International regional advisors

Dr Monica Terlizzo is a Consultant Histopathologist at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London, where she works in the gastrointestinal and skin units. She is also involved in the implementation of digital pathology within the trust and supports several research trials. Her areas of interest are hepto-pancreatobilairy, gastrointestinal, neuroendocrine (and endocrine) and dermatopathology. Prior to her appointment at the Royal Marsden in 2016, Dr Terlizzo was a Consultant Histopathologist at Aintree University Hospital, where she became the lead pathologist for hepatobiliary, upper GI and dermatopathology. 

A Consultant Breast and Skin Pathologist at the University Hospitals of Leicester, Dr Qassid completed his histopathology training in London in 2016. Prior to his pathology training, Dr Qassid trained in medicine and surgery with the South Wales Health Boards. Dr Qassid’s main areas of interest are education and training, digital pathology, and the use of social media platforms to deliver teaching and assistance in challenging cases to pathologists worldwide. He has also served as an RCPath Country Advisor for Iraq and has recently been awarded the International Fellowship of the College of American Pathologists.

Dr Ranganathan N Iyer passed his MD from the Armed Forces Medical Coilege Pune India. Following a brief period of lecturership at the Department of Microbiology, KEM Hospital Bombay, he was appointed as a Consultant Clinical Microbiology and Infection Control Prevention at the Breach Candy Hospital, Bombay, India, for over 8 years. At the present time, he has been affiliated as a Consultant Clinical Microbiology & Infection control at the Gleneagles Global Hospitals and Rainbow Children’s Hospital, Hyderabad, India. He has been a Chairperson for the Infection Control and Prevention at both the hospitas for over a decade. He completed his DNB Microbiology and Diploma In Pathology and Bacteriology in 1997, the FRCPath (UK) in Medical Microbiology and Infection control in 2007.

He has been interested in antimicrobial therapy for the management of Infections in solid organ transplant recipients, paediatric and neonates patients as well as infection control and prevention in these patients. He has been associated with teaching responsibilities over 10 years as a postgraduate teacher for DNB Microbiology conducted by the National Board of Examinations. He has been associated with the College initially as a Country Lead Coordinator for India, and additionally as a Associate Regional Advisor for SE Asia since 2021.

He has over 40 national and international publications to his credit with contributions to 4 textbook chapters, including a chapter on beta lactam antibiotics in the acclaimed Comprehensive Pharmacology published by Elsevier in 2022.

Professor John Oladapo Obafunwa qualified in Medicine in Nigeria in March 1980. He trained and obtained the Fellowship in Histopathology in Nigeria in 1987, following which he later studied forensic pathology at the University of Edinburgh. He obtained the DMJPath in 1991, and was awarded the membership (forensic) of the Royal College of Pathologists, UK, in 1992 and fellowship in 2001. He has other qualifications from the UK, Ireland, USA and Switzerland, in addition to a Law degree. He has worked as a government pathologist in the Cayman Islands and Bermuda, and is currently Professor of Forensic Pathology at the Lagos State University College of Medicine, Nigeria, and is a Consultant Anatomic Pathologist at the Affiliated Teaching Hospital. He also provides medicolegal services to the government.

He was a past Provost of the Medical School and a former Vice-Chancellor of the Lagos State University, Nigeria. He has authored and co-authored several scientific articles including chapters in textbooks. He is a member of various professional bodies including the British Association of Forensic Medicine, American Academy of Forensic Sciences, American College of Legal Medicine and the College of American Pathologists.

He was one of the 2 country advisors in Nigeria for the Royal College of Pathologists, UK, and was also a Visiting Professor of Forensic Pathology to the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, USA. He is a member of the Advisory Board of the Nebraska Institute of Forensic Sciences, Lincoln, USA.

Professor Deodhar obtained his medical degree as well as a postgraduate qualification in pathology from Mumbai University, India. After a Fellowship in Oncopathology in Mumbai, India, he trained in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and completed MRCPath Histopathology in 2001, before joining Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, in 2003. He currently works as a Professor of Pathology affiliated to Homi Bhabha National University. The institute is a referral oncology centre, which believes strongly in a multidisciplinary approach. Professor Deodhar's special interests have been gynecological pathology, gastrointestinal pathology and audits in pathology. His involvement with IARC projects on cervical screening helped improve his understanding in the field. Moreover, he has served on Institutional Ethics Committee for 6 years and been an assessor for the National Accreditation body (ISO 15189:2012). His hobbies include music and literature.

Professor Lai-Meng Looi is a University of Malaya (UM) Distinguished Professor and Senior Consultant Histopathologist to its Medical Centre. She studied medicine in Singapore and later trained in anatomical pathology. Her previous roles include Professorial Chair of Pathology, Department Head, Deputy Dean (Postgraduate) and representative to the Malaysian Medical Council. She has been an honoured Visiting Professor to Harvard Medical School, and recipient of the National Science Award and ASEAN Outstanding Scientist Award. She is a fellow and an examiner for both Royal Colleges of Pathologists (UK and Australasia). As past-President of the College of Pathologists, Academy Medicine Malaysia, she was instrumental in the development of pathology laboratory accreditation standards for Malaysia, the Pathology Act and several national guidelines on pathology and laboratory practices. She is the past-President of World Association of Societies of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (WASPaLM).

A Consultant Histopathologist and Full Member at King Hussein Cancer Center in Amman/Jordan, Dr Maysa Al-Hussaini graduated from Jordan University Faculty of Medicine and first trained there before training in the UK and becoming a fellow of RCPath in 2002. In 2003, Maysa was appointed as an Assistant Professor and Consultant at the Pathology Department/University of Jordan. Since 2006, Maysa has been a Full Member and a Consultant Histopathologist/Neuropathologist at the King Hussein Cancer Center.

Naresh Kikkeri is Professor and Section Head of Pathology at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and Professor of Pathology at the University of Washington in Seattle, USA. He is a Visiting Professor at the Centre of Haematology, Imperial College London. He is an expert haematopathologist known internationally for his expertise in lymphoma and bone marrow pathology. Earlier, he worked at Hammersmith Hospital and Imperial College for 17 years. He has held many key positions in several UK institutions and for the Royal College of Pathologists. He previously trained and worked in India and has been involved in research in many African countries.