?Division of Chemical Pathology
The Division of Chemical Pathology provides critical insights into health and disease through the biochemical analysis of blood and bodily fluids. Our multidisciplinary team of chemical pathologists, registrars, scientists, and technologists delivers comprehensive diagnostic services while advancing the field through research and innovation. We support clinical decision-making by performing routine and specialised analyses and providing expert consultation to clinical teams. The division maintains a strong commitment to excellence in patient care, professional education, and research that translates laboratory discoveries into improved health outcomes.
Diagnostic Services:
We provide comprehensive diagnostic services to Tygerberg Academic Hospital, referring hospitals within our network, and external medical facilities. Our extensive test repertoire includes:
Routine biochemical analyses e.g. electrolytes, renal function tests, liver function tests, blood gasses
Specialised testing for multiple myeloma including serum and urine protein electrophoresis, immunofixation electrophoresis and serum free light chains
Metabolic disorder screening including porphyrin profiles and inherited metabolic disease screening
Therapeutic drug monitoring for medication management
Cystic fibrosis diagnosis through sweat chloride testing
Our laboratory is accredited to ISO15189 (2022) standards and maintains rigorous quality standards while delivering timely results to support clinical decision-making across a wide spectrum of medical conditions.
Expertise and Collaboration: The division plays a leading role in quality assurance, chairing the local audit committee that oversees operational research for quality improvement across pathology disciplines. We organise the annual laboratory management module – a mandatory educational program for pathology registrars nationwide that attracts participants from universities across the country as well as overseas participants who are sponsored by the IFCC (International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine).
Our specialised expertise includes housing the public sector's only porphyria screening centre in the Western Cape, led by a pathologist with dedicated interest in this field. The division has also established international recognition for work in point-of-care testing (POCT), hosting the 4th Annual International POCT Conference in Cape Town in November 2024.
Research initiatives within the division span cutting-edge areas including personalised medicine and pathology-supported genetic testing, domains extensively investigated by our Emeritus professors whose work continues to influence laboratory practice nationally and internationally.
Training: We offer a four-year training program, MMed (Chemical Pathology), providing registrars with rigorous training in laboratory medicine and diagnostic techniques. The division also serves as a training site for intern scientists, offering hands-on experience in specialised laboratory methodologies and developing the professional competencies required for careers in laboratory medicine.
Research Activities: Our division maintains an active research portfolio that spans both independent investigations and collaborative projects. We engage in meaningful research partnerships across departmental boundaries within our institution and extend these collaborations to work with national and international research teams. Our team consistently produces peer-reviewed publications that advance scientific understanding and improve clinical practice. The division's research activities complement our diagnostic and educational missions, creating an integrated approach to advancing the field of chemical pathology through evidence-based innovation.?
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