Cytopathology Faculty


Full-Time Faculty

Dr Shahin Sayed  
Assistant Professor 

Dr Shahin Sayed is the Chair, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, at the Aga Khan University, and Consultant Histopathologist at the Aga Khan University Hospital Nairobi. Her main research focus has been in oncologic pathology specifically in breast cancer and solid hematologic malignancies. She has several peer-reviewed publications both in her area of research focus and in pathology improvement programs. She has been the recipient of six international and university grants. In collaboration with her colleagues, she is currently working on establishing a clinically annotated tissue biorepository at the Aga Khan University. In her capacity as the Secretary-General of the College of Pathologists of East Central and Southern Africa (COPECSA), she continues to establish long-term collaborations with local, regional and international partners and advocating for the pathology profession.

She was the LMIC lead for a 2015 NCI- Par 15-155 funded project, a 17-month collaborative research effort between the University of Colorado (CU) Cancer Centre, African Strategies for Advancing Pathology (ASAP), the Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi (AKUHN) and the COPESCA. The project trained 30 pathologists and senior residents from the ECSA region on standardised.

Pathology reporting of common cancers including breast cancer. She was recently elected to the Board of Directors for ASAP which is a group of 27 professionals from across the world with expertise and interest in various disciplines of pathology and other complementary areas who are committed to building a competent pathology workforce to improve the quality of life of persons living in SSA.

Dr Sayed​​​​ is also a Consultant Pathologist at The Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi. Read more about her HERE​​​

Publications

  1. Shahin Sayed, William Cherniak, Mark Lawler, Soo Yong Tan, Wafaa El Sadr, Nick Wolf et al. Pathology and laboratory medicine in low-income and middle-income countries 2: Improving pathology and laboratory medicine in low-income and middle-income countries: roadmap to solutions. THELANCET; https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(18)30459-8- published online 15th March 2018.

  2. Ann Marie Nelson MD, Martin Hale MB ChB, FCPath (Anat) SA, Mohenou Isidore Jean-Marie Diomande MD, FWACP, Quentin Eichbaum MD, PhD, MPH, NNHC, JD, Yawale Iliyasu MD, Raphael M Kalengayi MD, MMedSC, SpPath, PhD, Belson Rugwizangoga MD, MMed(Path), Shahin Sayed MMed(Path). Training the Next Generation of African Pathologists. Clin Lab Med. 2017; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cll.2017.10.004

  3. Michael L Wilson MD, Stephanie Ayers MA, Daniel Berney MB BChir, MA, Alexia Eslan MBA, Jeannette Guarner MD, Susan Lester MD, PhD, Ricard Masia, Zahir Moloo MD, Angela Mutuku MSc, Drucilla Roberts MS, MD, Jennifer Stall MD, Shahin Sayed MMed(Path). Improving Anatomic Pathology in Sub-Saharan Africa to Support Cancer Care. AM J Clin Pathol. 2018; 00:1-6. DOI: 10.1093/AJCP/AQX158.

  4. Sayed S, Lester SC, Wilson M, Berney D, Masia R, Moloo Z, Stall J, Eslan A, Ayers S, Mutuku A, Guarner J. Creation and pilot testing of cases for case-based learning: A pedagogical approach for pathology cancer diagnosis. African Journal of Laboratory Medicine. 2017; 6(1):1-7.

  5.  Sayed S, Moloo Z, Wasike R, Bird P, Oigara R, Wambui W et al. Ethnicity and Breast cancer characteristics in Kenya. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment. DOI: 10.1007/s10549-017-4511-2. Online version published 26 September 2017.






Dr Patricia Okiro   
Assistant Professor

Dr Patricia Okiro is a Paediatric Pathologist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Anatomic Pathology at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi. Dr Okiro graduated with an MBChB degree from the University of Nairobi in 2003. After her internship, and two years serving as a Senior House Officer at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi’s Accident and Emergency Department, she joined the Department of Anatomic Pathology as a Resident. Following her 4 years training and obtaining a Master of Medicine in Anatomic Pathology (MMed Anat Path) degree, she remained at the University, serving as resident Pathologist at the Aga Khan Hospital, Mombasa for one year, and Senior Instructor at AKUH, Nairobi, the following year. 

She subsequently trained at the University of Cape Town, South Africa for two years, receiving a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) Degree in Paediatric Pathology, that encompasses placental and perinatal pathology. Her research interest is in perinatal and paediatric pathology in the region, to improve maternal and foetal outcomes. She is an active member of several local and international pathology societies.

Dr Okiro ​is also a Consultant Pathologist at The Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi. Read more about her HERE​​

Publications

  1. Ethnicity and breast cancer characteristics in Kenya. Sayed S, Moloo Z, Wasike R, Bird P, Oigara R, Njoroge FW, Shaikh AJ, Prasad SV, Vinayak S, Gierach GL, Dawsey SM, Palakal M, Fan S, Mullooly M, Chauhan R, Okiro P, Gakinya S, Nzioka A, Kyobutungi C, Mohamed S, Haregu T, Mussajee M, Bonass B, Mariwa C, Sherman OA, Mohammed A, Gachii A, Githaiga J, Karanu J, Nyagah R, Njoroge R, Muramba I, Otieno JO, Raburu DO, Mwachiro EB, Abayo I, Saleh M. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2018 Jan;167(2):425-437.

  2. Okiro P, Wainwright H, Spranger J, Beighton P. Autopsy observation in the Lethal Short-rib Polydactyly Syndromes. Pediatr and Dev Pathol, 2015 Vol 18:40-48.

