Digital Pathology

Dr. Foran is Professor of Pathology, Laboratory Medicine & Radiology and Chief of the Division of Medical Informatics at Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. He also serves as Executive Director of Computational Imaging & Biomedical informatics; and Chief Informatics Officer at The Cancer Institute of New Jersey. His research focuses on the design, development, and implementation of new approaches in computer-assisted diagnostics, medical imaging and statistical pattern recognition for resolving challenging clinical problems in pathology, radiology, and oncology. He has served as a speaker and session chair for the IEEE international conferences for the engineering in medicine and biology society (EMBS); as the director and session chair for the scientific program for the annual conferences of the national Association for Pathology Informatics (API); as an invited speaker for the American Society for Investigative Pathology (ASIP); as an organizer and session chair for the World Conference on Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering and the MICCAI International Workshop on High-Performance and Distributed Computing for Medical Imaging. Dr. Foran has served as a charter member on the Biomedical Computing and Health Informatics (BCHI) study section at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). In 2013, he will serve as a reviewer for the Biodata Management and Analysis (BDMA) Study Section for the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering at NIH. He currently serves as a consultant to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA); as an Associate Editor for the journal on Cancer Informatics; as an Associate Editor Journal of Pathology Informatics; and as a reviewer for the American Medical Informatics Association; BMC Cancer; Archives in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine; the IEEE Transactions on Information Technology in Biomedicine; and the IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging.

1) Design/development/implementation of new approaches in statistical pattern recognition, automated image interpretation and computer assisted decision support for resolving problems in computational biology and diagnostic pathology/ radiology 2) Development of web-based data-mining technologies and computational methods for characterizing lymphoproliferative disorders elucidating the role that protein and molecular expression plays in determining the morphologic profiles exhibited by a range of malignancies.

Dr. J Rao is an internationally renowned cytopathologist and established investigator in cancer molecular epidemiology and biomarker studies. Prior to be a pathologist, he was already an established molecular epidemiologist involved in multiple high profile cancer prevention studies. He completed his anatomic/clinical pathology residency and cytopathology fellowship at UCLA, and joined the UCLA Department of Pathology as a faculty in 1999. Dr. J. Rao is a full professor and the director of Cytopathology, the director of gynecological pathology, and the medical director of cytotechnology school. He has dual appointments in pathology and epidemiology. He is particularly well known for urine cytology, especially in utilizing biomarkers as adjunct for detecting bladder cancer. He has been invited to be a speaker for over 100 meetings and occasions locally, nationally and internationally for topics including cancer chemoprevention, biomarkers, urine cytology, Fine Needle Aspiration cytology, and gynecological pathology. Dr. Rao has an active role in teaching and research, with continuous funding from NIH or other agencies for cancer biomarker and prevention studies in the last 20 years, with over 100 peer-reviewed research publications. He is also interested in developing new technologies for pathology especially cytopathology, including imaging analysis, nanotechnology and telepathology.

Developing new technologies for pathology especially cytopathology, including imaging analysis, nanotechnology and telepathology.

Dr. Anshoo Agarwal is currently working as Professor & Chairperson at Department of Pathology, Northern Border University, Arar Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. She received her Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery from King George's Medical College Lucknow. Dr. Anshoo Agarwal received her M.D in Pathology from LLRM Medical College / Ch. Charan Singh University. She is an Associate professor and Discipline Coordinator in University Technology MARA,Malaysia. Dr. Anshoo Agarwal has served on many scientific memberships like Life member of Indian Association of Pathology and Microbiology, Member of International Academy Pathology, Life member of Indian Society of Hematology & Transfusion Medicine,Emirates Medical Association Pathology Society. Dr. Anshoo Agarwal has more than 80 publications. Dr. Anshoo Agarwal is editorial member of 3 journals and has many reviewed publications. Dr. Anshoo Agarwal research interests include Advance Haematology & Immunohaematology, Breast cancer and Anticancer vaccines.

