Aims of the Committee
Encourage active participation of the junior members in all IAC activities.
Responsibilities
- Represent junior members and be their voice in the IAC
- Explore ways for the IAC leadership to facilitate training and education of junior members
- Strategize ways to groom junior members for future leadership roles
- Liaise with the “Membership Committee” to recruit new junior members
- Work closely with the “Communication Committee” to have a stronger social media presence and visibility, including creating a “Case of the month” for the “Junior Trainees’ Corner” on the IAC website
- Plan for active participation of junior members at the ICC2028 in Korea
- Author and manage “Case of the Month” on the IAC Website
Chair
Dr. Ana Elisa Teles, MD, Junior Member (Portugal)
My name is Ana Elisa Teles, and I’m a third-year resident in Anatomical Pathology at Hospital Garcia de Orta in Portugal. I’m honoured to serve as Chair of the Leaders of Future Committee of the International Academy of Cytology. I’m enthusiastic about this opportunity to connect with trainees and experienced professionals from around the world, share ideas, and explore the challenges we face in cytology training across different countries. I’m a social and curious person by nature, and I truly believe that building relationships and exchanging perspectives are essential parts of our growth as pathologists. I speak Portuguese and English, and I love traveling and discovering new places – experiences that constantly broaden my personal and professional horizons. I look forward to helping create an open, inclusive, and inspiring space for the next generation of cytopathologists.
Members
Dr. Anastasiia Neborets, MD, Junior Member (Ukraine)
Anastasiia Neborets – a doctor at a cytological laboratory and a postgraduate student at the R. E. Kavetsky Institute of Experimental Pathology, Oncology and Radiobiology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. She is engaged in the cytological diagnosis of benign and malignant tumors of various localizations (gynecological and non-gynecological pathology).
Since 2018, while in postgraduate school, Dr. Neborets began to study in-depth the problem of breast cancer in postmenopausal patients with signs of metabolic syndrome. She regularly publishes the results of her own research in specialized periodicals in Ukraine, as well as in journals indexed by Scopus and Web of Science. Since 2025, in collaboration with pathologists, she has begun active work on the implementation and performance of the cell block preparation technique and further immunocytochemical studies of various types of material.
She regularly undergoes additional training to improve her microscopy skills. In 2023, she successfully passed the CT exam from the International Academy of Cytology, which was held in Leipzig. She actively participates in national and international conferences to share her knowledge.
Dr. Ines Mallek, MD, junior Member (Tunisia)
Dr. Ines Mallek earned her MD from the Faculty of Medicine of Tunis with highest honours. Her thesis focused on the histological response of gastric adenocarcinomas after chemotherapy. She is a Pathology resident in Tunis. Her final year will take place at the Hospital of Reims, France, through the DFMS (Diploma of Specialized Medical Training) program.
She has authored peer-reviewed articles and presented posters at international congresses, including USCAP, the Arab IAP (Doha), the International IAP (Mexico), and the European Congress of Pathology (Dublin and Florence). She holds Certificates in Senology and Pediatric Oncology, was accepted into the European Master’s in Molecular Biology, and received the Cancer Care Scholarship. Her academic work also earned bursaries from ECP and International IAP. She speaks fluent Arabic, French, and English, with elementary Spanish. Her interests include Cytopathology, and she is committed to supporting education, innovation, and junior engagement in the field.
Dr. Nathalie J. Rodrigues Simoes, MD, Junior Member (USA)
Dr. Nathalie Rodrigues Simoes is a Cytopathology Fellow at Mass General Brigham and Harvard Medical School. She recently completed her Anatomic and Clinical Pathology residency at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in June 2025, where she served as a College of American Pathologists (CAP) delegate, participated in the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) subcommittee, and was an active member of the Associate Resident Council.
Originally from Venezuela and of Portuguese descent, Dr. Rodrigues Simoes brings an international and multicultural perspective to her work in pathology. She earned her medical degree in Venezuela and later moved to the United States to pursue further medical training, research, and residency.
