Pathology Learning Centre
Welcome to the Department of Pathology
The Department of Pathology at the University of Cape Town is a large academic department comprising eight divisions: Anatomical Pathology, Chemical Pathology, Haematology, Human Genetics, Immunology, Forensic Medicine, Medical Microbiology and Medical Virology.
The Department hosts the Pathology Learning Centre which holds an extraordinary collection of teaching specimens that have been accumulated over more than 80 years.
The Department provides a comprehensive Pathology service to the Western Cape and South Africa, and undertakes basic & applied scientific research aimed at understanding mechanisms, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases. It contributes to training of undergraduate medical students, and has a large post-graduate teaching and training programme.
The Department is located in the Falmouth Building at the Faculty of Health Sciences, with service facilities located in Groote Schuur Hospital, Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital and Salt River Mortuary. The Department is supported by the National Health Laboratory Services and Western Cape Government. It has over 80 academic members of staff, and has approximately 200 registered post-graduate students registered for the following degrees: PhD, MMed, MSc, MPhil (Forensic Medicine), MSc (Med) (by dissertation) and BSc(Hons).
Empowering next generation of women STEM leaders
Embrace your career path with curiosity and passion
Addressing the group of would-be scientists, UCT’s Professor Komala Pillay, the head of the Department of Pathology, captivated the audience with her inspiring career trajectory – from high school into the academy, as well as her roles at the National Health Laboratory Services (NHLS), Groote Schuur Hospital (GSH) and the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital (RCWMCH). She encouraged the learners to embrace their chosen careers with curiosity and passion. And she highlighted the importance of ethics, integrity, respect, and honesty in achieving success.
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One Health Unit
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The Division of Microbiology launched the One Heath Unit on the 25 March 2025 with a think tank: Towards next sequencing (including metgenomics) across a ONE HEALTH spectrum across South Africa and the UK.
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Head Of Division: Human Gentics
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| Professor Collet Dandara has been appointed as Head of Division: Human Genetics in the Department of Pathology. He commenced his tenure on 1 January 2025 and his post is on the joint establishment with the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS). |
As Head of Division, Professor Dandara's primary responsibilities include leading research projects to understand genetic diseases disorders; teaching students at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels; providing counselling to patients with genetic conditions; and overseeing diagnostic testing and genetic test development. Importantly, the head is responsible for raising awareness about genetics and the ethics of the human genetics field.
Professor Dandara is a registered biomedical scientist who holds a BSc, BSc (Hons), MPhil (upgraded) and a PhD in Human Genomics from the University of Zimbabwe. He most recently served as Deputy Dean: Postgraduate Education in the Faculty of Health Sciences from October 2022 to 31 December 2024 and, in this capacity, contributed to improved administration and strategic alignment of the postgraduate portfolio.
Professor Dandara is currently a Human Genome Organisation (HUGO) Executive Board Member, a Fellow of the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf); a Fellow of the African Academy of Science (AAS); and was part of the inaugural World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) Young Affiliate/Alumni (TYAN) Executive Committee (2016 to 2021). He has published more than 170 manuscripts in internationally renowned peer-reviewed journals and finds great fulfilment in being a mentor to students and colleagues and in transformation work.
Nkosi kakhulu to Professor Raj Ramesar for his pioneering contribution to the Division of Human Genetics, transforming it into an area of scholarship and engagement that has local community impact and global reach. Professor Ramesar continues to work in a Medical Research Council-accredited unit in the division as a senior research scholar.
I thank Professor Komala Pillay, Head of the Department of Pathology, for covering as Head of Division: Human Genetics throughout January.
Congratulations Prof Collet Dandara!
| INVITATION TO THE WINNER OF HUGO AFRICAN PRIZE AT HUMAN GENOME MEETING 2025 (HGM2025) ORGANIZED BY HUMAN GENOME ORGANIZATION (HUGO); SOUTHERN SUN ELANGENI & MAHARANI HOTEL, 11 – 14 MARCH 2025, DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA |
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Invitation Letter
Dear Professor Collet Dandara,
On behalf of the Inqaba Technologies and as the president of HUGO, I am very pleased to announce that you have been awarded the HUGO AFRICAN PRIZE 2025.
The HUGO AFRICAN PRIZE Awardees are selected by the HUGO Faculty of Scholars and they were:
| Stylianos Antonarakis Professor and Chairman, University of Geneva Medical School, Switzerland Kristen Ardlie Director, Broad Institute, US Anthony Brooks Professor, Leicester University, UK Walter Bodmer Professor, University of Oxford, UK Aravinda Chakravarti Professor, New York University, US Garry Cutting Professor, Johns Hopkins University, US Johan den Dunnen Professor, Leiden University, Netherlands Marc Greenblatt Professor, University of Vermont Health Network, US Bartha Knoppers Professor, McGill University, Canada Dhavendra Kumar Professor, Queen Mary University of London, UK |
Tuuli Lappalainen Professor, New York Genome Center, US Charles Lee Professor and Director, The Jackson Laboratory, US Edison Liu Professor, The Jackson Laboratory, US Alfredo Hidalgo Miranda Director of Research, INMEGEN, Mexico Raj Ramesar Professor, University of Cape Town, South Africa Michael Snyder Professor, Stanford University, US Sarah Teichmann Professor, Wellcome Sanger Institute, UK David Valle Professor, Johns Hopkins University, US Ingrid Winship Professor and Chair, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Australia Ambroise Wonkam Professor, Johns Hopkins University, US |
I would like to convey my warmest congratulations! It is an honor to be selected for this award by your peers and it speaks highly about how well you and your work are perceived in the international scientific community. It is a positive contribution that deserves our recognition.
