Undergraduate Sub-Committee

I’m an MBPhD student at UCL in the final year of my PhD. The MBPhD is a programme that allows us to integrate a PhD in the middle of medical school. My PhD is in Cancer Biology and I’m currently studying the evolution of one of most common types of childhood cancer, ETV6-RUNX1+ B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. My thesis is due this Summer and, after I submit, I’ll be heading back to medical school in the Autumn (Year 5 out of 6 at UCL).

My interest in cancer research, and the current MBPhD programme I am on, is the reason I applied to UCL for medical school in the first place. I’d quite like to continue pursuing cancer research alongside my clinical career, perhaps by becoming a pathologist! I applied to join the National Undergraduate Pathological Society to learn more about what a career in pathology entails, hopefully whilst also encouraging others to do the same. 

https://twitter.com/Jane_Ganesh

I am a year 4 medical student at Manchester, and also studied Anatomy and Human Biology at Liverpool between 2013-2016. During this first degree, I did a lot of cadaveric dissection, which led me to train up and work as an anatomical pathology technician (APT) in a London public mortuary until 2019. Working on coronial and forensic post mortems is absolutely fantastic, and I was inspired by the histo- and forensic pathologists to apply to medical school and pursue pathology as a career myself. It probably won’t come as a surprise to say that my interest in the specialty really focuses around the autopsy side of things! During the holidays, I enjoy locuming as an APT around various public and paediatric mortuaries in the North West. I’m excited to embrace my role as Vice-Chair to fly the pathology flag, and get more students involved in and learning about this fascinating speciality!

www.linkedin.com/in/mercala

https://twitter.com/ellie_mercala

I’m a fourth year medical student at the University of Cambridge, having intercalated in Physiology, Development and Neuroscience (2021-2022). I am interested in all areas of pathology and enjoy the integration between clinical practice and academic research, having spent most of my university summers to date working on laboratory-based projects! I hope to continue with research throughout my future career.

I am a keen freelance science journalist, having written for The Naked Scientists and the University of Cambridge’s student newspaper, and founded the University’s medical journalism society. I am keen to help the Pathological Society communicate the latest news and developments in pathology via our blog. In my free time, I enjoy powerlifting!

http://linkedin.com/in/sambhavi-sneha-kumar-8406b8205

I am Tricia Lim, an MBPhD student at UCL. I am currently based at the UCL Cancer Institute and my PhD project looks at non-apoptotic roles of the Fas ligand. My interest first came about when I was interning in p53 lab at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) after my A level examinations. I found their research on generating different antibodies using hybridomas to target p53 hotspot mutants very interesting. The field is very diverse, and I enjoy the cutting-edge advancements in pathology that drive clinical diagnosis and research. I hope that I will be able to raise the profile of the Pathological Society and increase engagement from universities with my role.

https://twitter.com/tricia_lim97

I am a medical student at UCL. Pathology became interesting to me during my first year during a neuropathology research project. This experience allowed me to appreciate the complexity of this field and the importance of pathology in modern medicine. I took this passion further by continuing the neuropathology project during my iBSc.

I am looking forward to promoting this society and letting other medical students explore this amazing speciality!

I am a medical student studying at the University of Cambridge, and intercalated in pathology. My main interest is in chemical pathology, in particular cell free genetic materials in body fluids. It is fascinating to learn how the body’s chemistry alters in disorders and how these changes could be used as diagnostic measures and potentially drug targets. In previous summers I have participated in lab internships and contributed to research in cell free DNA and mRNA in various cancers.

I would like to take this opportunity to promote pathology to the students in the East region, encourage students to participate in PathSoc, and hopefully this would inspire more students to consider a career in pathology!

