The department of Pathology was started by Dr. V. Ramalingaswami, in 1957 at the young age of 36 years. Initially working from make shift laboratories, the research contributions started attracting national and international attention. During an active research carrier spanning over four decades, Dr Ramalingaswami carried out pioneering studies on the role of essential fatty acids in phrynoderma, lathyrism, and other specialized research in nutritional pathology. He worked on Himalayan goitre, cretinism and the subtler manifestations of iodine deficiency. Extensive laboratory studies on Himalayan goitre, cretinism, and mental retardation not only in the sub-Himalayan region but in other parts of the country were carried out. It paved the way for the recognition of goitre as a national problem and development of effective counteractive measures culminating in the National Goitre Control Programme through iodination of common salt. He established a dynamic linkage with the Ciba Foundation that focussed on the frontiers of medical research. A primate model for pernicious anemia using daraprim, a folinic acid antagonist, was developed for studying nutritional anaemias caused by deficiencies of iron and folic acid. He published the first account of the pathology of kwashiorkor in India that led to extensive experimental studies on the different types of fatty livers, simulating kwashiorkor.  Later, along with Dr M.G.Deo, he succeeded in establishing a primate model of 'kwashiorkor'. The pathology of nutritional deficiencies of vitamins A and D was yet another topic of his interest. Although it was well known that deficiency of vitamin A caused night blindness, this department was the first to demonstrate the actual damage of retinal rods and cones in new born monkeys, following maternal deficiency of vitamin A. Yet another notable study was to provide histopathological and histochemical support for the classical work on the healing of rickets by Dr Patwardhan and Dr P.K.Dikshit. The mode of action of vitamin D was elucidated by the sequence of changes in tissue calcium and phosphorus at the biochemical, morphological and histochemical levels. Studies on dengue and epidemic hemorrhagic fever were other significant contributions of Rama.   

     Dr. HD Tandon worked on experimental atherosclerosis models, rheumatic heart disease, pulmonary hypertension, veno-occlusive disease which was first described from this department and also on ulceroconstrictive lesions of the intestine.

Dr. MG Deo undertook research mainly on cell differentiation, along with contributions to the team working on nutritional deficiency, mainly protein energy malnutrition. He initiated the work on chemical carcinogenesis in which this department has extensive publications. His work was continued by Dr. Nayak and later by Dr. Meera Mathur.

Dr. Nayak’s  contributions to research were extensive .He and his team conducted long term studies on low dose aflatoxin intoxication in rhesus monkey and rats; established human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line releasing hepatitis B virus surface antigen, contributed towards explaining the role of  hepatitis B virus in causation of hepatocellular carcinoma; gave recommendations on definition, nomenclature, and classification  of cirrhosis  in collaboration with a group sponsored by the World Health Organization, described pathogenesis of veno-occlusive disease. He contributed significantly to description of Indian Childhood Cirrhosis (ICC) and its association with copper toxicity.

With the growth and development of clinical speciality of Neurology and Neurosurgery at AIIMS, a need was felt to develop suportive diagnostic neuropathology services. At that time there was no qualified neuropathologist at AIIMS. Dr. S. Sriramachari, who was then director of the Indian registry of pathology founded by ICMR at Safdarjung Hospital (now known as Institute of Pathology) had expertise in Neuropathology. He was appointed as Honorary professor of pathology at AIIMS from 1966 to 1968 to look after diagnostic neuropathology work. In 1969 Dr. Subimal Roy joined the Faculty of the Pathology Department at AIIMS. Prior to joining AIIMS, Dr. Roy had gained 2 years experience in neuropathology at the University of Sheffield, UK at the royal infirmary. His main research interest was in pituitary adenomas and he also studied the effects of under-nutrition on central and peripheral nervous systems. He introduced extensive use of electron microscopy both for diagnosis and research.

Initially hematology was a part of the department of pathology, which later became a separate department under Dr. AK Saraya. Much of the work on nutritional anemia was before this separation occurred. Dr. SK Sood made major contributions in this field including analysis of protein deficiency in the rhesus monkey with special reference to iron metabolism; Internal iron exchange in the rat; Geographic pathology of iron deficiency with special reference to India; histochemical quantitation of iron stores in population groups; Urinary formimino-glutamic acid excretion in nutritional anaemias of early childhood; Vitamin B 12 binders in rhesus monkey serum; etiopathogenesis of nutritional anemia in pregnancy W.H.O. sponsored collaborative studies on nutritional anaemia in India., the effects of supplemental oral iron administration to pregnant women, the effects of ascorbic acid and protein supplementation on the response of pregnant women to iron, pteroylglutamic acid and cyanocobalamin therapy and the effect of parenteral iron administration in the control of anaemia of pregnancy.

Renal Pathology was started by Dr. UN Bhuyan who worked mainly on primary and secondary glomerulonephritis, autoimmune diseases and established immunofluorescence examination on kidney biopsies.

The cytopathology laboratory was started by Dr. PK Gupta, who worked mainly on exfoliative cytology including cervical smear screening. Later, under the leadership of Dr. Kusum Verma, the fine needle aspiration cytology service was started. Much of the initial descriptions of tuberculosis and parasitic infections on FNAC were from this department. Recently, before retirement she established hybrid capture for HPV detection in the lab and undertook major studies on screening for cervical cancer, which has resulted in a policy document with recommendations for implementation of a national screening program.

Departments of biotechnology, laboratory medicine, and hematology as well as the the department of transfusion medicine  are offshoots from the pathology department.
     Prof H D Tandon and Prof N C Nayak are still associated with the department in the capacity of Emeritus Professors.
 

Scientific Publications
Awards
Focus areas of Clinical Care and Research
Contribution of the Dept. to Public Health Policy
International Collaborations