Reading Pathological Society

 

 

 

 

Reading Pathological Society

Dr Atul Kapila, President

Dr Atul Kapila has worked in the Trust since 1996. He spent 13 years as a Consultant in Anaesthetics and Intensive Care and as Regional Advisor in Intensive Care Medicine for the Oxford Deanery. He currently works as the Trust Research and Innovation Director. He is also the Anaesthesia, Pain and Perioperative medicine lead for the NIHR Thames Valley and South Midlands Clinical Research Network. He holds a key role in the Healthcare Innovation Partnership initiative that promotes collaboration between the Trust the and University of Reading.



 

Miss Evgenia Anikina, Secretary

Ms Evgenia Anikina is a Consultant retinal and cataract surgeon at the Royal Berkshire NHS Trust. She trained at Cambridge University and in London. She has multiple clinical and surgical areas of interest, in particular the medical and surgical treatment of diabetic eye disease, treatment of sub-macular haemorrhage and intraocular lens exchange/secondary lens implants. She is leading several research projects has published in peer reviewed journals. She holds a number of positions of responsibility, including in the Ophthalmology section of the Royal Society of Medicine and as a representative of Great Britain on the Savate kickboxing international medical committee.



 

Miss Nikki Dunne, Treasurer

Nikki joined RBH as an Oncoplastic Consultant Breast Surgeon in 2015. She completed her training with an Oncoplastic Fellowship in Sheffield. She became Secretary of the RPS in 2016/2017. Nikki became Clinical lead of the Breast Surgery department in January 2019 and has led the service through many changes.

 

Dr Rich Harrison, University of Reading Representative

Rich gained his PhD in Psychology from the University of Reading for his research on the psychoneurological mechanisms underpinning pain modulation. Following from this, Rich has translated the underpinnings of his mechanistic work into better understanding the individual differences that underlying vulnerability to chronic pain, and how to use this to optimise clinical assessments for the purposes of prediction and stratification. His scientific mantra is one of interdisciplinary, as it is the only effective way to improve our understanding of the multi-faceted nature of pain. His active collaborations include multiple departments at the University of Reading and clinics within the Royal Berkshire Hospital. These include developing predictive presurgical neuropsychological assessment batteries with the Uni-Dept of Radiology and their use of genicular artery embolisation, understanding the influence of neuroinflammation within long COVID-induced chronic pain working with colleagues in BLISS, and improving our understanding of pain management for women undergoing outpatient hysteroscopy with obstetrics and gynaecology. Rich is a passionate advocate for the integration of University and Hospital, and believes this partnership is a sum that is far greater than its parts.



 

Mrs Nikki Woods, Physician Associate

Nikki started working at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in 2018 after completing the Post graduate Diploma in Physician Associate studies at the University of Reading. The Royal Berkshire Hospital is a proud employer of Physician Associates with over 40 currently employed. Prior to studying the Physician Associate course, Nikki completed her undergraduate degree in biomedical science in Louisiana, USA on a football scholarship. At the Royal Berkshire Hospital Nikki works as Physician Associate in Rheumatology and has had helped implement a pathway for Ultrasound in Giant Cell Arteritis. A service which won “Innovation of the Year” at the CARE awards in May 2024.



 

Mr Sid Nagala, Social Secretary

Mr Sid Nagala started as a Consultant ENT Surgeon at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in 2019. Prior to this, Sid completed a translational PhD evaluating imaging biomarkers in thyroid tumours at the University of Cambridge. During his research, he was awarded grants from Cancer Research UK and the British Association of Head and Neck Oncologists. He is the research lead for the ENT department and also NIHR Specialty co-lead for the Thames Valley. He personally has 2 NIHR studies on the portfolio. He received one of the largest grants from the Health Innovation Partnership project with the University of Reading thus far. The project involved developing prototype AI software to automatically classify thyroid nodules.

Dr Faisal Kamal, Engagment and Communications

Dr Faisal Kamal has worked at the Royal Berkshire hospital since 2019. He currently works clinically in the Respiratory department and has research interests in respiratory infections. His PhD was awarded in 2020. He is the current pneumonia lead. He has set up and led collaborations for an active respiratory research programme since his arrival at the Royal Berkshire Hospital. Most recently he has secured Healthcare Innovation Partnership funding for a joint project with the University of Reading, establishing links between the department and university, with high aspirations for future projects.



 

Tanja Kumpulainen, Allied Healthcare Professional Representative

Tanja qualified in Finland as a Nurse Anaesthetist. Thereafter, she has worked as Anaesthesia Associate (AA) at the Royal Berkshire Hospital Foundation Trust since April 2020. She is the first AA at RBH and her very successful debut has led the Trust to setup training for more AAs. The relatively recent introduction of the AA grade to clinical anaesthesia has been led by the Royal College of Anaesthetists and is aligned to the General Medical Council’s curriculum for the Physician Associate programme. There are approximately 180 qualified AAs in the UK and Tanja is keen on developing the role of Anaesthesia Associates locally as well as further afield.