Oncopathology, Forensic Pathology, Genetics and Medical education

Dr. Bertha Garcia, Professor, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine has been reappointed as Vice Dean, Education at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, until June 30, 2017. Dr. Garcia received her medical degree from the Cayetano Heredia University in Peru in 1972. She went on to complete her residency training in general and anatomical pathology from the University of Calgary in 1981, where she was appointed as faculty member. She joined the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry, Western University in 1985, and held the role of Chair and City-Wide Chief for the Department and London Hospitals from July 1, 2001 to June 30, 2011. She has held the role of Vice Dean, Education at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry since July 1, 2008. During Dr. Garcia’s decanal leadership, the Distributed Medical Education program at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry has developed and grown significantly leading to the establishment of the Windsor Campus, as well as numerous new partnerships and learning opportunities for students and residents. Dr. Garcia is currently leading the School in a strategic planning process for Distributed Education, which is in alignment with Schulich Medicine & Dentistry and Western’s strategic plans. In 2015, the Undergraduate Medical Education Program received a full eight-year accreditation from the Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools (CACMS) in collaboration with the Liaison Committee for Medical Education (LCME). Dr. Garcia is recognized as an exceptional educator with an extraordinary passion for medical education. She has received numerous local and national education awards in recognition of her leadership in medical education including the Dean's Award of Excellence in Teaching from Schulich Medicine & Dentistry, the Edward G. Pleva Award, from Western University, the OCUFA citation for outstanding contribution to University teaching. She is also the recipient of the prestigious 3M Teaching Fellowship, which is given to individuals who demonstrate an exceptionally high-degree of leadership and commitment to the improvement of university education across disciplines.

Gastrointestinal pathology, Cytopathology, Lung pathology and Autopsy services

Dr. Wiley is Director of the Division of Neuropathology. In addition to clinical sign out, Dr. Wiley directs the Neuropathology fellowship program and runs an NIH funded research program studying neuroinflammation and viral encephalitis in particular.

Dr. Wiley's research concentrates on the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders and in particular on viral and trauma induced nervous system diseases. Viruses damage the nervous system either by direct infection of neural cells or by secondary effects of an immune response. In recent years his studies have focused on central nervous system lentiviral, arboviral, enteroviral and influenzal infections and have pioneered the use of molecular and imaging techniques to quantitatively assess viral burden and neuroinflammation. This same technology is now being applied to quantify neurological damage and the immune response to brain trauma. In addition to human studies of AIDS and Alzheimer’s dementia, Dr. Wiley’s lab uses H5N1 and H1N1 infected mice, ferrets and non-human primates to model viral encephalitis. Using MRI, PET and laser confocal microscopy they are investigating the evolution of the innate immune response, extracellular matrix degradation and macrophage trafficking in mediating neurological disease. Recent studies have focused on the role of immunization to modulate infectious (West Nile Virus, Influenza, Rift Valley Fever Virus, Human Parechovirus) and non-infectious (Alzheimer’s) neurological disease. Through extensive collaborations with neuroscientists throughout the Pittsburgh community, Dr. Wiley leads a team studying the interactions between aging and lentiviral infection on physiology and pathology of the nervous system.

Dr. Astle is responsible for evaluation and diagnosis of hematopathology specimens at the Medical College of Wisconsin/Froedtert Hospital and Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, teaching medical students and pathology trainees, and helping to advance the field of pathology.

1-Translational research involving hematopoiesis and hematopoietic neoplasms 2-Collaborative structuring of pathology/medical data

I received my MD degree in Shiraz, Iran 1981, PhD in Pathology at McGill, Canada 1986, and completed my residency in Anatomical Pathology also at McGill in 1990. I was a staff pathologist at McGill from 1988-2004. Currently I am a staff pathologist at the Ottawa General Hospital and an assistant professor at the University of Ottawa. My research is predomiantly on Pathology database systems using Java and SQL. In 1992, I wrote a comprehensive AP Database system that supported my department for 12 years. Recently, I wrote a Pathology Dashboard for Pathology. Currently I am finishing an automated workload monitoring system for pathologists, and an image analysis interface for WSI with ImageJ.

