Dear Staff and Student Colleagues
 
I am delighted to announce the appointment of Professor Komala Pillay as Head: Department of Pathology from 1 July 2022. Professor Pillay brings a wealth of institutional knowledge and experience to this role. I am deeply grateful to Professor Raj Ramesar for his leadership of this department and significant contribution over the last five years. I wish him well in his future endeavours.

Professor Komala Pillay is the Wernher and Beit Chair and Head of the Division of Anatomical Pathology at the University of Cape Town (UCT) and National Health Laboratory Services (NHLS), Groote Schuur Hospital (GSH) and Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital (RCWMCH) since 1 January 2020.  As a medical student, Professor Pillay’s interest in Pathology led to her undertaking a research project as a fourth-year medical student titled “A study of Rhabdomyosarcomas at King Edward VIII hospital”.  She also obtained a full MESAB scholarship for the period 1994-1997 and chose an elective at Embhuleni Provincial Hospital in Elukwatini, Mpumulanga as a third-year medical student in December 1994.

Following her MBChB graduation at the University of Natal in 1997, she completed her internship at Somerset Hospital and community service at Amajuba Memorial Hospital in Volksrust, Mpumulanga and Harrismith District Hospital, Free State.  Professor Pillay started her specialist training in Anatomical Pathology at the Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine (UKZN) and transferred to UCT, where she has remained since 2002. She qualified as a pathologist in 2004 and has specialist qualifications in South Africa (CMSA) and the United Kingdom (RCPath).  She was a consultant pathologist at UCT/NHLS since 2005 and practised as the only pathologist at RCWMCH from 2007-2019 also contributing significantly to research (more than 100 publications) and teaching (undergraduate and postgraduate).
 
Congratulations Professor Komala - I am looking forward to working alongside you as well the contribution you will make to the leadership of the Faculty.

Kaise ke gangans
Associate Professor Lionel Green-Thompson
Dean: Faculty of Health Sciences