WESTERN DIAGNOSTIC PATHOLOGY - Key Persons
Dr Abhi Kulkarni is a genetic pathologist who obtained his medical degree in India before training in Montpellier, France and Hannover, Germany to obtain an ‘Advanced Diploma in Molecular Cytogenetics' in 2004. In 2006 he moved to the UK to head a prenatal genetic service in London, and there was awarded fellowship of the Royal College of Pathologists, United Kingdom. Dr Kulkarni was actively involved in the European Cytogenetics Association and headed a permanent working group, Molecular Cytogenetics. He was also involved in drafting national recommendations for the use of chromosome microarray in pregnancy and landmark research projects, including the introduction of NIPT onto the NHS, and the 100k genome project.
Dr Kulkarni began his career in Australia as a Principal Scientist, Monash Pathology, Melbourne in 2015 from where he was awarded the prestigious Ed Krumins award and an honorary fellowship of the Human Genetics Society of Australasia. He began his training as a genetic pathologist in 2019, working at Monash Pathology, Melbourne and SA Pathology, Adelaide. He was awarded his FRCPA in 2021.
Dr Kulkarni's key areas of interest are reproductive medicine from preconception to birth, paediatric genetics, particularly growth and neurodevelopmental disorders, and hemoglobinopathies, and has a strong background in translational research and validation of new technologies and automation in diagnostic genetic medicine. He is passionately involved in educating and guiding medical scientists and genetic pathology trainees.
Dr Andrew Busuttil graduated from Melbourne University in 2006. He completed his internship at Eastern Health before moving to Alfred Health where he spent time in the orthopaedic/trauma and intensive care units. Andrew commenced his pathology training in 2013, receiving experience in both the public and private settings. He gained fellowship from the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia in 2019 and commenced employment at Western Diagnostic Pathology in 2020. He has a keen interest in both gynaecologic pathology and pathology of the urinary tract.
Dr Chanika Ariyawansa is a Chemical Pathologist, who is also undertaking post-fellowship training in Genetic Pathology. She obtained RCPA fellowship in early 2021, having done Chemical Pathology training at Western Diagnostic Pathology and Pathwest (QEII Medical Centre). Prior to this, she was a Physician Trainee for a number of years in both Perth and Adelaide, after graduating from University of Adelaide in 2011. She also completed both membership and fellowship examinations of the Australasian Association of Clinical Biochemistry (AACB) and is the current chair of the WA AACB Branch.
Dejan is a consultant haematologist who is a local graduate of the University of Western Australia who has done his haematology training in Perth and a fellowship at Columbia University, New York. He works at Western Diagnostic Pathology, Hollywood Private Hospital, Joondalup Health Campus and Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. His research interests are in T-cell lymphoma where he is the co-chair of the Australian T-cell lymphoma network, multiple myeloma and post transplant lymphoproliferative disorders.
Dr Desmond Chih graduated from the University of Western Australia in 1997. He completed his Infectious Diseases and Microbiology studies in 2008 and 2009. During his training, Dr Chih worked in northern Western Australia and the Northern Territory gaining significant experience in clinical and laboratory medicine. He's been a Consultant Infectious Diseases Physician and worked at Rockingham General and Fremantle Hospitals. Dr Chih joined Western Diagnostic Pathology as a Clinical Microbiologist in 2009.
Dr Duncan McLellan is a Clinical Microbiologist and Infectious diseases Physician and has been with Western Diagnostic Pathology since 2004. In 2012 he was appointed to his current position as Head of Department, Microbiology.
Duncan graduated from the University of Western Australia in 1991. From there he embarked on Physician training (sub-speciality of Infectious Diseases) at Royal Perth Hospital. He also undertook a Fellowship in Infectious diseases at the University of Tennessee, USA from 1998 to 2000. Duncan subsequently trained in Clinical Microbiology at PathWest, receiving FRCPA in January 2004.