Data Analysis, Dashboards, Automation, Image Analysis

Marina Ivanovic is the Director of Thoaracic Pathology at Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center and Clinical Associate Professor of Pathology at University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia.Education Completed in Anatomic Pathology from Boston University Medical Center .

Diagnostic surgical pathology and cytopathology

Guang-Yu Yang is the Joseph C. Calandra Research Professor in Pathology and Toxicology, Director of Anatomic and Surgical Pathology, Director of Surgical/GI Pathology Fellowship Program, Department of Pathology at Northwestern University, USA. He completed his PhD from China Medical University, Molecular Pathology in 1992. He has published more that 100 research papers in various repute journals. His long-term objective of our research is to study molecular mechanism and chemoprevention of chronic inflammation-driven carcinogenesis.

To develop a molecular mimicking model of ulcerative colitis-associated carcinogenesis in rodents, and further to elucidate the role of inflammation-caused and dietary iron-enhanced nitro-oxidative stress and inflammatory mediators in DNA damage, cell proliferation and inflammation-driven carcinogenesis; 2) to study the pathogenesis and molecular biomarkers of pancreatic carcinoma in genetically engineered mouse model and in human; and 3) to develop an efficient strategy on the prevention of chronic inflammation-driven carcinogenesis, particularly interested in dietary nutrients, antioxidants, green tea and inositol compounds and specifically targeted on colorectal, pancreatic, and liver carcinogenesis.

After general medical training, including an intercalated BSc in Anatomy and MSc in Cell and Structural Biology, I trained as a histopathologist and did a PhD in molecular biology, specifically in bone biology. Since then I have developed a diagnostic and research interest in haematopathology and my specialist diagnostic clinical interest is in leukaemia and lymphoma. I am Reader in Pathology at the University of Manchester and Consultant Haematopathologist at Manchester Royal Infirmary. I was visiting professor at the Broad Institute of Harvard & MIT 2003-2004 and am General Secretary of the Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland, for which I have instituted undergraduate membership.

My research is in the field of translational molecular pathology and is focused on application of novel molecular and digital technologies to routine diagnostic use. Specifically, I have more recently been developing software for automated identification of prognostic patterns of cells in cancer using multiplex immunofluorescence and multispectral imaging.

Pasquale De Blasio, is an international manager with more than 35 years experience in industrial and academic positions. He is the founder of BioRep srl, a “Global biorepository service provider” located in Milan Italy operating in partnership with Coriell Institute for Medical Research USA (www.coriell.org), the NHI and NCI reference biorepository. Pasquale De Blasio, is the founder and CEO of Integrated Systems Engineering srl (www.isenet.it) a small company specialized in the design and construction of biomedical instruments and in particular Tissue Microarrayers. Pasquale De Blasio, is a member of the Marble Arch International Working Group consisting of international biobanking Experts, he is also a very active member of the International Society of Biological and Environmenthal Biorepositories (www.isebr.org) contributing with the organization in Perugia Italy in 2004 of the first ISBER International meeting. Pasquale De Blasio academic appointments are synthesised as follows: (1) Adjunct Assistant Professor at TEMPLE University, Philadelphia PA, USA. (2009-2010); (2) Università degli Studi di Milano, Assistant contract professor for Bioethics (2000 – 2004); Managing Director of University of Milan, Centre of Excellence CISI (Centre of Interdisciplinary bio-molecular studies and industrial applications; http://www.itba.mi.cnr.it/CISI/). CISI is involved in advanced research activities in the area of: molecular diagnostics; genomics; proteomics; micrarray technology; bioinformatics; analytical diagnostic laboratory automation and Criporeservation. One of the major activities of Pasquale De Blasio was to promote joint research projects between public institutions (CISI) and private industry and to search and support Government or EEC research founds. In the last 3 years CISI has promoted 7 joint Research Projects financed by the Italian Research Ministry for about a total of 200 Million Euros for the Industries of which 20 Million Euros for CISI. Ing. Pasquale De Blasio, has a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Villanova University, Villanova, Pennsylvania, USA (1976), and a Master Degree in Business Administration from Bocconi University, Milan, Italy (1986). He has also matured specific skills in multinational analytical instrumentation companies, as R&D Manager for the developments of HPLC Systems, UV/VIS Spectrophotometers, Ultra Centrifuges and Medical Anaesthesia Systems; and as Industrial Operations Management in the development and manufacturing of Blood Gas and Coagulation Analytical Instruments. He has also matured experience with ISO 9001 Quality System, EEC Medical Directive and CE certification. Ing. Pasquale De Blasio held at University of Milan a University course in: Regulations, Bioethics in Biotechnology Industrial Processes (Accademic Year 2001/2002, 2002/2003, 2003/2004).