I’m an MB PhD student at UCL and I’m really looking forward to putting on some exciting talks about the intersection between pathology and genomics research! The MB PhD is a course that combines both undergraduate medicine and a PhD. I did my PhD focused on computational biology at the Francis Crick institute in Prof Charles Swanton’s research group working in the fields of cancer genomics and intratumour heterogeneity. It was during my PhD that I began to work with Dr David Moore, a group leader in thoracic and molecular pathology at University College London Hospital, and realise the importance of linking the mutations and chromosomal changes revealed by the next generation sequencing of tumours with the histopathological characteristics seen by a pathologist. These included anisonucelosis, the variation in size of cells’ nuclei, and tumour infiltrating lymphocyte measures, the amount of immune cells going into the tumour. I’m currently interested in studying the contribution of genomic alterations present in tumour cells to the tumour microenvironment, especially immune cells, and investigating whether these alterations might explain why some tumours respond to cancer immunotherapy and others do not.

https://twitter.com/tbkwatkins

I am a medical student at Keele University and Member of The Royal Society of Biology with a B.Sc in biomedical sciences.  My undergraduate thesis looked at the role of p53 signalling in Apoptosis Induced Proliferation in drosophila germ line stem cells and this fed my fascination with cell biology.

I have founded and led the Keele University branch of a registered charity called We Are Donors for the past 4 years and have also been active on the National Steering Committee for We Are Donors UK.  We recruit and train university students to give talks at local schools on organ and blood donation.   A trip I organised to The Gordon Museum of Pathology for members, and an RCPATH Summer School I attended in 2019 made me want to explore a career in pathology.

In my second year as Regional Pathology Co-ordinator for Wales I am eager to help promote the pathological society to my own medical school and the schools in my region.  Pathology is an underrepresented discipline but so very fundamental to all branches of medicine.  This year we hope to prepare a series of revision lectures for medical students.

I have also been heavily involved with the BMA Medical Students Committee, representing medical students as the 2021 and 2022 Deputy BMA Rep for Keele Medical School.  I have also been an active member of the Equality Diversity & Inclusivity Team and Black History Month Working Party at Keele, with a video I made on racial inequality in medicine being incorporated into the MBChB curriculum.  Outside academia I have 14 years of experience in the healthcare and pharmacy sector, and have been a resident advisor for Keele University.  I love hiking and cycling in my spare time.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paaras-doshi-288692191/

Hi! I’m Emily Rose, a medical student at UCL. Alongside Matthew, I’m co-regional coordinator for London and the South-East for the Undergraduate Pathology Society Committee.

I initially became interested in pathology after a 6-week placement at the UCL Cancer Institute, researching aspects of pathology in bone and soft tissue tumours, under the amazing care of Prof. Adrienne Flanagan. This experience, along with other opportunities such-as being published in the Journal of Diagnostic Histopathology, has fuelled my passion for improving awareness and knowledge of pathology amongst medical students.

As co-regional coordinator for London and the South-East, I intend to liaise with medical schools in the area to create strong links with their representative pathologists. Through this, I aim to further support and encourage both students who are already interested in pathology, and those who haven’t had much exposure to it as of yet. I also intend to work with medical school Med Socs, to plan engaging events and find exciting opportunities for students to get involved in, to develop their passion for pathology in a similar way to mine.

I am Leshanth Uthayanan, a medical student at St. George’s University of London. While exploring our pathology lab, I was fascinated to see many pathological specimens from many years ago, preserved in very high conditions. Seeing these specimens as a snapshot of an ongoing pathological process in tissues of organs in dysfunction was a mesmerising moment. This, along with our cadaveric teaching of Anatomy, led me to pursue a placement with Dr David Snead, where I witnessed autopsies. This experience was both perplexing and extraordinary. Cutting up patients to identify damaged organs and piecing together what may have gone wrong by combining our physiology information and previous experience was fascinating and mind-boggling. I then understood the significant importance of pathology and the vital role it plays in any medical speciality. I am now interested in oncology pathology, particularly tight-junction proteins Claudins-3 and -4 in low-grade serous ovarian carcinomas.

