Pathologically Speaking

In this episode of Pathologically Speaking, we sit down with Robyn Seberry, the long-serving lab manager and supervising scientist at NSW Health Pathology’s Forbes Laboratory. Robyn talks about her passion for pathology and the joy of living and working in a close-knit regional community. She shares the variety that comes with her role, from working in the lab, seeing patients face-to-face in the pathology collections service, collaborating closely with the local health district and getting the best out of her “small but mighty” team of staff. Robyn also reflects on some of the lab’s toughest moments, including the 2022 Central West floods, when the Forbes lab pulled together to keep vital testing services running safely and reliably, even as river levels rose and roads became inaccessible.

Meet Danny Nugus, Senior Forensic Medicine Social Worker here at NSW Health Pathology, based in Newcastle. Our team of specialist social workers provide a crucial service right across New South Wales when a death has been reported to the coroner. Danny and his colleagues support families navigating a sudden or unexplained death. They assist families in the early hours, days and weeks of their grief through the coroner’s and forensic medicine processes, providing information, advocacy and choice, and offering emotional and practical support and guidance, including the facilitation of viewings and identifications. Danny discusses how he helps families through the toughest of times, shares some of his hardest moments, and describes how providing culturally sensitive care can help with the grieving process.

Pharmacogenomics is transforming the way we think about medicine. It explores how a person's genetic makeup affects the way their body responds to certain drugs, whether they will benefit from a treatment, experience side effects, or gain no benefit at all. In this episode, we sit down with Professor Ron Trent, NSWHP’s Clinical Director at the Department of Medical Genomics at RPA to find out how this field of medicine is shaping personalised healthcare. Ron shares stories from his remarkable career, from studying the ‘new genetics’ at Oxford in the early 1980s, to his work on the Human Genome Project. A fascinating discussion about how your genes can hold the key to safer, more effective treatments.

Meet Gayle Warnock – NSW Health Pathology’s Associate Director for Point of Care Testing. As one of the largest providers in Australia, NSW Health Pathology has more than 850 Point of Care Testing devices in use at rural, regional and metropolitan hospitals around the state. Gayle talks about how this incredible technology is being used to help deliver pathology services 24/7 even when there’s no local laboratory, and to improve workflows and deliver instant results when an urgent diagnosis is needed, such as suspected heart attack and sepsis. Gayle discusses her science journey, which began in rice genetics and has culminated in providing the best of care for patients, no matter where they live.

In this episode, NSW Health Pathology mycologist Dr Catriona Halliday shares her insights into the fascinating and sometimes dangerous world of fungi. From life-saving antibiotics to life-threatening infections, fungi play a complex role in human health. Dr Halliday discusses emerging fungal threats like Candida auris, the challenges of diagnosing fungal infections, and why immunocompromised patients are particularly vulnerable. With decades of experience in medical mycology, she offers a compelling look at how these often-overlooked organisms are becoming increasingly relevant in clinical settings.

We're back with a new season of Pathologically Speaking! It's the podcast that takes you behind the scenes of the science, the stories, and the people powering NSW Health Pathology. We’re kicking things off on International Pathology Day with our first episode featuring forensic DNA specialist Dr David Bruce, who explains how our experts help police to crack cold cases using the latest in DNA robotics. Still haven't caught up on all our season 1 episodes? Check them out now wherever you get your podcasts. Real stories. Real science. From the people finding the answers that matter. Season 2 of Pathologically Speaking launches 5 November.

Edwin Kirk is a genetic pathologist and clinical geneticist at NSW Health Pathology and Sydney Children’s Hospital. Over the years his work has focused on rare childhood diseases, reproductive genetic carrier screening and cardiac genetics. He is the co-lead of the Australian Government funded project Mackenzie’s Mission. Edwin talks about what sparked his interest in genetics, explains the science of genetics and the power of modern genetic sequencing, and how ocean swimming and the odd saxophone solo keep him going outside of the laboratory.

The importance of our statewide public pathology service has never been more evident than during the COVID-19 pandemic. From the beginning, NSW Health Pathology has been at the forefront of our public health testing response. Meet the people who were on the frontlines of our pandemic response, from growing the live virus, sequencing its genome, delivering millions of results to patients and even travelling to China to investigate the origins of COVID-19. Virologists, microbiologists, scientists, couriers, data analysts, information technology engineers and all types of support staff were vital in keeping our community safe. These are just some of their stories.

Associate Professor Cameron Webb is a medical entomologist at NSW Health Pathology’s Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research (ICPMR) at Westmead. His specialty is mozzies – catching them, counting them (yes, thousands of them!) and testing them to see if they are carrying the pathogens that make us sick. Cameron’s work helps to keep all of us safe from dangerous mosquito-borne diseases. When he’s wading in wetlands, Cameron also dabbles in creating beautiful soundscapes that reflect the stunning environments he works in.

Sarah Dimmock is the Hospital Scientist in charge of NSW Health Pathology’s Blood Transfusion laboratory at Newcastle’s John Hunter Hospital. It’s a daunting job, managing blood supplies not only for the state’s busiest trauma hospital, but also for the smaller regional hospitals across the Hunter New England. Sarah talks about what led her to a career in a laboratory, why she developed a love of travel early on, and how being a proud Kamilaroi woman continues to shape her life.

He became the public face of pathology services during the COVID-19 pandemic and was the only Australian selected by the World Health Organisation to travel to China to investigate the origins of the virus. Prof Dwyer retired in 2023 after more than 40 years dedicated to researching, diagnosing and treating infectious diseases. Here Dominic speaks about his most rewarding work and how working in western Sydney changed his perspective on public health.