  3. Gimbel DC, Sohani AR,  Busarla SVP, Kirimi JM, Sayed S, Okiro P, Nazarian RM: A static-image telepathology system for dermatopathology consultation in East Africa: the Massachusetts General Hospital Experience.J Am Acad Dermatol. 2012 Nov;67(5):997-1007.

  4. Okiro P, Oigara RO, Ndonga AK, Gachii AK: Gastrointestinal Choriocarcinoma: A Case Report Annals of African Surgery 2011 Jan  Vol 7:40-43

  5. Kumar N, Okiro P, Wasike R: Cytological diagnosis of molluscum contagiosum with an unusual clinical presentation at an unusual site – Journal of Dermatological Case Reports 2010 Dec 31;4(4):63-5

  6. Migowa AN,  Murungi CW, Gatinu W, Mbithe J, Kimani E, Okiro P, Rana FS, Ochieng R,  Nduati R: Case report: Harlequin Ichthyosis in an African child East African Medical Journal Vol. 87 No. 9 September 2010.

  7. Kumar N, Busarla SVP, Sayed S, Kirimi JM, Okiro P, Gakinya SM, Moloo Z, Sohani AR: Telecytology in East Africa: a feasibility study of forty cases using a static imaging system J Telemed and Telecare –Jan 2012 18:7-12



Dr Anderson Mutuiri, MBChB, MMed 
Assistant Professor

Dr Anderson Mutuiri completed his medical school training at Moi University in Eldoret. He then worked as a medical officer with the Ministry of Health and later at Avenue Healthcare. He subsequently joined and completed his postgraduate training in anatomical pathology in the Department of Pathology at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi. He has been working as a staff pathologist in the Pathology department since 2013. He has also since completed a one-year clinical fellowship in renal pathology at the Toronto General Hospital and the University of Toronto in June 2018. 

Dr Mutuiri’s areas of practice are autopsy pathology, histopathology and cytopathology with expertise in medical kidney biopsy interpretation. His dissertation thesis was on the expression of biomarkers in ovarian carcinomas in Kenyan women. His current research interests are non-communicable diseases and oncopathology . He is passionate about increasing access to high quality laboratory diagnostic services to the population of East Africa through continuing medical education and research. His hobbies include traveling, scuba diving and studying African history. Dr Mutuiri is a member of the Kenya Association of Clinical Pathologists and the East African Division of the International Academy Pathology.

Dr Mutuiri is also a Consultant Pathologist at The Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi. Read more about him HERE​

Publication

  1. Waithaka M, Mutuiri A, Gakinya S. Solid Pseudopapillary Neoplasm of the Pancreas. Annals of African Surgery 2015; Vol.12 (No.1) 

  2. Mutuiri, Anderson P. M.Med. Anatomic Pathology; Nzioka, Ancent M.Med. Anatomic Pathology; Busarla, Satya V. P. M.D.; Sayed, Shahin M.Med. Pathology; Moloo, Zahir M.D. Expression of p53 and HER2/Neu in Kenyan Women With Primary Ovarian Carcinoma. International Journal of Gynecological Pathology 2016; 35(6):537–543

  3. Sayed S, Moloo Z, Ngugi A, Allidina A, Ndumia R, Mutuiri A, Wasike R, Wahome C, Abdihakin M, Kasmani R, Spears CD. Breast Camps for Awareness and Early Diagnosis of Breast Cancer in Countries With Limited Resources: A Multidisciplinary Model From Kenya. The Oncologist. 2016 Sep 1;21(9):1138-48.


Dr Samuel Mukono Gakinya 
Assistant Professor 

Dr Gakinya is a consultant Anatomic/Molecular Pathologist and assistant professor in the Department of Pathology Aga Khan University Nairobi. He attained his MBChB degree from Moi University School of medicine in 2003 and his MMed degree from Aga Khan University in 2009. He later pursued additional training in molecular pathology and attained a MRes degree in Molecular Medicine from the University of Glasgow in 2012. He is currently pursuing further training in Neuropathology at the Sunnybrook Hospital and Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto, Canada.

Dr Gakinya is also a Consultant Pathologist at The Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi. Read more about him HERE​

Publication

  1. M Waithaka, A Mutuiri, S Gakinya. Solid pseudopapillary neoplasm of the pancreas. Annals of African Surgery 2015; Vol.12 (No.1)

  2. Mateya E. Trinkaus, Shahin Sayed, Samuel Mukono Gakinya, Zahir Moloo, Wedad Hanna, Yasmin Rahim.Triple Negative and Basal-like Breast Cancer in East Africa, The Breast Journal, 17(4) 438–440(2011).

  3. S.M Gakinya, S Sayed, R Chauhan, P Sayed, Breast cancer Molecular subtypes and their clinicopathologic characteristics amongst patients at the Aga Khan University Hospital (Nairobi). Annals of African Surgery, 5 (2010)


​Dr Allan Njau, MBChB, MMed (Anatomical Pathology)
Instructor

Allan Njau completed his medical school training at University of Nairobi in 2008. He then worked as a medical officer with the Ministry of Health and later with the Mater Hospital. He subsequently joined and completed his residency in Anatomical Pathology at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi in 2016 and has received further training in fine needle aspiration and gynecological cytology and leadership and laboratory management at Stellenbosch University, South Africa. Dr. Njau is currently an instructor in the department of Pathology and Laboratory medicine and his service work include surgical pathology, cytopathology, and forensic pathology. His dissertation thesis was on diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis using GeneXpert – a real-time PCR platform. He has interest and hopes to pursue further training in molecular genetics pathology especially in reference to oncology, inherited disorders, and transplantation.

Dr Njau ​is also a Consultant Pathologist at The Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi. Read more about him HERE​