Specialist pathology team

Chris Kettle

Operations manager

After graduating from the University of Sheffield with a genetics honours degree, Chris went on to undertake a PhD in evolutionary developmental biology as a joint venture between the Universities of Newcastle and Sunderland. Having fallen in love with the north east, Chris stayed in Newcastle and began his NHS career as a clinical cytogeneticist in 2001 and became a diplomat of the Royal College of Pathologists as well as a Fellow of the Institute of Biomedical Science. He moved into quality management in 2013, becoming an assessment manager for the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) in 2018, before returning to the NHS in 2020 to undertake his current position.

Sarah-Leigh Nicholson

Lab manager for cellular pathology

Sarah-Leigh is the laboratory manager for cellular pathology; located in the Royal Victoria Infirmary. After graduating with a degree in biomedical science, Sarah-Leigh began work as a trainee BMS in the laboratory she now manages. During her career she achieved her MSc whilst working in paediatric brain tumour research, supported clinical trials, national biobanking, and has actively published. After 10 years she went to work for Great Ormond Street Hospital where she began her management journey via Swindon, Oxford and then back ‘home’ to the north east. Sarah-Leigh is passionate about pathology and was instrumental in integrating the research node and biobank into cellular pathology to bridge the gap between ISO-accredited diagnostic expertise, developmental research and biobanking.

Claire Jones

Novopath proximity lab supervisor

Claire started her career at the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough as a trainee biomedical scientist in cellular pathology in 2002 following her graduation in biomedical science from the University of Sunderland. In 2005 she moved to Guernsey in the Channel Islands and worked in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital as a multi discipline biomedical scientist specialising in cellular pathology. During this time she earned her MSc in Biomedical Science before returning to England in 2011 to work in the Leicester Royal Infirmary as a senior biomedical scientist. In 2014 she joined the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle and worked her way up to advanced biomedical scientist in the molecular pathology node, specialising in implementing and managing research projects in cellular pathology.

Tom Ness

Specialist biomedical scientist

Tom started his career at the Royal Victoria Infirmary as a medical laboratory assistant in 2008, following graduation from the University of Newcastle. In 2010 he took up the newly created post as the designated individual responsible for clinical trials in cellular pathology, as a trainee biomedical scientist. Tom’s role was incorporated into the newly created molecular pathology node in 2016. In 2018 Tom was appointed specialist biomedical scientist in the molecular pathology node.

Stacey Weatherson

Associate practitioner healthcare scientist

After graduating with a degree in sports science, Stacey joined the cytology/histology department at the RVI. She then accepted an medical laboratory assistant position within histology before accepting an 18 month secondment into the research lab. She was then promoted to an associate practitioner healthcare scientist within molecular pathology node in 2017.

Rowen Coulthard

Registered biomedical scientist

Rowen first joined the histology department during her placement year at university where she achieved her IBMS registration portfolio. She then accepted a part time position whilst continuing her studies. After graduating she accepted a position as a registered biomedical scientist within the molecular pathology node 2018.

Sabina Gonsalves

Registered biomedical scientist

Sabina started her career at the RVI as a phlebotomist at the main outpatient department. She then worked as a medical laboratory assistant in the cytology/ histology labs in the cellular pathology department. After graduating and completing the Institute of Biomedical Scientist’s registration portfolio, she took up a temporary post as a biomedical scientist in histology slide production. In 2018, she was appointed to that role to support clinical trials at the then molecular node which then became the Research and Innovation Laboratories.

Max Robinson

Clinical lead for Novopath

Max provides specialist head and neck pathology services at Newcastle Hospitals. He is the Human Tissue Authority designated individual for the research sector and clinical lead for the Research and Innovation Laboratories. His research is focused on the pathogenesis of head and neck cancer. He is pathology lead for several international clinical trials and is a member of the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) head and neck and pathology groups. This work has contributed to UK clinical guidelines for the management of head and neck cancer. He is currently leading an NCRI project called CONSORT-Path to develop international guidelines for reporting pathology content in clinical trials. He has strong links with biotech companies and has been a consultant for Leica Biosystems Limited for over 10 years.