Scaling Digital Pathology: AI-Powered Quality Control, Workflow Efficiency and Laboratory Automation | Part 2

In this episode, Sidney Ocanagil-Tunstall speaks with Jiaqi Lv, PhD candidate at the University of Warwick's Tissue Image Analytics (TIA) Centre, about his journey into computational pathology and the development of KongNet, an award-winning deep learning algorithm for cell detection and classification.Jiaqi shares how his early work on NuClick and PathLAKE led to the development of KongNet, exploring the challenges of building AI models that can accurately identify different cell types across complex pathology images. He reflects on KongNet's success in international computational pathology competitions, including first place in the MONKEY Challenge, and the technical lessons learned along the way.The conversation also explores the importance of AI model generalisation, creativity in algorithm development and the transition from academic research to clinical applications. Looking ahead, Jiaqi discusses his work on AI-driven biomarker discovery and his ambition to help bring computational pathology innovations into real-world cancer diagnostics and treatment.

What does Agilent’s planned acquisition of Proscia mean for the laboratories, pathologists and technology partners using its software and for the future of digital pathology? After the acquisition was announced the Pathology News team took the opportunity to get into detail with David West, CEO of Proscia.Proscia co-founder and CEO David West joins Sidney Ocanagil-Tunstall to discuss the thinking behind the deal, why Agilent felt like the right partner, and what joining forces could make possible. From Proscia’s early beginnings to its role in diagnostic laboratories and pharmaceutical research, David reflects on the company’s growth and the ambitions driving its next chapter.The conversation tackles the questions that matter to customers: will Proscia retain its commitment to interoperability and vendor choice? What happens to its leadership and brand? And how could combining digital pathology, AI and Agilent’s companion diagnostics capabilities create new opportunities?Watch the full conversation for David’s perspective on the deal, the commitments behind it and what lies ahead.

In this Pathology Bites episode, Sidney Ocanagil-Tunstall welcomes back Dr Rahul Deb, Lead Breast and Gastrointestinal Pathologist at University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Trust, and Founder and Meeting Secretary of the Association of Breast Pathology (ABP), for a preview of the upcoming 9th Annual ABP Meeting, taking place on 27–28 November 2026 at the Royal Society of Medicine in London.Rahul shares what attendees can expect from this year's expanded programme, including updates on WHO guidelines, fibroepithelial lesions, Ki-67 scoring, ER-low and triple-negative breast cancer, and practical challenges encountered in everyday breast pathology.The conversation also explores the growing role of digital pathology and AI in breast cancer diagnostics, particularly the potential for AI-assisted Ki-67 assessment to improve reproducibility and support clinical decision-making. Looking ahead to the meeting, Rahul highlights the importance of face-to-face education, collaboration and peer support in bringing together the breast pathology community.Find out more about the meeting and register: https://www.pathologynews.com/event/9th-annual-meeting-association-of-breast-pathology/

Following the recent collaboration between Source BioScience and Sectra, join us for this short Pathology News interview, where Sidney Ocanagil-Tunstall speaks with Klaudyna Johnston and Chris Scarisbrick about connecting pathology services and helping improve diagnostic turnaround times in the NHS.In the conversation, Chris explains how Sectra’s Image Exchange Portal is evolving beyond image sharing to support the transfer of cases and associated workflows between organisations. Klaudyna discusses how this connectivity could reduce administrative workload, minimise reliance on transporting glass slides and help hospitals access additional reporting capacity when they need it.Looking ahead, the interview explores how more connected pathology networks could support collaboration, access to specialist expertise and flexible responses to growing demand. The discussion also considers how external diagnostic partners can act as an extension of NHS laboratories, helping teams make better use of available capacity.

In this episode, Sidney Ocanagil-Tunstall speaks with Dr Pierre Moulin, Chief Scientific Officer at Deciphex, following the company's recent announcement of CipherX, a new pathology AI engine designed to move beyond traditional foundation models and address a much broader range of diagnostic and research questions.Building on Deciphex's official launch of CipherX, Pierre challenges the industry's ongoing race towards bigger models and higher benchmark scores, questioning whether these advances are translating into meaningful improvements for pathologists and pharmaceutical researchers. He introduces the technology behind CipherX, explaining how its semantic layer transforms complex AI outputs into recognisable histopathological features, making results more interpretable, auditable and adaptable across different applications.The conversation explores how CipherX is already powering Deciphex's clinical diagnostic service, Diagnexia, and pharmaceutical research business, Patholytix, supporting diagnostic quality assurance, biomarker discovery and companion diagnostic development. Looking ahead, Pierre discusses the potential to accelerate AI development for a wider range of pathology questions, including rare diseases and complex diagnostic challenges, and why the future of computational pathology may depend less on building bigger models and more on making AI genuinely useful in clinical practice.Read more about the announcement: https://www.pathologynews.com/deciphex-launches-cipherx-a-step-beyond-foundation-models-an-ai-engine-for-any-pathology-question/

