Richard Colling

BMBS MSc MD FHEA FRCPath

Senior Clinical Research Fellow in Urological and Digital Pathology

Consultant Pathologist (OUH)

PROFILE

INTRODUCTION

I am a pathologist and researcher currently working in NDS as a Fellow in Urological and Digital Pathology. I came to Oxford in 2013 and was appointed as an academic consultant in 2019. I also teach on the NDCLS Laboratory Medicine Course. My training is in histopathology and clinical epidemiology.

RESEARCH

The main focus of my work is on Evidence-Based Pathology (EBP). I am leading Oxford's collaboration with IARC on the WCT EVI MAP Project (see below).

Another key area of my work is in developing the use of digital pathology tools such as digital microscopy, whole slide imaging, image analysis, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, with the aim of improving pathology services for the NHS in Oxford. I am working on this as part of the PathLAKE Plus and ARTICULATE PRO projects (see below).

I am also a pathologist for the TRANSLATE clinical trial, and contribute pathology support to basic science projects within NDS.

WCT EVI MAP

I am leading Oxford's collaboration with the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) on the WHO Classification of Tumours: a Living Evidence Gap Map by Tumour Type (WCT EVI MAP) Project. The work aims to map and evaluate the evidence-base for the entire WHO Classification of Tumours (WCT; commonly known as the 'WHO blue books') - the fundamental framework used internationally as the basis for cancer diagnosis. We will be mapping the evidence to identify gaps and pockets of low quality data in the evidence base.

The project began in July 2022 with the initial focus being on developing a new tumour pathology specific hierarchy of evidence for use in the mapping process. At the end of the project we expect to have a living, updatable visual map of the evidence in the WCT. We are funded for four years by €3.5M EC Horizon and Innovate UK (UKRI) grants.

ARTICULATE PRO

ARTICULATE PRO is a two-year project, funded by the Accelerative Access Collaborative and NHSx through a Phase 4 AI in Health and Care Award. The project officially began on 1 September 2021. Our remit is to investigate the deployment of AI (computer assisted technology) in the prostate cancer pathway by using Paige Prostate to assist pathologists when reading prostate biopsies.

PATHLAKE PLUS

Oxford is one of several sites in the PathLAKE Centre of Excellence for Digital Pathology, funded by the Data to Early Diagnosis and Precision Medicine program of the UK Government’s Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, UKRI. PathLAKE aims to create a big data 'lake' of histopathology digital images as a resource for use in UK digital pathology research and development, as well kick-start the transition of NHS pathology services to digital pathology in the UK and innovate new AI and other digital software tools for use in clinical practice.

As we draw near the end of the PathLAKE journey - have a look at all our Achievements over the last few years!