People of Pathology Podcast
Episodes
Episode 224: Clara Cirks – Living Through Cancer, The Power Of Storytelling, Finding Perspective
Today Dr Meredith Herman and I interview Clara Cirks.
What we discuss with Clara:
- Clara’s journey with stage 4 lung cancer
- Using social media as advocacy and video journaling
- “Cancer questions with Clara” and cancer education on TikTok
- The therapeutic power of storytelling
- Connecting patients, clinicians, and community
- Perspective from pathology: seeing the person behind the specimen
- Identity, survivorship, and living with cancer
- Disability, independence, and self-advocacy
- The impact of community events like the Above + Beyond Cancer Gala
- Why patient voices matter in medicine
Links for this episode:
Pathologists’ Assistant Shadowing Network
Clara on TikTok
Clara on Instagram
Living with Metastatic Lung Cancer: Clara’s Honest Take on Life and Treatment
Clara’s Story: Blood Donations Saved My Life
People of Pathology Podcast:
Episode 223: Yair Rivenson – Inside The Virtual Staining Revolution At Pictor Labs
Today my guest is Yair Rivenson, CEO of Pictor Labs
What we discuss with Yair:
- His engineering and computational imaging background
- How AI and microscopy intersected to form the foundation of Pictor Labs
- The origin story of Pictor Labs and why it was founded in 2019
- What “virtual staining” really means and how autofluorescence enables it
- Training stain models: data requirements, timelines, and workflows
- The impact on tissue preservation, waste reduction, and turnaround times
- Applications in biorepositories, pharma research, and biomarker discovery
- Creating new stains based on lab or industry needs
- The future vision: virtual stains as a data layer for pathology
- How AI can turn tissue into a “hypothesis-generating machine”
Links for this episode:
Pathologists’ Assistant Shadowing Network
Virtual Tissue Staining with Yair Rivenson from Pictor Labs – Impact AI podcast
People of Pathology Podcast:
Episode 222: Taranjit Kaur – Inside The Post Junior Fellowship And The Making Of The Grossly Speaking Podcast
Today my guest is medical student and pathology podcaster Taranjit Kaur
What we discuss with Taranjit:
- Her early inspiration to pursue medicine
- Translating medical information for her mother as a child
- Her first exposure to pathology during volunteer work
- How a family medical experience shaped her decision to pursue pathology
- What a post-junior fellowship at UCLA is and what it includes
- Hands-on grossing experiences across multiple rotations
- What grossing has taught her about detail, workflow, and diagnosis
- Subspecialties she has explored so far
- Her early interest in hematopathology
- How her podcast Grossly Speaking was created
- Lessons learned from her podcast guests
- Personal growth through podcasting
Links for this episode:
Pathologists’ Assistant Shadowing Network
Grossly Speaking Podcast:
UCLA Post Junior Pathology Fellowship
People of Pathology Podcast:
Episode 221: Dr Osama Khan – Bridging Diagnostics And Precision Medicine At Natera
Today my guest is Dr Osama Khan from Natera
What we discuss with Dr Khan :
- His journey into pathology
- The importance of mentorship in pathology
- Pathology at the intersection of diagnostics and precision medicine
- The collaborative nature of pathology
- Transitioning from academia to industry
- Natera and Cell-Free DNA Testing
- Understanding Circulating Tumor DNA (CtDNA)
- The role of MRD Testing in cancer treatment
- Personalized testing and tumor informed tests
- His thoughts on AI in pathology
- His advice for aspiring pathologists
Links for this episode:
Pathologists’ Assistant Shadowing Network
Osama Khan: The critical importance of embracing AI and digital workflows in medical practice
People of Pathology Podcast:
Episode 220: Dr Lija Joseph – Seeing Patients Not Just Slides: The Power Of The Patient Pathology Clinic
Today my guest is pathologist Dr Lija Joseph.
What we discuss with Dr Joseph:
- Her early influences and path into medicine
- How she discovered pathology and what drew her to the field
- The inspiration behind founding a patient-focused pathology clinic
- How the clinic bridges pathology, empathy, and patient understanding
- Patient stories that illustrate the clinic’s impact
- Empowering patients through transparency and education
- Maintaining human connection in a technology-driven field
- The role of empathy in modern pathology practice
- Future directions for patient engagement in pathology
Links for this episode:
Pathologists’ Assistant Shadowing Network
Pathology Clinics: What, Why, and Where to Start
Linnea Olson Tedx talk: Patient, parent, person, research subject
3 Questions with Lija Joseph, MD
People of Pathology Podcast:
Episode 219: Dr. Kalisha Hill – Discovering Pinnacles in Pathology
Today my guest is pathologist Dr Kalisha Hill
What we discuss with Dr Hill:
- Her transition from surgical aspirations to a passion for pathology
- How the pandemic influenced the writing of Pinnacles: Visible and Invisible
- The importance of mentorship and saying “yes” to growth opportunities
- Lessons in leadership from the lab and beyond
- How earning an MBA reshaped her understanding of healthcare
- The impact of professional organizations like CAP on career development
- The meaning of “visible” and “invisible” pinnacles in pathology and in life
Links for this episode:
Pathologists’ Assistant Shadowing Network
Pinnacles: Visible and Invisible
People of Pathology Podcast:
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