This award is made possible by 5,000 USD sponsorship from Inqaba Biotechnical Industries; from which a round trip economy airfare, accommodation, registration and VISA fees are deducted. The awardee will be presented with a plaque and any remaining funds from the 5,000 USD sponsorship will be provided as a standing order for products and services from Inqaba Biotechnical Industries.
This award is presented with conditions that you are able to attend the 2025 Human Genome Meeting, which will be held in Durban, South Africa, from March 11th to 14th, and can give a 35-minute plenary lecture on March 13th 2025, from 11:20 AM to 12:00 PM, including your ceremony, talk, and Q&A.
Many congratulations on being selected for this award!
Ada Hamosh, MD, MPH President of HUGO
Johns Hopkins University, USA
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Farewell for Prof Vernon Louw
On 28th January 2025, the Division of Haematology in the Department of Pathology sadly bid farewell to Prof Vernon Louw who has led the Division of Clinical Haematology since 2018.
During his tenure, Prof Louw has contributed enormously to the combined Haematology academic teaching and training platforms with his boundless positivity, outstanding intellect, passion for haematology and love of teaching. Furthermore, he has shown excellent leadership and is a model of respect and kindness to everyone he interacts with. The links between the pathology and clinical arms of Haematology have certainly strengthened under his leadership with numerous combined research projects and research outputs.
Dr Daleen Kriel (Haematology Pathologist) kicked off the farewell event with a fun morphology quiz for Prof Louw, followed by farewell messages by Prof Jessica Opie (Head Haematology Pathology), Dr Rory Shein (on behalf of the Haematology Pathology Registrars), Dr Jody Rusch (on behalf of Chemical Pathology) and Prof Komala Pillay.
We wish Prof Louw success and fulfilment in his new role as Head of the Department of Medicine at Tygerberg Hospital and the University of Stellenbosch.
2024 CMSA Pholela Lecture
Prof Pillay met Dr Bienvenue Solal at the 2024 CMSA Pholela lecture on Implementing UHC: Health systems and challenges awarded to Dr Krishna Vallabhjee.
Dr Solal kindly assisted Mr Gavin Williams with his MSc project on Assessment of progressive pigmentary changes in interface dermatosis using longitudinal histopathology, immunohistochemistry, and electron microscopy at three-time intervals in Fitzpatrick skin types III – VI. Mr Williams passed his Masters with distinction in 2023 and Dr Solal is a recent fellow of the College of Dermatology in the CMSA.
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| Prof Komala Pillay and Dr Bienvenue Solal | Prof Komala Pillay and Dr Bienvenue Solal |
IAP 2024 - Mexico
The International Academy of Pathology (IAP) is dedicated to the advancement of Pathology through educational exchanges worldwide, including the organization of international congresses, providing access to high-quality pathology education to our global community and bringing new knowledge to underserved areas.
The XXXVth IAP Congress, which took place in Cancun, Mexico on 27-31 October 2024, aimed to provide all attendees with high-class educational programs, delivered by world-renowned experts and through shared knowledge and expertise, advance pathology education, research and practice. Mark your calendars for IAP 2024 and join the advancement!
Prof Komala Pillay was the only invited speaker from South Africa and Africa
Appointment of Prof Komala Pillay as President of College of Pathologists
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| Prof Komala Pillay, head of the Department of Pathology, was subsequently appointed as a member of the senate of the CMSA as well. |
Farewell tea for Prof Adam Bagg
Adam Bagg, who went to medical school and trained in Haematopathology at Wits (a very long time ago) is Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, USA has been on sabbatical at UCT. For the past 15 years, he was voted by his peers as one of Philadelphia’s “Top Doctors”, the only haematopathologist in the region (which includes five university medical centers) so recognised. In 2012 (and since), he was noted by US News and World Report to be in the top 1% of doctors in the US. Dr. Bagg has lectured extensively nationally in the USA (including at ASH, USCAP, SH, ASCP, AMP and CAP meetings and at prestigious institutions, including Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Cornell, Columbia, Mayo Clinic) and internationally (for EA4HP, IAP and ISLH) in over 20 countries. He has over 240 publications, many on the molecular pathology of haematologic malignancies.
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| From L to R: Prof Komala Pillay, Prof Adam Bagg, A/Prof Jessica Opie and Prof Vernon Louw. | From L to R: Prof Adam Bagg, A/Prof Jessica Opie and Prof Vernon Louw. |
Clinical metagenomics transforms disease diagnosis in South Africa
Researchers at UCT have become the first in Africa to successfully operationalize clinical metagenomics, a technique that expedites the diagnosis of infectious diseases.
UCT clinical microbiologists have operationalised clinical metagenomics in SA, transforming the procedure from a complex logistical procedure to a routine test.
In a first for the African continent, researchers at UCT are using a cutting-edge technique to fast-track the diagnosis of disease, ensuring patients receive the correct treatment sooner. Clinical microbiologists Prof Adrian Brink and Dr Gert Marais at UCT’s Faculty of Health Sciences have operationalised clinical metagenomics in SA, transforming the procedure from a complex logistical procedure to a routine test.
Administrator Appreciation Event
The Division of Anatomical Pathology in collaboration with the Department of Pathology TEC, led the facilitation of a Professional and Support Staff (PASS) appreciation event, on the 6th of September 2023. We hosted 20 Administrative Staff across 8 divisions in the Department of Pathology including staff from the NHLS. All staff were presented with thank you cards containing words of appreciation from students and staff across each division. The staff then attended an event catered with lunch, refreshments and an appreciation cake. This event was partially sponsored by personal donations from staff members in leadership.
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