This is a beginner’s level course that focuses on equipping researchers and laboratory scientists/technologists with essential pathology lab techniques and basic histology skills in the field of medical and health science. It provides an understanding of the types of tissues on which research testing can be applied, and introduces participants to basic morphology of different tissue types in the human body, including normal and cancerous tissues. The course comprises of two broad sections:

Laboratory techniques in tissue-based research
Participants will be introduced to some basic forms of tissue that the pathology laboratory handles, and how these tissues may be processed for microscopic analysis, immunohistochemical analysis and molecular testing.

Learning Objectives:

Learn about the different types of tissue samples handled in a histopathology lab
Appreciate the spectrum of types of tests on tissue to detect proteins and nucleic acid
Learn the workflow of tissue processing into formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissue
Learn the workflow of immunohistochemical testing and fluorescence in situ hybridisation
Learn more about tissue- based molecular testing (next-generation-sequencing and spatial transcriptomics)
Learn about regulations governing the use of tissue samples for research

Histology (Microscopy) of normal tissues and common cancers
Participants will be introduced to a range of normal tissues, including epithelial and connective tissue, and also inflammatory cells (leukocytes) and some common cancers. Participants will be given the opportunity to perform hands on virtual microscopy using virtual microscopic slides, and try their hand and recognising tissue types and cancers.

Learning Objectives:

Learn how to recognise normal histology of different tissue types (e.g. epithelial tissue, mesenchymal tissue)
Learn how to recognise inflammatory cells in tissue
Recognise normal histology of a range of organs
Recognise histology of selected common cancers
Learn how to perform hands-on examination of pathology microscopic slides using virtual microscopy

Upon successful registration, the Department of Pathology team will contact you regarding your access to the asynchronous lectures as well as details of the online synchronous session and face-to-face hands-on lab techniques.

What are Specialist Certificates?