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UCT Research Report '11
266
Department of Clinical
Laboratory Science
Division of Anatomical
Pathology
Head of Division: Professor Dhiren Govender
The Division of Anatomical Pathology has both diagnostic
and academic components. The diagnostic laboratories
form part of the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS)
complex at Groote Schuur and Red Cross War Memorial
Children’s hospitals.
The diagnostic laboratories are at both sites and provide a
diagnostic surgical pathology, cytopathology and autopsy
services to GSH, the academic hospital complex and
associated hospitals and clinics in the Western Cape. The
division also serves as a public and private tertiary referral
and consultation centre for Anatomical Pathology.
These service commitments drive most of the research
programmes that are patient and disease orientated.
The Division has recently acquired a research laboratory
and currently has 4 MSc, 16MMed and 2 elective
students. The division is currently involved in a range
of research activities using a variety of techniques. The
main research focus is in the field of molecular pathology
pertaining to diseases that are common in South Africa
and the Western Cape – these include various cancers,
in particular those affecting disadvantaged population
groups. Other research areas include tuberculosis,
cardiomyopathy and foetal-alcohol syndrome. The
Division has introduced amolecular pathology programme
that addresses the educational and training requirements
of young pathologists and scientists, specifically in the
field of Anatomical Pathology.
The Division continues to contribute to the cancer module
in the BSc Honours programme. The first intake of
students in the reintroduced MPhil course in Paediatric
Pathology will be completing in 2012.
Collaborative Research
The Division has active collaborations internationally
with the United Kingdom and has recently started
discussions with institutions in Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia
and Botswana. There are internal collaborations with the
departments of Surgery, Medicine, Cardiology, Obstetrics
and Gynaecology, Radiation Oncology, Human Genetics
and Medical Biochemistry.
Departmental Statistics
Permanent and Long-term Contract Staff on UCT
Establishment
Professor
1
Scientists and Research staff
1
Administrative and Clerical Staff
1
Total
1
PermanentAcademicStaffonNHLSEstablishment
Associate Professor
2
Senior Lecturer
3
Lecturer
3
Total
8
Honorary Staff
Honorary Senior Lecturer
1
Total
1
Students
Master’s (MMed)
16
Master’s (MSc)
4
Master’s (MPhil Paediatric Pathology)
3
Undergraduate (MBChB) Year 2
209
Undergraduate (MBChB) Year 3
183
Undergraduate (MBChB) Year 5 (Gynaecology)
200
Allied Health Sciences
140
Elective students
2
Total
757
Distinguished Visitors
Prof Runjan Chetty – Nuffield Department of Clinical
Laboratory Sciences, Oxford, UK
Prof Sarah Pinder – King’s College, London
Dr Marta Cohen – Sheffield University, UK
Dr Germaine Liebrechts-Akkerman – Netherlands: elective
postgraduate student
Research fields and staff
Professor Dhirendra Govender
Pathobiology of cancers, especially gastrointestinal tract
cancers and paediatric solid tumours.
A/Professor Richard Naidoo
Molecular pathology and biomarkers in cancer.