The James W. Reagan Award

Professor Colleen Anne Wright

Colleen Wright is a pathologist with Lancet Laboratories, Johannesburg

as well as Extraordinary Professor in Anatomical Pathology at the University of Stellenbosch, Cape Town and Honorary Professor in Anatomical Pathology at the University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg.

Her interests over 30 years encompassed Perinatal Pathology and Cytopathology. particularly FNAB as a diagnostic modality in resource limited countries. This led to research into the diagnosis of paediatric tuberculosis using FNAB, the topic of her doctoral dissertation as well as the promotion of FNAB in both neoplastic and infectious diseases in countries with limited financial and medical personnel resources.

She has trained numerous medical and nursing staff in FNA technique.

Colleen initiated the first distance mediated master’s degree in Cytopathology through Stellenbosch University, enabling specialist training in cytopathology accessible

to students throughout Africa.

She has been a member of many professional organizations and committees, including membership of the IAC initiative to promote education and professional development in cytology in developing countries, member of the International Board of Cytopathology, , Papanicolaou Society, Paediatric Pathology Society, IAP (SA Division), She has excess of 140 peer reviewed publications and book chapters and has supervised and co supervised more than 44 masters and doctoral dissertations.

She was awarded the South African Medical Association Special Medical Service Award in 2010 for “her outstanding contribution to the field of Anatomical Pathology”.