NIMHANS

Neuropathology

Department of

 Neuropathology 

The
Department of of Neuropathology was started by Dr S Sriramachari in 1959, along with departments of Neurosurgery and Neurology. In 1974 Dr DH Deshpande joined as Professor and later in 1982 Prof Sarala Das took over as Head of the Department. Subsequently, Prof SK Shankar headed the department from 1998 to 2010.

Objectives

The main objectives of the department are Diagnostic Service, Research and Human resource development.

Human Resource Development

The faculty has been imparting short-term training in Neuropathology to students of DM Neurology, M.Ch Neurosurgery and MD Pathology since 1975. Fortnightly brain cutting sessions and slide seminars are conducted to promote active interaction with Clinicians, Neuroradiologists, Microbiologists and Pathologists. The department conducts a one-year Post Doctoral Fellowship in Neuropathology for pathologists desirous of specialization, selecting 2 candidates through an objective type of entrance examination each year since 2000. Training in Neuropathology, for a period of one to three months is also provided to Junior faculty in Pathology. Please see: [Prospectus] for Course details.

Infrastructure

The Department has a well established histopathology and immunohistochemistry facility. The laboratory is equipped with automatic tissue processors and facility to cut large paraffin sections for neuroanatomical correlations. Facility for fluorescent microscopy and fluorescent in –situ hybridization (FISH) for diagnostic molecular biology are established.

Transmission electron microscopy with needed ultra microtomy facility is available. The EM services are provided as a common instrumentation facility (JEOL-100CX and FEI TECNAI BIO SPIRIT) to scientists outside NIMHANS as well.

Transfusion Medicine Center (TMC) is supervised by Dept of Neuropathology. The TMC provides various blood components and undertakes plasmapheresis. Blood is collected only by voluntary donation. The TMC is active in manpower development in southern states. Clinical Pathology laboratory caters to routine hematological investigations and also manages emergency laboratory.