In Part 2 of the Pathology News Podcast, recorded at ECP 2026 in Stockholm, Nick Best continues his conversation with Dr. Orly Ardon, Director of Digital Pathology Operations at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and Chet Kondragunta, CEO of IraMatrix, to explore the practical implementation of AI-powered quality control in digital pathology.Orly shares how automated QC has transformed operations at Memorial Sloan Kettering, enabling the team to move from manually reviewing just 10–20% of scanned slides to quality checking every image without increasing staffing levels. Together, they discuss how automation can improve technician workflows, identify scanner and image quality issues, reduce storage costs and support more efficient, scalable digital pathology operations.Research Papers Discussed:Digital Slide Scanning at Scale: Comparison of Whole Slide Imaging Devices in a Clinical Setting (2025)Quality Management System in Clinical Digital Pathology Operations at a Tertiary Cancer Center (2023)Interobserver Variability Across Whole-Slide Imaging Systems (2026)Deployment of AI-Driven Automated Quality Control of Whole-Slide Images in a Large Tertiary Cancer Center (2026)

In this episode, Nick Best is joined by Dr. Orly Ardon, Director of Digital Pathology Operations at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and Chet Kondragunta, CEO of Aira Matrix, at ECP 2026 in Stockholm to explore the growing importance of image quality and automated quality control in digital pathology.Drawing on four published research papers, Orly shares insights from Memorial Sloan Kettering's experience of scanning over 11 million slides, discussing the challenges of maintaining consistent image quality as laboratories scale. Together, they explore the limitations of manual quality control, differences between whole-slide imaging systems, and how AI-driven automation can help standardise image assessment, reduce technician workloads and support more reliable clinical workflows.Research papers discussed in this episode:Digital Slide Scanning at Scale: Comparison of Whole Slide Imaging Devices in a Clinical Setting (2025)Quality Management System in Clinical Digital Pathology Operations at a Tertiary Cancer Center (2023)Interobserver Variability Across Whole-Slide Imaging Systems (2026)Deployment of AI-Driven Automated Quality Control of Whole-Slide Images in a Large Tertiary Cancer Center (2026)Stay tuned for Part 2, where the discussion turns to the practical implementation of automated QC and its impact on laboratory operations.

Following the recent collaboration between Source BioScience and Indica Labs, join us for this short Pathology News interview, where Sidney Ocanagil-Tunstall speaks with Klaudyna Johnstone, Commercial Director at Source BioScience, and Fatlum Hasaj, Clinical Application Specialist at Indica Labs, about supporting NHS histopathology services through flexible outsourcing and digital workflows.In the conversation, Klaudyna explains how Source BioScience helps laboratories manage fluctuating workloads and meet turnaround targets. Fatlum introduces HALO AP, discussing how the platform brings together whole-slide images, case information, reporting and collaboration tools, and how the teams worked together to integrate it into Source BioScience’s existing systems.Looking ahead, the interview explores how workflow automation, AI integration and greater connectivity could help laboratories scale their services while maintaining quality and supporting patient care.

In this episode, Sidney Ocanagil-Tunstall is joined by Professor Nasir Rajpoot, Director of the Tissue Image Analytics (TIA) Centre at the University of Warwick, to explore a career that has developed alongside the evolution of digital and computational pathology.Nasir reflects on his journey from computer science and early image analysis to becoming one of the pioneers working with pathology images, sharing the challenges of building a field before whole slide imaging, large datasets and modern AI tools became widely available. He also discusses the early research and collaborations that helped build the computational pathology community and the landmark digital pathology validation work at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire, which helped accelerate adoption across the UK.

In the second part of this conversation, Sidney Ocanagil-Tunstall continues his discussion with Professor Nasir Rajpoot, Director of the Tissue Image Analytics (TIA) Centre at the University of Warwick, exploring the milestones and collaborations that helped move digital and computational pathology forward.Nasir reflects on establishing Warwick’s Bioimage Analysis Lab in 2011/12, as a decade of persistence began to translate into growing momentum and new partnerships. He discusses how collaborations with researchers in the life sciences, including those working with fluorescence images, helped shape this early period and bring together a community around bioimage analysis.