Currently, Duncan is Head of Department (Microbiology) at Western Diagnostic Pathology and works as a Consultant Infectious Diseases Physician at Fiona Stanley Hospital, Joondalup Health Campus, Mount Hospital and SJOG Murdoch Healthcare.
Dr Parry's main area of research is in Digital Pathology. He is Coordinating Principal Investigator (CPI) on two digital pathology projects; one funded by a Research Translational Grant (2018) involving Murdoch University and PathWest (Fiona Stanley Hospital) and one funded by Spinnaker 2020 involving Murdoch University, the CSIRO (Floreat branch) and PathWest (Fiona Stanley Hospital). Both projects are investigating deep learning algorithms for analysis of lymph nodes, with emphasis on novel approaches including use of video formats.
Dr Johan Conradie graduated from the University of Pretoria, South Africa in 1998. He completed his training in Chemical pathology through the University of Witwatersrand and the New Johannesburg Academic Hospital and in 2007, Dr Conradie joined Western Diagnostic Services as a Chemical Pathologist. In 2012 he was appointed the Director of Chemistry, Toxicology with Western Diagnostics.
Dr Jonathan Chambers graduated from the first cohort of medicine at Notre Dame Fremantle in 2008. He completed his training in Western Australia in Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. During his laboratory training, Dr Chambers worked at all the teaching hospitals in WA, including the new Perth Children's Hospital. During his clinical training he worked at Royal Perth Hospital, Fiona Stanley Hospital and Fremantle Hospital. Awarded his dual fellowships at the beginning of 2019, Jonathan was appointed Consultant Clinical Microbiologist at Western Diagnostic Pathology and consultant Infectious Diseases Physician at Joondalup Health Campus. In 2020 Jonathan was appointed COVID-19 Clinical Lead at Joondalup Health Campus.
Dr Julian Cooney graduated from the University of Melbourne. He undertook Advanced training in Haematology at Royal Perth Hospital later worked at Chicago's Loyola University and received a Fellowship in Bone Marrow Transplantation . Dr Cooney is a senior lecturer with the University of Western Australia and attached to the major teaching hospital Fiona Stanley Hospital. He is a former WA State Councillor and former Treasurer for the Haematology Society of Australia and New Zealand, and former Chairman of the WA State Medical Advisory Committee for the Leukaemia Foundation. Dr Cooney is currently the Haematologist at Western Diagnostic Pathology. He is the lead pathologist at the Peel Health Campus laboratory and Chair of the Peel HC Transfusion Committee.
Dr Maan Alwan obtained his medical degree from the university of Baghdad in 2004. After some general medical experience overseas and locally; he embarked on his physicians training in NSW, and completed his sub-speciality training in Haemetology at Royal North Shore Hospital. Dr Alwan is dual qualified clinical haematologist and haematopathologist. He joined Western Diagnositic Pathology as a part-time haematopathologist in July 2018. He has clinical roles as a consulting haematologist at Hollywood Private Hospital and Western Haematology and Oncology Clinics in Perth. He is also the clinical lead at Perth Blood Institute for clinical trials and research, and is the principal investigator of several clinical trials.
Dr Melissa Gillett graduated from the University of Western Australia in 1997. Dual- trained in Endocrinology and Chemical Pathology,
Dr Gillett was a Chemical Pathologist at PathWest, Fremantle. She joined Western Diagnostic Pathology as a Chemical Pathologist in 2008.
Dr Michael Page graduated in medicine from the University of Western Australia, completed his early clinical years at Royal Perth Hospital and trained in Chemical Pathology at PathWest (Fiona Stanley Hospital and Royal Perth Hospital) and Western Diagnostic Pathology. His areas of interest include pathology testing for the evaluation of cardiovascular risk and disease, including lipid disorders and hypertension. He is a Senior Lecturer in Chemical Pathology at the UWA Medical School and an Associate Editor of Annals of Clinical Biochemistry. He serves on the Chemical Pathology Advisory Committee of the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia, the Federal Council of the Australian Medical Association and the Board and Council of AMA (WA).