As part of the PathSoc committee, I would like others to experience the delight I had during my pathology teaching and experience. I hope to do this by introducing a Journal Club and events that highlight the clinical importance of pathology research, e.g., how research has a direct clinical impact and how the life of pathologists goes beyond just looking at tissues. Fun fact about me? I like Yema (Filipino sweet).

Hi, my name is Libby and I am a 4th year medical student and have recently taken on the role as West Midland Regional Co-ordinator. I admittedly had no idea Histopathology was a speciality until I began working as a medical secretary within the department, before coming to university. Since then, I have developed a newfound appreciation for Pathology as although it is more of a ‘behind the scenes’ speciality, it often plays a crucial role in diagnosing and guiding treatments for patients. I have taken on this role within the Committee as I would like to promote Pathology as a speciality in medical school ( in particular for Histo, which often gets a bad rep among students!)

I am Bing, a 3rd-year medical student at Barts and the London. Interestingly, I first came across the field of pathology when I unintentionally stumbled into the pathology department in the hospital and was invited to see the inner workings of a pathology lab whilst on a surgical student-selected component (Don’t ask how that happened!). Since then, it has broadened my horizons about pathology and sparked an interest in the field.

I am very excited to be part of the PathSoc committee as a blog writer and hope to continue to provide medical students greater exposure to the field of pathology as well as to get to know like-minded individuals interested in pathology!

Outside of my studies, I am an avid gym-goer who sorely misses the days I could run distances like a breeze. I also play the piano and enjoy the occasional pint with friends in the local bar!

https://twitter.com/BingjieChow

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bingjiechow/

Hi! I’m Henschel, a medical student at the university of Leeds. My interest in pathology was sparked by a research projects comparing manual and digital quantification of the Ki-67 proliferation index in gliomas with two exemplary supervisors, Dr Oleg Anichtchik and Dr Aruna Chakrabarty at St James’ University Hospital, Leeds.

I was excited by the advent of artificial intelligence pertinent to pathology. Manually counting tens of thousands of cells impressed upon me the huge impact that digital quantification softwares can have on a pathologist’s workload. Recent advancement in this AI technology offers many benefits to clinical practice. These new technologies can only be beneficial with critical evaluations. I am excited to contribute to the expansion of the frontier of pathology practice.

Attending the pathvisions22 conference affirmed that pathology is cross road between clinical practice, research and industry. At this exciting time, pathologists have the opportunity to work with industry or participate in fascinating research that will have real impact on clinical practice!

As the events officer for Pathsoc, I hope to help communicate these exciting developments in pathology to encourage fellow medical students to consider it as a worthwhile specialty.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/hfa1

Hello everyone, my name is Aidan and I am a student at The Queen’s University, Belfast in my 5th year of study. I just finished my intercalated degree in Oncology Drug Discovery (MRes) and I am getting reacquainted with clinical medicine. I initially became interested in pathology through studying pathology elective modules during my pre-clinical studies. This interest has only grown through my intercalated studies and I have become evermore interested in breast cancer pathology and bioinformatics. My intercalated project had a heavy focus on bioinformatics and I want to explore in my future career, how we can integrate computational approaches to improving pathology practices.

During my time in PathSoc, I want to boost the profile of pathology as a career in the North of Ireland and work with the committee on educational resources, as understanding the pathology of diseases is key to understanding clinical presentation and becoming a better clinician. I am the undergraduate representative for NI; we previously only had one medical school, however with the introduction of Ulster Medical school, I hope to get them involved in events, with Queen’s, and identify the keen pathologists who want to get involved with our society.

I commute daily to university which allows me to stay at home during term time and have more time with my three dogs. I was university rower up until the pandemic but now have started getting into running and triathlons as I have live by the sea so have plenty of opportunities to get out swimming.

