have described this as being ‘the science behind the cure’. Histopathologists and cytopathologists are medical specialists who examine tissue specimens to help make diagnoses and guide both surgical and non-surgical treatments. Anyone who has had a biopsy, or an operation, with tissue samples taken for diagnosis, treatment or in some cancer screening programmes will have had that specimen assessed by a pathologist. Despite this most people are unaware of their central role in diagnosis and informing treatment. Traditionally examination of tissue has been done by microscopy but increasingly cancer samples are also being examined to determine the presence or absence of specific genetic changes in cells which may add additional value. This talk will explain how and why pathologists are central to the management of many conditions especially cancers but also inflammatory diseases and even organ transplants.

Prof William Wallace graduated in Medicine from Edinburgh University in 1986 and began specialist training in Pathology in 1989. After completing this he was appointed as a Consultant Pathologist in Sheffield in 1998 before returning to Edinburgh in 2002. He developed a specialist interest in lung pathology – both lung cancer and chronic inflammatory/scarring diseases. He was made an Honorary Professor in Pathology by Edinburgh University in 2017 and retired from clinical practice in 2022. Over his career he has authored or co-authored over 150 publications including chapters in major international undergraduate and postgraduate textbooks, national and international ‘best practice guidelines’ and has been an invited speaker at academic and clinical meetings in Europe, North America and Japan.

Talks will last approximately 30 mins and there will be tea and coffee available for ticket holders.