President's message

I believe that by working across multiple countries within Asia and Oceania, incorporating many inputs and varying perspectives, whilst engaging in important medical problems of our time, we, as neuropathologists can play an important role in improving patient care. Stroke and neurodegenerative diseases are common causes of death in the elderly with considerable social and financial implications. Many brain tumours, across an age spectrum, remain incurable, and most muscular dystrophies have long term medical and social consequences with limited specific treatment options. Infectious diseases of the central nervous system across our lands also provide scope for us to educate the rest of the world.

As neuropathologists, we play a pivotal role in diagnosing and helping to understand these diseases. Diagnostic criteria for all diseases of nerve, brain and muscle need to be optimised for a breadth of resource settings in our vast populations. We need to work with our fellow pathologists and educate all those with an interest in neuropathology. By collaborating with and educating our associated clinicians such as neurologists, neurooncologists, and neurosurgeons, this too will improve patient care.

So, let us all work together in our fascinating field of neuropathology. We have a unique opportunity to add to the world's knowledge base due to our varied and large population.