Give me a follow on twitter to hear about the pathology and science based events happening at my university.

www.linkedin.com/in/aidan-james-murray-a790331b9

https://twitter.com/AidanJMurray1

I’m a fourth year medical student at Brighton and Sussex Medical School with a keen interest in haematology, pathology and research. I have explored these fields during my MPhil in Medical Sciences (Haematology) at the University of Cambridge. In my MPhil thesis I have researched lifetime trajectories to Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia using whole-genome sequencing and phylogenetics.

I first became interested in pathology in high school. During biology lessons we were encouraged to use microscopes, prepare our own slides and even were assessed in identifying tissues under a microscope. Since then I’ve been reading about interesting pathology cases and completed several wet lab internships.

In my free time you can see me cycling in the South Downs, cooking or trying to master German.

I am very excited to join the Pathological Society as the Events Officer and be a part of such a vibrant community. I look forward to promoting Pathology as a diverse and fascinating specialty!

https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleksandra-kamizela-124758172

https://twitter.com/plantaedebant

I’m a 2nd year medical student at the University of Leeds. My dissertation for my batchelors degree in Biomedical Science with Physiology and Pharmacology involved a histology based research project classifying a lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate seen in the GI tract of cynomolgus macaques. During this time I also worked in the histopathology department of a contract research organisation and my interest in pathology has stemmed from here.

I am particularly interested in paediatric and forensic pathology and plan to pursue an academic focused career. As regional coordinator for the North East, I am keen to promote the role of pathology to medical students who may not have considered this career path as an option.

In my spare time you can find me at agility classes with my border collie or spending time with my husband and two stepchildren.

Hello, I’m Barbara and I’m currently doing anatomy interaction after completing 3 years of medical school at the University of Bristol. I have always had an interest in pathology, but during my last student choice project, I was able to deepen my knowledge and excitement for it, especially within the forensic area. I’m currently writing a dissertation on pathological and surgical evidence in cadavers.

I’m very much enjoying my role within the committee as it allows me to talk to people who are also interested in this area of medicine; I’m hoping to share as much of what we discuss and learn with others to promote how important and amazing pathology is.

The limited free time I have, I spend with my family or spoiling our child and pets.

Hi, I’m Emily and I am a 4th year medical student at University of Glasgow, having completed three years of my medical studies including a BSc at University of Glasgow.

My interest in pathology began when I spent time at a hospice in Edinburgh learning about complex cancer pain management. I then took this interest further to the Institute of Genetics and Cancer, where I became involved in research being done there including the use of cannabinoids to treat cancer cachexia. I was then able to spend four weeks at the UCL Blood Sciences HALO lab where I spent time with the haematologists diagnosing leukaemias and lymphomas on the basis of bone marrow aspirates and flow cytometry. It was during this time I met people undertaking research at the UCL cancer institute and became involved in the society.

I am looking forward to spreading awareness of pathology and the career it can provide to medical students around Scotland.

When I am not studying I enjoy reading and spending time with my friends

Hi, I’m Chloe, and I am a third year medical student at St Barts and the London and I have always had a keen interest in pathology. I came straight from doing my A-Levels so I have no prior pathological experience, however I have just established a Forensic Pathology Society at Barts and am keen to encourage others to enter the field, while also pursuing my own research in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

I have always been interested in pathology, however more specifically, forensic pathology, as I believe that it is an area of medicine which is so vital in maintaining balance within our society, allowing for justice, put also acting as a pivot for research and further understanding of the human experience and how we react and respond to trauma and disease. Throughout my education, I  have also developed a keen interest in cardiothoracic surgery and have been able to pursue this interest through my vice presidency of Barts Cardiothoracic surgery and had the opportunity to share this passion with others. To add, I also spend a lot of my time accompanying my paramedic mentor on shift as a part of the Barts Prehospital Care Programme; an opportunity which has allowed to me to be at the very front of medicine, observing its interaction with society and being able to take part in key clinical exercises.

I look forward to sharing my interest in pathology for others and hope to widen the scope of individuals following this path!