Dr Peter Tan is a haematologist specialising in haematological oncology, while also treating general haematological conditions including obstetric haematology, bleeding and clotting disorders.
Dr Tan obtained his medical degree from the University of Western Australia (UWA) and commenced training at Royal Perth Hospital. Dr Tan completed his specialist training in haematology and bone marrow transplantation at St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney. He obtained specialist qualifications in clinical and laboratory haematology from the RACP and RCPA.
Dr Tan held the position of the Kefford Leukaemia Research Fellow at the Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, for three years. Dr Tan performed clinical and translational research in blood cancers in conjunction with the Australian Centre for Blood Diseases (ACBD) and obtained a research degree at Monash University. He has published and presented early phase clinical trial findings in Acute Myeloid Leukaemia at international meetings. Dr Tan co-designed a national clinical trial conducted by the Australasian Leukaemia and Lymphoma Group (ALLG).
Dr Ranita Siru is a consultant endocrinologist and chemical pathology registrar at Western Diagnostic Pathology. She graduated from the University of Western Australia, obtaining MBBS with Honours, and Bachelor of Medical Science (Hons) in 2010. She was awarded FRACP in Endocrinology in 2019 having trained at Royal Perth Hospital, Fiona Stanley Hospital and Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. Clinically, special interests include diabetes and obesity.
Dr Ross Baker joined Western Diagnostic Pathology in 1987. A councillor for the Haematology Society of Australia between 1993-99 and President of ASTH from 1997-01, Dr Baker has also been the RCPA Haematology AC from 1999 and the MSAC invited expert since 2003. His accomplished career has included time as a Clinical and laboratory haematologist at Royal Perth Hospital.
Dr Stephanie P'ng completed her medical degree at the University of Western Australia. She completed her physician training at Royal Perth Hospital in 2003 and underwent four years of haematology training at Fremantle Hospital, Sydney's Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and Royal Perth Hospital where she was also a Clinical and laboratory haematologist. Soon after receiving her Fellowship in Myeloma at the Royal Victoria Hospital Montreal in Canada, Dr P'ng joined Western Diagnostic Laboratory in 2009.
Biography
Dr Zena Slim is a medical graduate of the UK who undertook her anatomical pathology training in both the UK and New Zealand and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Australasia. She did a year-long period of post-fellowship training, as a senior fellow, at The Royal Marsden Hospital, a leading specialist cancer centre in London, UK. She then worked as a consultant pathologist in the UK before moving to Australia. She joined Western Diagnostic Pathology in 2020. She enjoys, and has broad experience, in all pathology specialities with special interests in gastro-intestinal, skin and soft tissue pathology.
Job Titles:
- Anatomical Pathology Consultant
Bastiaan has been an Anatomical Pathology consultant in the WA Public Health System since 1995. As well as diagnostic pathology, he has been active in teaching of AP trainees and UWA Medical students as well as contributing to various areas of research. Over the years he has performed several roles at the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia, the International Academy of Pathology and the Australian Society of Cytology. His areas of sub-specialization include liver, GIT, and pancreas pathology as well as cytopathology. He has recently decided to take up some sessions with WDP in the private sector and hopes to continue his registrar teaching as well as provide diagnostic support to his AP colleagues and the clinicians.
Dr Shalini Jindal graduated in 2001 from India. She completed her specialist training in Anatomical Pathology in 2006 and worked as a Specialist in Chennai, India before migrating to Australia with her family. She did extensive research in Breast and Prostate Cancer at the Dame Roma Mitchell Cancer Research Laboratories in Adelaide and completed her PhD from the University of Adelaide in 2016. Her work in the field of Breast and Prostate Cancer is reflected in her numerous publications in reputed journals. She subsequently did her FRCPA training in Perth as part of WA state program and completed her Fellowship of RCPA in 2020. She joined WDP as Consultant in January 2021 . Shalini is highly experienced with her dual specialist qualifications and also brings a wealth of research and teaching experience. She specialises in the field of Breast and Prostate Cancer.