Speakers

Prof Aaron Han recently joined Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago, USA, as Director of Digital Pathology after a distinguished service at American Hospital Dubai, and King's College Hospital Dubai, and faculty appointment at Mohammed bin Rashid University School of Medicine (teaching pathology and health systems science). He earned his MD and PhD degrees from Baylor College of Medicine in the United States, where he also attained board certification in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, and Hematopathology. His career is marked by leadership roles and a commitment to advancing healthcare through clinical expertise, research, and education. He currently is involved in the Dermatopathology Fellowship at Loyola, and signs out breast and GI pathology cases. His contributions extend beyond traditional pathology roles, including significant involvement in administrative areas such as Chief Medical Officer, head of clinical informatics, quality management, education, and infection control. He currently is Pathology Specialty Champion for the Loyola EPIC EMR upgrade. He is a past officer of the Emirates Pathology Board, served on the Committee of the ESPC program. He is currently on the Board of Governor's for the College of American Pathologists, serving as Vice-Chair of the Council on Accreditation. He is the Deputy Commissioner for the CAP and received the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award. He advises UAE institutions on undergraduate and medical programs, and is an international pathology mentor for the International Gynecologic Pathology Society. He speaks regulary on lab quality improvement, digital pathology and AI.

Anas Bernieh obtained his medical degree from the Gulf Medical University in UAE, and did his pathology residency at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. He did one fellowship of surgical pathology at MD Anderson Cancer Center and one fellowship of pediatric pathology at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital where he also worked as a staff pathologist for 4 years. He is an American-board certified in anatomic and pediatric pathology.

Eyas M. Hattab, MD, MBA, AJ Miller endowed Professor and Chair of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at University of Louisville, is an internationally recognized neuropathologist and pathology business leader and a frequent invited speaker. Under his leadership, University of Louisville has become one of the first academic centers to implement a fully digital workflow and employ artificial intelligence (AI). Dr. Hattab is an expert in the study of brain cancer and the characterization of its morphologic, immunohistological, and molecular features. His practice also includes ophthalmic pathology, transplant pathology, and immunohistochemistry. He has authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications and contributed to many books and media appearances. Dr. Hattab is a passionate educator and the recipient of multiple teaching awards. He serves on many national and international pathology professional societies, including AANP, AAPath, CAP, IAP, and USCAP. Dr. Hattab obtained his medical education from Jordan University of Science and Technology and completed his pathology training at the University of Florida, Stanford University, and Washington University. In addition, Dr. Hattab holds an Executive Business of Medicine MBA from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. He is an avid runner and cyclist and enjoys international travel and fine dining.

Hauke Busch is a Professor of Medical Systems Biology at the University of Lübeck, Germany, and serves as the Speaker of the Center for Personalized Medicine at the University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH). With a background in theoretical physics, his research focuses on integrating multi-omics data with clinical information to advance precision medicine in inflammation, cardiology, neurology, and oncology. A key aspect of his work is bridging bioinformatics and clinical practice. He leads the bioinformatics unit of the Molecular Tumor Board (MTB) at the UKSH, where he is instrumental in implementing next-generation sequencing analysis and variant interpretation to guide individualized treatment strategies for cancer patients. His efforts in medical informatics extend to developing data warehouse infrastructures and visualization concepts within the German Medical Informatics Initiative and the German Network for Precision Medicine, enabling standardized, interoperable clinical and molecular data integration. Since 2023, he has directed the Center for Personalized Medicine at the UKSH, fostering translational research and harmonizing molecular diagnostics across disciplines. He also founded and leads the university’s Single Cell Service Unit, establishing cutting-edge technologies for high-resolution analyses in inflammation, autoimmunity, and oncology. His research portfolio is characterized by the application of machine learning and systems biology to decipher complex disease mechanisms, with over 350 peer-reviewed publications and extensive service as a reviewer for leading journals in bioinformatics, oncology, and systems biology.

Dr. Hemad Yasaei, PhD is Department Head of Molecular Diagnostics & Genomics at the National Reference Laboratory (NRL), M42, Abu Dhabi, and Adjunct Assistant Professor at Khalifa University. A molecular geneticist with a PhD in Cancer Genetics from Brunel University London, Dr. Yasaei has extensive experience in molecular pathology, cancer genomics, inherited disease testing, and translational laboratory medicine. He has played a leading role in establishing and expanding advanced molecular diagnostic services in the UAE, with particular focus on precision oncology, next-generation sequencing, hereditary cancer genomics, and integrated molecular reporting. His work bridges clinical service, research, innovation, and education, with the aim of delivering high-quality, patient-centered genomic diagnostics and advancing precision medicine in the region.

Professor Matalka is currently the President of Ras Al Khaimah Medical & Health Sciences University since February 2023. Just before that he was the Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at School of Medicine at Jordan University of Science and Technology in Irbid, Jordan, and a Consultant Pathologist at King Abdullah University Hospital for about 22 years. He is the Vice President of the International Academy of Pathology for Asia and the Clinical Director of the International Activities at the Royal College of Pathologists (UK). He served as CEO of King Abdullah University Hospital (2016-2018), which is the main tertiary hospital in North Jordan, and as the Dean of School Medicine between September 2014 and September 2016, as well as Vice Dean and Chair of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine for many years. He is the Past President of the Arab Division of International Academy of Pathology (IAP) and the Jordanian Society of Pathologists and served as Chairman of the Arab School of Pathology. Between May 2015 and November 2020, he served as the International Advisor of the Royal College of Pathologists in UK for MENA region. He is a member of the supreme council of the Arab Council of Health specializations, Chairman of the Accreditation and Quality Assurance Committee, and has been the Secretary of Arab Board of Pathology for the last 12 years. Between June 2018 and June 2022, he served as a Member of Board of Trustees, Al-Balqa` Applied University by a Royal Decree. Dr. Matalka finished his undergraduate and postgraduate training in Jordan and pursued further training in Glasgow where he became a Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists in 2000 and obtained the CCST in the UK in 2001 and developed a special interest in Gastrointestinal and Liver pathology. Dr Matalka has published 92 publications with a focus on epidemiologic, and molecular characteristics of tumors. He has also a special interest in medical education, curriculum development, and assessment and worked as an assessor for most of the Jordanian medical school’s accreditation by the Accreditation and Quality Assurance Commission for Higher Education Institutions (AQACHEI) and has led the team prepared for the recognition by WFME and currently is one of WFME Recognition Program assessors. He served at many boards of directors of academic and health institutions and joined several national and regional committees on health issues and pathology and laboratory medicine, licensing, and accreditation, and drafting relevant instructions and regulations. He served as a member of committees for the recognition of non-Jordanian universities, equivalence of certificates, and the Medical and Pharmaceutical Sector Committee (Scientific Research Fund) in the Ministry of Higher Education and scientific research. He received the Achievement Award in Education (2020) by the Royal College of Pathologists, and the achievement recognition plaque by the Jordanian Medical Association (2021).