Molecular diagnostics; genomics; proteomics; micrarray technology; bioinformatics; analytical diagnostic laboratory automation and Criporeservation

Associate Professor Sanja M. Milenkovic, is a professor of General and Oral pathology of the Dentistry Faculty Pančevo and Associate Director for Education and Science of the University Clinical Hospital Center Zemun, as well as, Chief of the Pathology department. She is co/founder of the Neuromuscular disease network (NMD) of the Republic of Serbia, President of the Serbian Society of Pathology and a member of the Advisory Council of the ESP. She conducted postgraduate training in neuropathology: brain tumors and neuromuscular disease in “Raymond Escurolle” Groupe hospitalier Pitesal¬petriere, Paris (2008). They are oriented towards patient material, development of tissue biobank, national network and include all aspects of tissue evaluation and the application in the practice such as histology, immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, molecular methods, etc. She is Editor-in-Chief of Journal “Materia Medica” and member of the Editorial board of the journal Pathology Discavery. (Co) author of more than 60 peer reviewed articles and several books, as well as chapters in books. She has served as a speaker and session chair for the European Congres of pathology few years and as the member of Scientific comittee, as well as scientific contact of the 27Th ESP Congress which was held in Belgrade, 2015.

Neuromuscular diseases, brain tumors and all issue related to the promotion of pathology in the public.

Marcio Alvarez-Silva was graduated in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and PhD in Sciences at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. He is currently a Professor at the Federal University of Santa Catarina and coordinates the Laboratory of Stem Cell and Bioengineering at the Department of Cell Biology, Embryology and Genetics.

Stem Cell and Bioengineering

HND in mathematics, computing and statistics from North London Polytechnics. CA in operational research and computer techniques, from Southampton City university. MSC in operational research from LSE London. PHD in modelling tools and discrete time computer simulation, from Strathclyde University, Glasgow Scotland for two years left unfinished.

Renewable energy optimization, medical data base management, medical supply chain, visual assistant tools for medical imaging interpretations.

Maurice B. Silali, is presently attached to the Department of Human Anatomy, School of Medicine, Maseno University in Kisumu Kenya, as an Anatomic Technologist. He did his Diploma in Medical laboratory sciences (MLS) and Higher National Diploma in Histopathology &Cytopathology, and Post Basic diploma in Health service management and Administration, from Kenya Medical Training College, (KMTC) Nairobi in 2007, BCHD &MCHD from, Great lakes University Of Kisumu in 2012, and currently a Ph.D. Student in the School Public Health and Community Development in Maseno University thesis ‘‘Health Determinants Of Medico-Legal Approaches in Identification of Unclaimed Bodies or Missing Dead Persons from Public Mortuaries to Improve Public Health in Western Kenya’’. His research interest is mainly on innovative Community Health Science for Health planning and Policy Management, He has supervised Bachelors & Masters researches, published 9 research papers. External reviewer for some on renowned journals, He is the author of 1 published University Academic Books. Mr. Maurice B Silali has had various Facility and academic positions in Kenya Defense Force and in Public institutions.

Histopathology &Cytopathology