Report from the CRY Centre for Cardiac Pathology (CRY CCP) By Pam Fernandes, Professor Mary Sheppard’s Medical Secretary at the CRY CCP.

Professor Mary Sheppard, Consultant Cardiac Pathologist

Pam Fernandes, Administrator Struan Bourke, Senior Laboratory Technician Fiona Maleady Crowe, Laboratory Technician

Throughout the year we have had over 430 cases referred in total for 2013, which is a dramatic increase compared to 234 in 2012, reflecting the high esteem and national reputation of the CRY Centre for Cardiovascular Pathology laboratory.

The CRY CCP at St George’s Medical School, London

New Location of CRY Research Centre Professor Mary Sheppard was appointed to Chair of Cardiovascular Pathology at St George’s Medical School, London, in September 2013 in recognition of the ground-breaking work she has done in collaboration with CRY determining the cause of death in young sudden deaths over the past 5 years.

Senior Technician; and Fiona Maleady Crowe, Technician. With new staff members in place our turnaround time will improve.

Lectures and Inquests

Forensic Medicine of Italy annual meeting, Perugia, November 1st - 4th; Maternal Deaths - Royal Society of Medicine, London, November 13th; and Association of Inherited Cardiac Conditions, Cardiff, November 25th.

Professor Sheppard was invited to the following international lectures: European Society of Pathology (ESP), Lisbon, August 31st - September 4th;

Professor Sheppard continues to attend inquests, attending 4 inquests from September to December on sudden death cases from within the UK.

It has been a challenge to transfer her laboratory and set up a new department at St George’s Medical School. Despite this transition period, Professor Sheppard was still able to process and establish a cause of death in 61 cases referred from October to December 2013. The turnaround time in these 61 sudden death cases was 24 days on average. With the change of location to St George’s, three new members of staff joined Professor Sheppard’s team: Pam Fernandes, Administrator to Professor Sheppard; Struan Bourke,

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Issue 62 | September to December 2013