Dr. Rodrigues Simoes has presented research at major national meetings, including the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology (USCAP) and the American Society of Cytopathology (ASC), where she was recognized for her academic contributions. She has co-authored multiple abstracts and educational posters in cytopathology, and her work has been featured in peer-reviewed platforms. She was selected to serve on the Communications Committee of the International Academy of Cytology (IAC), where she contributes to global outreach and educational initiatives.
Her areas of interest include thyroid and pancreatic cytopathology, quality improvement in diagnostic accuracy, and cytopathology education. Deeply committed to mentorship and medical education, Dr. Rodrigues Simoes is passionate about supporting the next generation of pathologists and advancing the field through service, scholarship, and collaboration
Sasimars Saengsawangchai, MD, Junior Member, (Thailand)
I am an Anatomical Pathology Resident currently training at Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Thailand. My residency has provided a strong foundation in general pathology, with focused experience in Cytopathology. My passion lies in Cytopathology, valuing its critical role in combining diagnostic precision with direct, timely patient impact. I am keen to explore new educational and technological advancements, establish collaborative connections with peers in the field, and contribute the unique perspective that internationally-trained members bring to broaden my knowledge in this field.
Yoseph Sayegh, MD, Junior Member, (U.S.A)
Yoseph was born in Damascus, Syria before moving to the United States at a young age, where he grew up in South Florida. He attended the University of Miami and received his Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and Political Science. After college, Yoseph attended the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine where he developed an interest in ocular oncology, researching the pathophysiology and genetics of intraocular tumors. He spent a year as a research fellow at the Harbour Oncology Laboratory creating unique cell lines and mouse models to help characterize potential therapeutic targets in uveal melanoma and retinoblastoma. After obtaining his medical degree, he completed a clinical fellowship in Ocular Pathology at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami. He then began his AP/CP residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Upon completion of residency, Yoseph plans to pursue fellowships in cytopathology and molecular pathology with the goal of integrating these interests to support endeavors in education and global pathology
Ex-Officio Members
dr. Syed Z. Ali, MD, FRCPath, FIAC (USA)
Prof. Ali serves as Professor of Pathology and Radiology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine as well as the Director of the Division of Cytopathology at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. He received his Pathology residency training at North Shore University Hospital/Cornell University in New York with fellowships in Oncologic Surgical Pathology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York and Cytopathology at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.
Known globally as an innovative educator, Prof. Ali has well over 375 invited lectures, keynote speeches and visiting professorships all over the world. In collaboration with international societies and universities, he directs or co-directs several annual major cytopathology tutorials.
Prof. Ali has published extensively with over 335 peer-reviewed articles in major scientific journals, over 35 books, book chapters and electronic media. Known for his expertise in “Thyroid” and “Pancreatic” cytopathology, his monograph on “The Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology” (now in its 3rd edition) has been translated in 8 languages and is extensively used in medical practice all over the world. He is the founding editor-in-chief of the Journal of the American Society of Cytopathology (JASC) and a past-President of the American Society of Cytopathology (ASC). Presently, he serves as the President of the International Academy of Cytology (IAC) and Chair of the International Board of Cytopathology of the IAC. He is a fellow of both the Royal College of Pathologists (UK) and the IAC. He is recipient of the ASC’s “Warren R. Lang Award” in 1996, “President’s Award” in 2012, “Excellence in Education Award” in 2015, the IAC’s “Maurice Goldblatt Award” in 2019, Papanicolaou Society of Cytopathology’s “LC Tao Educator of the Year Award” in 2022 and the ASC’s “Papanicolaou Award” in 2023..
Massimo Bongiovanni, MD, FIAC (Switzerland)
Dr. Bongiovanni is head of Cytopathology at SYNLAB Pathology in Lausanne, Switzerland. He is member of the Pathology Expert Group, at SYNLAB International, Member (MIAC) and then Fellow (FIAC) of the International Academy of Cytology since 2016. He is the author of more than 200 scientific articles and 15 book chapters. He was Vice President of the Swiss Cytology Society (2015-2021) and a member of the Endocrine Tumor Group of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC). He is associate editor of the journal Acta Cytologica and participates in the editorial board of the journal Diagnostic Cytopathology. He is currently co-chair of the scientific committee of the European Federation of Cytology Societies (EFCS).